JAMES SEALS TOP FIVE FINISH IN EUROPEAN RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS MARATHON

The inaugural European Running Championships came to a close on Sunday morning with the marathons and the 10km races, with plenty of British interests in all four contests.

George James (Rob Russell) impressed on his Great Britain and Northern Ireland debut with a superb fifth place finish after a valiant display in the men’s marathon.

James was in phenomenal form on way to an outright personal best, clocking 2:10:10 for a top 10 finish on the continental stage.

The Dorking and Mole Valley athlete – who had trained in Colombia at altitude for seven weeks in the run-up – started well, hitting the front of the field over the opening kilometres. He led going through 15km in 45:51 and at halfway this is where the eventual medallists put their foot down to string out the field.

James – who’s previous best stood at 2:11:19 from Frankfurt last year – did not flinch though and maintained his consistency to produce an outstanding championship marathon performance, holding his form throughout and picking off places right until the final kilometre to come through from tenth at halfway to fifth position at the finish.

James only ran his first marathon from the Championship start at London last year – with a time of 2:14:59 – and here he finished in the top five, with the Italian Iliass Aouani winning in 2:09:05.

In the women’s marathon, Georgina Schwiening was 13^th after a solid display.

After going through halfway in 1:18:06, she kept her composure to maintain her position in the field as she held 13^th or 14^th place through every checkpoint of the race.

The Cambridge Runners athlete, who finished 11^th in the Commonwealth marathon for England at Birmingham 2022, delivered a level-headed performance to come through in a time of 2:40:17.

Earlier in the day, Great Britain and Northern Ireland narrowly missed out on a team medal in the men’s 10km despite solid performances from the team of four.

Ellis Cross (Andrew Hobdell, Aldershot, Farnham & District) was the top finisher for GB & NI in the end, but it was Charles Wheeler (MK Distance Project) who set the pace for the British contingent in the early stages of the contest, heading the field in the first couple of kilometres as he imposed himself on the continental stage. 2023 European U23 10,000m champion Rory Leonard (Andrew Hobdell, Morpeth) was also in the leading group as the race warmed-up.

As the race developed, an acceleration of pace from eventual winner Yoann Schrub (FRA) and fellow podium finishers Etienne Daguinos (FRA) and Isaac Kimeli (BEL) before the halfway mark strung out the field, changing the complexion of the second half of the race.

As gaps appeared, the British trio of Cross, Wheeler and Leonard all remained in a second chasing group, with times the all-important scoring tool when it came to the overall team prize.

Cross pushed on to finish in 12^th position in a time of 28:30, with Leonard three seconds back in 14^th. Wheeler came through in 21^st place in 28:40. Their combined times were 21 seconds away from Belgium who took the team bronze. Alfie Manthorpe (John Wood, Hallamshire), Britain’s fourth counter, was 33^rd in 29:09.

The women’s race saw 2021 European indoor 3000m bronze medallist Verity Ockenden (Chris Thompson, Swansea) come through as the top finisher for GB & NI in 11^th, crossing the finish line in 32:11.

On a wet morning in Brussels, the British contingent faced a tough 10km course, and in a fast and furious opening, the field was split up early doors with the dominant Nadia Battocletti (ITA) setting the pace alongside Slovakia’s Klara Lukan. The duo opened up a large margin on the rest of the field, with Ockenden and Olympic triathlon medallist Beth Potter (Shaftesbury Barnet) the closest challengers for the British team in a second chasing group.

Potter went through 5km in 12^th position overall with the Welsh athlete Ockenden firmly on her shoulder, the duo working with each other over the undulating course. However, it would be Swansea athlete who would take top spot for the British contingent with Scot coming through in 14^th in a time of 32:16.

Phoebe Anderson (Wayne Vinton, Herne Hill) was the next GB & NI athlete back in 31^st in 32:52, swiftly followed by Amelia Quirk (Mick Woods, Bracknell AC) one place further back in 32:55. Sarah Astin (Andrew Hobdell, Belgrave) was 36^th in 33:02, while Jenny Nesbitt (Dave Long, Pontypridd) was 47^th in 33:30.

Results: https://www.acn-timing.com/?lng=EN#/events/2157860289051328/ctx/20250412_ek/cms/10KM