19th July 2025

Six medals on successful day at European Athletics U23 Championships

Great Britain and Northern Ireland claimed six medals on a stunning day at the European Athletics U23 Championships in Bergen.

The evening session started and ended with gold as Emily Newnham set a championship record as she clinched the women’s 400m hurdles title before Success Eduan battled to 200m gold.

Yemi Mary John claimed silver in the women’s 400m final as Brodie Young and Will Barnicoat took home bronzes in the men’s 400m and 5000m, respectively, while Abigail Ives surged onto the women’s 800m podium.

Newnham (Nick Dakin, Shaftesbury Barnet) finished over a second ahead of Vanessa Baldé in silver to take 0.2 seconds off the championship record in a time of 54.08.

The 21-year-old’s time also puts her fourth on the British all-time list and marks her first international individual medal.

“The people around me fuel me with so much confidence. It is hard to hold onto that but also not put pressure on myself,” Newnham said.

“Everyone keeps saying this was mine to win, so subconsciously that gave me the confidence that I can do it.”

Eduan (Anita Richardson, Sale Harriers Manchester) was the last in the medal rush as a fast start propelled her to the women’s 200m title.

She held off Henriette Jaeger on the line to add U23 gold to her four medals at U20 level.

“Project Gold,” Eduan said. “Even my biomech and my physio knew what I came here to do, my coach knew what I came here to do, and I did just that.

“I didn’t care about the time, I didn’t care about anything else, I just wanted to win.

“I was trusting in my training, trusting in the process, trusting in my abilities, and I did just that.”

John (Alan James, Woodford Green Essex Ladies) produced her second run ever under 51 seconds to earn silver in the women’s 400m final, but was not able to hold on to her gold from two years ago as Jaeger lowered the championship record by almost a second.

The Olympic medallist revealed she took inspiration from one of her fellow team captains Sammy Ball going into the race.

She said: “I just wanted to run my hardest race and aim for the stars. If I missed, I’d land in the clouds, I think that was something Sammy, one of our other captain,s mentioned in his speech.

“It was a great reference to keep in mind, and that is exactly what I have done. I aimed for the stars and I am so happy with that run.

“Jaeger was incredible competition, and I don’t think I would have put that time on the clock without her in the race today.”

Poppy Malik (Grant Barker, Harrow) finished fifth in a time of 52.03, with Rebecca Grieve (Francis Smith, Woodford Green Essex Ladies) coming home in eighth.

In a tightly contested men’s 400m final, Young (James McMenemy, Airdrie) had the legs to push him into the medal spaces, finishing just six hundredths off the silver medal with a time of 45.34.

Young said: “The last 100 was honestly the toughest last 100 I have ever had in my career. I felt good for the first half of it, but as soon as the lactic started to creep in, it was just so difficult.

“All I was thinking was about staying composed and trying not to fall over myself, and thankfully managed to hold on for bronze today.”

A highly competitive men’s 5000m saw Barnicoat (Tim Eglen, Aldershot, Farnham & District) finish strongly to claim his second bronze in the event at European U23 level.

He finished in a time of 13:46.11 with Edward Bird in 14th (Mark Pauley, Poole AC) and James Dargan (Mick Woods, Aldershot, Farnham & District) in 18th.

Barnicoat said: “I’m really happy, I got third two years ago, but this was a much higher-quality field.”

In the women’s 800m, Ives (Luke Gunn, Basildon) timed her race to perfection to cross the line in 1:59.77 to add European U23 bronze to her U20 medal two years ago.

She said: “I am pleased with how I raced it, and that was my second-quickest time ever, so I can’t really ask for much more.”

Emily Parker (Kyle Bennett, Poole AC) was another athlete to set a personal best as she finished the women’s 3000m steeplechase in a time of 9:45.64.

Jake Minshull (James Wright, Coventry) was in contention in the men’s 400m hurdles final before finishing fifth in a time of 49.18.

Elizabeth Korczak (Bob Willows, Brighton & Hove) finished the women’s javelin in seventh with a best throw of 53.03m.

Abigail Pawlett (Ashley Bryant, Trafford) produced a personal best in the shot put to sit second overnight in the women’s heptathlon.

She led the field in the women’s 110m hurdles and 200m, while her effort of 1.71 in the high jump was the seventh best as she finished just three points off top spot with three events still to go.

Thomas Bridger was unable to toe the start line of the men’s 1500m after picking up an injury in the heats.

Piers Cameron (Birchfield Harriers) was up bright and early to book his place in the men’s shot put final with a best effort of 18.13m and in the final, Cameron was unable to record an attempt.

Elsewhere in the morning session, Alyson Bell (Anne Scott, Glasgow Jaguars) clocked 23.59s in her 200m semi-final, which was not enough to reach the final.

Kissiwaa Mensah (Prince Duwai, Chelmsford) also just missed out on a place in the final with a time of 23.36s.

The British athlete’s time could not be separated with Switzerland’s Fabienne Hoenke, who also ran 23.36, and the Swiss athlete advanced after a drawing of lots.

Georgina Scoot (Richard Derrick, Torbay) jumped 6.10m in women’s long jump qualification, which was not quite enough to progress to the final.

Zara Obamakinwa (Mark Chapman, Blackheath & Bromley) registered no mark in women’s discus qualification.