The difference between the next big thing and the next-best one is a false dawn, but the teen tipped to be “The New Paula” has even whetted the appetite of the old one. Steph Twell has a 12-year plan and a 2012 pin. “I don’t set boundaries because I want to exceed expectations,” she said.

Twell is mirroring the rise of Paula Radcliffe, honing her stamina on the cross-country killing fields, where she goes for a record third European junior title in Brussels tomorrow, and planning Olympic marathon glory. This year she went to Beijing for the experience and was competitive in the 1,500 metres heats. But she was not happy and did not linger in China. “I didn’t want to go sightseeing,” she said. “I wanted to be in that final.”

Radcliffe used to mentor Twell and has seen enough of that attitude to be excited. “How promising is she?” the marathon world record-holder said. “Really, really promising. She has got her head screwed on. She has that mental toughness you need. People think you need a coach to push you in certain directions, but in Steph’s case it’s almost a case of holding her back. She does not need pushing. She knows where she is going and has great race intuition — you can’t coach that.”

Tomorrow marks Twell’s last significant competition as a junior. She feels quite emotional about it but is incredulous when asked if she is fearful of stepping up in class. It is doubtful that there is an athlete in any sport with such a meticulous game plan. After the 1,500 metres at the 2012 Olympics and the 10,000 metres in 2016, she is eyeing the marathon in 2020.

“Some people don’t want to step out of the 1,500 metres and try to exhaust it,” she said. “But it’s good to challenge yourself in different areas. At my club in Aldershot we’ve been bred that it’s all about the enjoyment of running and if you have that then why wouldn’t you want to run 26.2 miles?”

In Beijing Twell caught the bus to Tiananmen Square for the start of the women’s marathon. It was her 19th birthday. She had exchanged words with Radcliffe and was inspired by her heroic failure. “She asked how I was doing and she recognised my performance at the World Junior Championships \,” Twell said. “For her to take the time to acknowledge that was an honour.”

Transport problems meant that Twell did not get to the Bird’s Nest Stadium for the tear-jerking denouement so she went on a 30-minute morning run in Tiananmen Square. “I think she showed great Olympic spirit,” Twell said of her inspiration. “She’s prepared to put her body on the line.”

The same goes for Twell. Her best time for the 1,500 metres is 4min 5.83sec, which is not enough to trouble the top 30 in the world this year, but her improvement, age and mindset set her apart. The Olympic experience has also helped. “I think about Beijing every day,” she said. “I’ve come out a different athlete. Everyone is in their own environment and you don’t see what’s going on in other sports, but the focus the cyclists and swimmers had was great. It was incredibly valuable. I felt I belonged there and it’s where I want my future to be.

“I’m getting stronger. The next step is to get to a major final and I don’t want to just make a final, I want to be competitive there. I want to learn about the other competitors’ strengths and weaknesses. I went to the Olympics and it was amazing to stand on the start line and look up at the flame, but I was not in awe of anyone.”

Under the shrewd stewardship of Mick Woods, Twell is the most exciting prospect in British athletics. She believes that she has a better kick than before the summer and still wears her 2012 pin as a badge of honour. Their long-term goals were underscored this week when they sat down with Mara Yamauchi, the Briton who was sixth in the marathon in Beijing.

“I think that the marathon is the event that’s greatest to accomplish,” Twell said. “From a very young age I saw myself as endurance-based, but it’s a Catch-22 because my endurance has also enhanced my 1,500 metres.” Twell has outgrown the junior ranks. Like Radcliffe, she was a world junior champion at 18 and now wants to ruffle feathers in the elite. “I don’t want to limit myself on anything,” she said, but she does know how she wants to be remembered. “For representing Britain at an Olympics and getting a medal — especially a gold one.”