Since 2006, Steph Twell has been one of Britain's most promising junior middle distance athletes but it was on the cross country circuit, where Twell emerged. She was the surprise winner at the European Junior Cross Country Championships in 2006 and Twell successfully defended her title, with consummate ease in 2007 and 2008.

On the track, Twell won the silver medal at the 2006 European Junior Championships over 1500m, before gaining some invaluable experience on the Grand Prix circuit, racing in London, Stockholm, Rieti and Brussels and the Brit set lifetime bests at 1500m, one-mile, 3000m and 5000m.

After missing much of the winter season with a back injury, Twell returned strongly for the season and lived up to the expectations at the World Junior Championships, winning the gold medal with a tremendous burst on the final lap. Just days after her success in Bydgoszcz, the youngster sealed Olympic selection with a 4:05.83 PB at the Paris Golden League meeting. In Beijing, Twell narrowly missed the final, finishing sixth in the heats, running her second fastest time ever of 4:06.68.

On her return from China Steph won numerous awards including the BAWA Junior Female Athlete of the Year Award and the Waterford Crystal European Athletics Rising Star Award. Steph finished off 2008 winning the Junior European Cross Country title for an unprecedented 3rd time. This fantastic form has continued into 2009 with Steph winning the senior English World Cross Country trials in March.