MARYSE Haynes turned the tables on her England team-mates to win gold on her international debut in Spain on Sunday.

The 18-year-old from Wycombe took the 5km race in a time of 17.46, pushing Alice Budgeon and Lizzie Bird into second and third place.

The former Wycombe High School pupil and now Birmingham University student said: “I definitely didn’t expect to win. I thought I might come third or fourth because the other girls normally beat me, but I felt strong on the day.

“It was a good experience and I was very proud.”

Haynes won her place in the team after a sizzling start to 2013 which has seen her win her first cross-country title and run for the South of England at the Cross Country Challenge in Antrim.

She said: “Since I’ve come to uni my training has changed quite a lot.

“I’m training harder and doing longer sessions and I’m training with some really good runners as well.

“Nearly everyone I train with has either an England or a GB vest and we’re all very supportive of each.”

Haynes will next be in action in Sunderland in two weeks, when she will run for Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow AC at the national championships.