Britain's Stephanie Twell ran well but finished fourth behind Kenya's Linet Masai in the women's event at the Great Edinburgh International Cross Country.
The 19-year-old Twell, who has just stepped up to the seniors, tried her best but could not match Masai's pace.
Masai, also 19, broke away halfway through the 5.6km race to win by 11 seconds in 19 minutes two seconds.
Britain's Andy Baddeley, now fully fit again after an Achilles injury, defended his men's 4km title.
Baddeley, despite suffering a spiked right ankle before the final circuit, accelerated with just over one kilometre to go to finish in 12:17 and comfortably defeat Steve Vernon, with Tom Lancashire in third.
Three-time European junior champion Twell, who won on her senior debut in Antrim last weekend, was well off the rapid pace on the first lap.
Twell, a 2012 medal hope from Aldershot, fought her way back to the leaders but when Masai hit the accelerator the Kenyan stretched clear.
Twell stuck at her task and briefly moved into third on the last hill, but Kenya's Viola Kibiwott's faster finish pushed the Briton into a repeat of last year's fourth place.
The teenager beat world cross country silver medallist Jessica Augusto of Portugal to finish as the leading European.
However, she admitted she would have to find a formula to beat the Africans at the London Olympics.
Masai has already demonstrated her world-class ability by coming fourth in the Olympic 10,000m final with a world junior record in Beijing.
"I think she's an effortless runner whose got an amazing amount of talent," said Twell.
"She's someone who I'll be racing throughout my career - so the more we do the better."
Ethiopian Abebe Dinkesa sprinted away from a strong international field to win the men's 10k race in 26:51, with Frank Tickner and Andrew Lemoncello the leading Britons in 11th and 12th places respectively.
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~22~RS~)