WHITSTABLE athlete Charlotte Dale continued preparations for her Commonwealth Games challenge when she finished fifth in the 3,000m at the Aquapura International at Loughborough.

The teenager, who was competing for Great Britain Juniors, clocked a personal best of 9min 25sec, nine seconds better than her previous mark. But the Invicta runner, who is aiming for a place in England’s Commonwealth Games 10,000m team, was slightly disappointed by her run.

“Charlotte was top junior,” said her coach Peter Brenchley. “But she doesn’t see it that way. She wants to beat the top senior women.

“Jo Pavey rather upset everyone’s plans by going out hard. They all had to go with her and I’ve no doubt Charlotte would have run a faster race had the pace been a bit more controlled. It wasn’t a bad effort, though. She’s now set personal bests at different distances in three consecutive weeks.”

Pavey won the race in 8.54, just outside Paula Radcliffe’s stadium record.

Hayley Tullett was second, Scotland’s G Palmer was third and Liz Yelling fourth.

Dale’s next race is in a couple of weeks when she runs a 5,000m at Wythenshaw and then on June 16 come the Commonwealth Games trials at Manchester’s new stadium.