ELDERSLIE’S Callum Hawkins claimed an individual bronze medal at the European Cross Country in Italy and helped lead Team GB and NI to Senior Men’s team golds.

The Rio marathon runner delivered a terrific performance in Chia, Sardinia to win his own personal duel with his team-mate and fellow Scot Andy Butchart, who finished fourth, some 12 seconds back.

Hawkins becomes the first Scottish male medallist ever at the European Cross Country Championships, with Rhona Auckland having won gold at U23 a couple of years ago.

Butchart had lead in the early stages and then Hawkins had a spell at the front but later they had to defer to two (Kenyan) Turkish athletes on a fast course with Aras Kaya taking the gold.

Butchart had been named British team captain and European Athletics Male Athlete of the Month for November in the pre-race countdown but was pipped by Hawkins.

The Kilbarchan AAC runner was pre-selected last week for the marathon at London 2017 World Champs, he said: “I got out a lot better than I thought I would – I thought I’d be chasing but I saw Andy take it on and I thought ‘I’ll do it with him’.

“He almost got me – I fell off a bit about four laps in – but I managed to get it together. I wasn’t a fan of the mounds on the course, I felt like I was losing time over them, but when I got back on the flats it was about trying to break the two Turks, but they were too strong for me.

“I think between me and Andy that one day he’ll probably beat me and the next I’ll beat him.”