CITY of Plymouth Athletic Club are delighted that they will soon have another international in their ranks.

Victoria Weir is set to represent Great Britain at next month’s European Cross Country Championships in Italy.

The 18-year-old secured her place in the under-20 women’s team by winning the Cross Challenge event at Liverpool’s Sefton Park on Saturday, which was acting as trials for the European Championship.

The top five finishes in Weir’s race secured automatic selection for the national team for the event in Chia on December 11.

Weir, who won the English Schools’ steeplechase title in the summer, beat Warrington’s reigning national cross country champion and European silver medallist Harriet Knowles-Jones on her way to victory at the weekend.

Afterwards the former Plymstock School pupil, who is in her first year at the University of Birmingham, said: “I just can’t believe it. I’ve never been near Harriet before so to win the race is unbelievable.

“To earn a spot on the team for the championships is unbelievable too. I’ve never represented my country before so this is quite something.”

Her success has delighted her club. She will follow in the footsteps of the likes of fellow City of Plymouth athletes James Arnott, David King, Simon Anderson and Katherine Endacott in earning international honours.

“To have Victoria now getting an international vest is absolutely brilliant,” said City of Plymouth’s head coach Steve Endacott.

“It’s fantastic. The club is very proud naturally.”

He added: “She had a good season with the steeplechase and she has gone to Birmingham and gone from strength-to-strength. To get that result at the weekend was absolutely brilliant.”

Weir’s club colleague, Poppy Tank, has also been impressing in America after going to studying at the University of Utah. The pair came through the club at the same time.

“Both girls have gone off to university and stepped up their game, which is really, really good,” said Endacott.

Meanwhile, the Devon Cross Country Championships take place at Exeter this weekend.

The county event will be incorporated into the Westward Cross Country League meeting which takes place on Sunday at Exeter Arena. The first race is at 12.15pm, with the last race at 2.15pm.