Athletics: Murray and Twell avoid same paths

Scotland’s 2011 Commonwealth Games team-mates Freya Murray (Edinburgh AC) and Steph Twell (Aldershot) have both been named by the British selectors for the European Cross Country Championships in Slovenia a week on Sunday – but for different teams.

While the 28-year-old Murray, who also competed for Britain in the 2009 European, duly takes her place in the senior women’s team as befits her third place in last Saturday’s UK Trials at Liverpool, Twell has opted for the Under-23 team for which she has one more year’s eligibility.

Twell finished fifth overall at Liverpool, one place behind the leading under-23 athlete Hannah Walker, who is also opting for the age group side to give them the best chance of being in the medals.

Dundee Hawkhill Harrier Laura Muir however has been picked for the under-20 team.

There are three Scots in the men’s under-23 team, Derek Hawkins (Kilbarchan), the current Scottish senior champion, who was only 14th overall but second under-23 in the trial, Matt Graham (Kirkintilloch), who recently returned from the USA and was fourth in the trial and Matthew Gillespie (Shettleston) who was fifth.

Not one senior got near selection and Lasswade’s Ross Matheson, a member of last year’s junior team, unfortunately dropped out Liverpool.