Italy's Yemaneberhan Crippa is the junior men's champion after a dramatic second race at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Samokov on Sunday.

On a cold morning in Bulgaria, and a course half-covered with snow, the SPAR European Cross Country Championships was treated to a brilliant start on Sunday as Turkey's Emine Hatun Tuna finally won a gold medal.

The clock was turned back to the 2011 SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Velenje as Russia celebrated a clean-sweep in the men's under-23 race in Samokov.

It was an all women athletes press conference ahead of the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Samokov.

The traditional pre-event press conference took place in the host town of the Samokov, Bulgaria, and was split into two parts: with European Athletics officials and local dignitaries facing the media first.

It is not often that an athlete wins the junior race one year at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships and then 12 months later is seeking gold again - in the senior event.