BARNT Green runner Becky Straw put a frustrating injury hit year behind her as she helped Great Britain to team gold at the European Cross Country Championships in Bulgaria in December.

The 19-year-old came eight in the junior women category and was one of the national side’s four points scoring athletes as GB brought home the gold.

The Birchfield Harriers had qualified made her comeback in Liverpool at the trial race in November, gaining automatic selection for the squad of six athletes which went to Bulgaria.

It ended a frustrated period for the Straw, who had been beset by injuries.

An injury picked up in October 2013 was mis-diagnosed as tendinitis and after several races she discovered she had fractured two bones in her foot.

She was forced to spend six months wearing a cast and using crutches before the recovery process began in May.

Now Straw is starting to focus on racing on the track and aims to qualify for the European U23s Athletic Championships in Tallin later in the year.

Her mother, Sally Straw, said: “Making the transition from cross country to track is not always the easiest but Becky is determined to do well.”

The teenager is also looking at continuing her training with universities in the United States.