Athletics: Stewart is so close to glory

Edinburgh UNIVERSITY second year maths student Emily Stewart just missed picking up a shock medal after a brilliant run in the World University Cross Country Championship in Lodz, Poland.

Romania’s twice World junior silver medallist steeplechaser Ancuta Bobocel won the 4km race in 15 minutes 48 seconds on Saturday and Stewart was the first British runner in fourth place in 16:05, just nine seconds behind bronze medallist Roxanna Birca, another Romanian.

The 20-year-old Edinburgh AC member, who was very strong on the 80-metre long steep hill, improved with every lap of the three-lap race, with fellow Scot Elspeth Curran (Glasgow) the next Brit, a minute behind in 23rd place.

England’s Louise Small (St Mary’s Twickenham), who beat Stewart in the British Universities Championship earlier this year, was 56th.