Oxfordshire's Hattie Dean has spoken of her delight after been named in the Great Britain & Northern Ireland team for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Japan on April 1 and 2.

Former Radley ace Dean (pictured), who now lives in Sheffield, learned of the call-up to the long-course team, after she romped to victory on the eight kilometre long course at the UK Inter-Counties Cross Country Championship at Nottingham.

Dean was the star of the day for Oxfordshire's team as she wrapped up the title in convincing fashion at Wollaton Park.

She was in the leading group of runners shortly after the start and stayed on the shoulders of the leaders during the first of the three laps.

On lap two, she started to push ahead up the hill and went on to open up a convincing lead to win the race in 28mins 52secs 15 seconds clear of Hertfordshire's Liz Hall, with Kate Ramsey (Leicestershire) a further nine seconds adrift.

Her winning display also secured the senior women's UK Cross Challenge title.

Dean always felt in control at Nottingham and felt strong going into the final lap.

She said: "I was carrying a minor injury, but it didn't really affect my fitness.

"I wasn't 100 per cent confident, but my coach told me to stick in with the pack early on, which is what I did.

"I just felt really good and broke away after about three kilometres, which was a bit earlier than expected, and on that last lap, I knew I was going to win it."

Dean finished an MSc degree in statistics at Sheffield University last year, and is now working in the city at the Department of Work & Pensions, but despite that, she says her roots remain very much in Oxfordshire.

She said: "It's a really proud moment for me and my family to get a national call-up and I was running for Oxfordshire at Nottingham.

"I competed for GB in the short-course championship last year, where I finished in the top 50, but I actually prefer the longer distances.

"The short course is really tough, because it's only four kilometres, so it's virtually a sprint.

"In the long-course event, it's twice the distance and you can run your own race more.

"But I know that the long-course event is generally more competitive, so if I can get into the top 60 that would be amazing."

Before Dean jets off to Japan, she joins fellow-Oxfordshire runner Mathew Ashton at the World Student Cross Country Championships in Algeria next Friday.

The pair fly out to North Africa next Wednesday, and Dean said it will be nice to see a friendly face on the plane.

Oxfordshire's women's team finished 13th, with good performances from Frances Briscoe (30th) and Josephine Rhodes (75th).

Elysia Ridley finished 166th, with Michelle Buzzard 188th and Lizzie Gottwald in 222nd.

OTHER OXFORDSHIRE RESULTS Under 20 women: 97 L-J Chisnall 29.08, 123 H Roberts 31.45, 131 C Goodwin 37.12.

Senior men: 76 S Aldridge 40.55, 93 S Kimber 41.17, 105 M Bishop 41.36, 110 O Bristow 41.45, 151 D Merckel 42.46, 159 T Bradford 42.56, 173 S Male 43.14, 193 V Zverev 43.57.