SPRINTING TO SUCCESS FOR GB&NI TEAM ON DAY 2 OF THE EUROPEAN TEAM CHAMPS
Great Britain & Northern Ireland (GB&NI) sprint to success on the second day of the European Team Championships in Madrid, rounding the day off with the team in sixth place, just three points behind France in fifth.
The GB & NI men dominated the men’s sprints on the first evening on the track in Madrid. Samuel Reardon (Nigel Sticking, Blackheath & Bromley) ran not only a new personal best time but a new Championship record time of 44.60. This time places him seventh on the European U23 all-time list.
“That was an amazing race. I knew a championship record could go as it was such a good field, and the weather was perfect. It is really hot and no wind.
“The stadium and the track are unbelievable, so I thought I could be competitive, try and go for the win and get a PB, but to go 44.6, which is world championship qualifying time, a championships record and a PB, the list goes on – it is just so, so amazing.”
In the finale of the opening evening on the track, the world’s fastest accountant, Eugene Amo-Dadzie (Steve Fudge, Woodford Green Essex Ladies), ran 10.07 to claim the top spot in the 100m. He will go again in the relay on Saturday.
“I am very, very happy, and it is always an honour and a blessing to pull on a GB vest; I am really happy – team champs, so happy to do my part for the team. Always thankful and blessed to come away healthy as well, then helping the relay team tomorrow to get maximum points and I am feeling good.”
Emily Newnham (Nick Dakin, Shaftesbury Barnet), the 400m hurdler, ran a new personal best time of 50.84 in the 400m, finishing fifth overall. She held strong in the last 200m with the German next to her and the Spanish on her other shoulder whilst Femke Bol (NED) stormed to victory with a championship record.
“That was so much fun. I find the 400m so challenging, as you have nothing to think about; the hurdles are so broken down. But that was good; I enjoyed it – it was fun!
“I have only done one 400m flat this season, I think it is good to stay in touch with speed so the quicker I can run over the flat, the quicker I can run over the hurdles. Then, when I can put the two together, I hope it will be pretty good.”
Aleeya Sibbons (Coral Davis, Newham & Essex Beagles) ran a good time of 11.37 to claim the overall 10th spot in the women’s 100m. In the throws, Jake Norris (Paul Dickenson, Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow) struggled with the hammer competition, getting a single throw out on his final attempt of 69.19, which placed him 13th.
Serena Vincent (Mike Winch, City of Portsmouth) finished a solid seventh place after a confident throw in the second round over 17m and placed one better than her ranking coming into the competition.
“It wasn’t what I wanted or had in me, but after a rough few competitions I have had recently, this is a step in the right direction, and I know there is more.”
The U23 discus thrower, Zara Ombamakinwa (Mark Chapman, Blackheath and Bromley), did well in the Madrid heat and fought her demons to get a throw in her third attempt after two fouls, finishing 14th overall.
There was heartache in the men’s triple jump for Efe Uwaifo (Daniel Hooker, Harrow). The third jump was long but just 0.2cm over, resulting in him finishing 11th.
Calli Hauger-Thackery (Nick Hauger, Hallamshire) took on the women’s 5000m in the blistering heat on the lime green track, finishing in a brilliant fifth place with a time of 16:06.33. It was a slow start, with Calli tucking in behind the European Champion, Nadia Battocletti (ITA), but with six laps to go, Calli took the race on and picked up the pace from the front of the lead pack of six. As the last two laps approached, the Italian turned up the pace to take the lead, with the Spanish crowd roaring on Marta Garcia, who stuck with her until the last 300m.
“It was so slow, and it is really hard to run that slow. My biomechanics do not feel that natural going that slow so that is why I went with six laps to go, I thought I can’t keep falling over myself right now it is causing me more anxiety and I wasn’t enjoying it. I didn’t make it too honest, I just made it to the front and got out of trouble.”
In the men’s 3000m steeple chase, Will Battershill (Luke Gunn, Bristol & West) put in a good performance, sticking with the front eight throughout the race, finishing in sixth. A confident performance on his international debut for Tiarnan Crorken (Andrew Henderson, Preston) in the men’s 800m, running in the B race and finishing in second with a time of 1:46.92, placing him 10th overall.
“It was good, it was my first championship race with the GB vest on, so I can’t complain. It was a good learning experience. It is just getting used to being in these conditions, like the call room and media etc – it is a new world for me.”
