Stephanie Twell was relegated to fourth place at the BUPA Great Edinburgh International Cross Country despite her best efforts.

Twell's performance again confirmed she is the country's best women's distance-running prospect to emerge since her idol Paula Radcliffe and remains a genuine medal hopeful for the 2012 London Olympics.

But she was reminded reputations have never meant anything to African runners and the 19-year-old Aldershot runner succumbed to their equally massive talents despite battling all the way in the 5.6km race.

Kenya's Linet Masai, winner of last year's World Cross-country Championships bronze medal, dominated the race as she won easily by 11 seconds in 19 minutes two seconds ahead of Ethiopian Mestawet Tufa who on that occasion was a place in front.

They were followed home by the second Kenyan finisher Viola Kibiwott, a three-time world junior title winner, who clocked 19mins 14secs with Twell two seconds adrift after gamely trying to catch her in the last 400 metres.

Twell is under no illusions that if she is to achieve her Olympic dream four years hence, she must find a formula to catch the Africans up and then overtake them.

Indeed Masai, who is the same age, has already shown her remarkable ability when placing fourth in the Olympic 10,000metres final with a world junior record in Beijing.

"I think she's an effortless runner whose got an amazing amount of talent," admitted Twell, who last month won a third successive European junior cross-country title.

"She's someone who I'll be racing throughout my career - so the more we do the better."

The Briton did collect positives from her outing, notably being the first European across the line in front of last month's senior silver medallist Jessica Augusto of Portugal.

Twell said: "I'm a little disappointed and not totally satisfied."

However, she proved there is a wise head on her shoulders when after Augusto set off at a blazing pace she was confident enough to stay down in 10th position before moving in midrace into the leading pack.

Twell looked comfortable among her overseas rivals but neither she nor anyone else had any answers when the tall, long-legged Masai, flew into the lead with over a lap remaining to win with a dominating display.

Andy Baddeley defended his domestic 4km crown but it came at the cost of a badly-spiked right ankle inflicted by Mick Skinner, his training partner, just before the final circuit.

The collision did not prevent Baddeley powering away to win by two seconds ahead of an inspired Steve Vernon with a time of 12:17 with Tom Lancashire matching his third place of last year, clocking 12:24.

Baddeley's tactics were a reversal of last January when deciding to rely on his fierce sprint finish he was almost caught out, just claiming victory with his final few strides.

Baddeley, the world's fastest miler last year, this time struck for home with 1,200m remaining, said: "I wanted to go hard and early to see how it worked out.

"I now know what it's like to sit in and run hard at the end it. Despite it being really windy I didn't want to back off my plan."

Ethiopia's Abebe Dinkesa scored a shock success in the international 8.9km race when he maintained his form to win in 26:51.

Mangata Ndiwa of Kenya was another surprise package finishing three seconds in arrears with Eritrea's former world cross-country champion Zersenay Tadese third, a second behind.