KIYA Dee brought the curtain down on a magnificent season with yet another significant medal on the national stage.

The Highworth Running Club teenager has been piling up the medals this winter so was always going to be among the contenders for the intermediate girls’ race at the New Balance English Schools’ Championships despite being bottom of the age group.

But Dee has been pushing the boundaries all winter, as she proved with her unbeaten record in the British Cross Challenge Series and then her magnificent victory in the U17 women’s race at the English Cross Country Championships a few weeks ago.

So it should have come as no surprise that Dee, still only 15, pushed hot favourite Bea Wood - coincidentally running in the Wiltshire colours - closer than she ever has as the pair dominated the race around Sefton Park, Liverpool before Wood edged clear to win by three seconds.

“It has indeed been an amazing season for Kiya and to finish only three seconds behind such a talented, older runner as Bea shows how hard Kiya has worked and improved this year,” said proud mum Diana Dee.

“Her goals at the start of the season were the British Cross Challenge, the Inter Counties, the English Nationals and English School Championships.”

Of those four Dee amassed three golds and a silver in a season in which she never faltered.

“All her hard work paid off and we couldn’t have asked for better results,” added Diana.

“I asked Kiya which title meant the most to her and she said the English Nationals in Nottingham as it is such a big title and she won by such a large distance.”

And it is worth re-stating that Dee, who was representing Gloucestershire, will still be able to compete in the inter girls’ race again next year when she hopes to emulate Wood, who also won silver in 2019.