SUPER SILVER MEDALS FOR MILLS, COURTNEY-BRYANT & BRITAIN’S WOMEN’S 4X400M TEAM AS CURTAIN

There were terrific silver medals from George Mills (Thomas Dreissigacker, Brighton Phoenix), Melissa Courtney-Bryant (Rob Denmark, Poole AC) and British women’s 4x400m on the final day of action at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands.

In what was an intriguing men’s 3000m final, and with many eyes on the tactics deployed by reigning champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR), both George Mills and James West toed the line for the British team with ambitions of silverware.

West almost immediately hit the front to take on the running, with Mills sweeping round to sit on West’s shoulder in the early proceedings, while Ingebrigtsen sharked round also. Taking the driving seat with Mills shadowing every step, the Norwegian world record holder looked to begin dictating the pace early, leading the field round at a relative jog as the twelve men became bunched through 800m.

Mills took on making the pace more honest after the field went through the opening kilometre in 2:52.5, turning the screw a little and upping the pace to try and thin the field out, with West tucked on the inside line in fifth. Still at a relative canter for the quality of those in the field, and with Almgren (SWE) right up with Mills and Ingebrigtsen, the Dutch duo of Laros and Nillessen looked to get things moving as the field headed for 2000m.

Hitting the front to the screams of the home crowd, Nillessen was quickly pulled back in by Mills, who returned the favour by retaking the lead, West still in the mix for a medal in fourth.

At 600m to go to Ingebrigtsen whipped by Mills on the outside, as it appeared a straight shoot out for gold between the pair. Running hard and still pressuring the Norwegian, and with a second group of four furiously chasing down the pair, though with West slipping off said pack, Mills worked to keep in touch.

The Norwegian was gone, however, streaking away to win with a margin of ten metres or so, with Mills gritting his teeth and running hard to the line to get up for a brilliant silver medal in 7:49.41, adding to the silver won at the European outdoors last summer. For West, it was a commendable fifth place finish as he crossed over in 7:51.46.

Ever the competitor, Mills spoke afterwards on both his race tactics, and his mixed feelings: “I wanted to be the position up front so I was in control of where I wanted to be. I didn’t want to get caught out too far back and miss a jump when people made moves. You can see from the race I was always in a good position and able to defend various attacks when different people tried to move to the front, so I could have a very smooth controlled race, and so I could get the most out of the race.”

“I came here to win and to compete and that is what I tried to do. On paper, a silver was the bare minimum of what I should have so anything less would have been a disappointment. I guess we did what we expected, but we need to improve.”

Of his own performance and the fifth-place finish achieved, West said: “It’s slight disappointment, but I’m proud of the way I ran it – it was kind of perfect to have come 5th in such a high-level field. We have just progressed so much in the last couple of years, I feel like I’m with touching distance with those boys now and it gives me a lot of confidence going into the outdoor season.

The women’s equivalent took to the track shortly after, with triple British interest from Courtney-Bryant, Hannah Nuttall (Helen Clitheroe, Charnwood) and Innes FitzGerald (Gavin Pavey, Exeter), Courtney-Bryant lining up as the quickest in Europe this year.

Sloping through the opening 400m or so at a relative slow, Germany’s Meyer took the field through the opening kilometre in 3:09, shortly after a which there was an incredibly heavy fall for home athlete Maureen Koster as the race continued.

The field shaken up as Meyer injected a burst from the front, and with Courtney-Bryant tucking into third to keep in touch with the leaders, Nuttall and Fitzgerald a few places back and with little distance between them.

Strung out into almost single file, and with Meyer continuing to keep it quick and honest, Garcia (SPN) took closer interest, moving wide and round Courtney-Bryant as two kilometres came up in 6:03.

Garcia hit the front from Mayer, Nuttall and Fitzgerald hanging on to keep in touch, the latter running wide where she could to stay away from the inside line and any jeopardy. Garcia running it hard in a bid to shake off the pack, a clear breakaway group of eight would decide the podium and its order with 600m to run.

With a clear and growing threat coming from the fast-finishing Sarah Healy (IRE), Nuttall looked to move out and round to shoot for a medal, with Garcia looking weary from the harder running undertaken through the previous three laps. Courtney-Bryant hit the front with 100m to go with a brief hold on the title, only for Healy kicked hard to come round and through and clinch gold for Ireland, the times a razor tight 8:52.86 to 8:52.92.

Having been run out of contention after a clip with around 150 metres to run, Nuttall crossed over for an admirable sixth place finish in 8:54.60, with British senior team debutant Fitzgerald claiming eighth in 8:57.00.

Post-race, Courtney-Bryant said: “The colour (of her medal) is getting better. Sarah has been running really well all indoor season, so I knew she was going to be a big threat and she had more in the tank at the end than me. I am a bit gutted as I really wanted the gold today, but to walk away with a medal you should always be happy at a Championships.

“I really went for it down the back straight and I felt confident and I knew I had the speed and came off the bend and still felt really confident going to the line and before I knew it my legs were just going underneath me as she went passed, I thought I am going to fall. It is still a silver medal, better than my two bronzes, but maybe I will be back here in two years’ time.” 

“I was feeling really good in myself after the race and I got my tactics a lot better than yesterday,” said Nuttall.

“When we were closing quite hard, I just felt I got clipped on the last bit and lost my stride – it was hard to kick on from there when you are tired, and there was nothing I could have done.”

Fitzgerald commented: “It was very messy and of course, I will never be satisfied coming away from a championships without a medal round my neck, but I did my best. I know what I need to work on now and I will come back stronger.”

With fine recent form and history in the women’s 4x400m on both the European and global stage, the British quartet of Lina Nielsen (Tony Lester, Shaftesbury Barnet) and Hannah Kelly (Les Hall, Bolton), Emily Newnham (Nick Dakin, Shaftesbury Barnet) and Amber Anning (Chris Johnson, Brighton & Hove) aimed to add to the British silverware tally in the very final event of the championships.

Having contributed to the mixed 4x400m bronze medal own on the opening session, Lina Nielsen led the team out, needing to fend off individual 400m champion Lina Klaver (NED) among others. Going through 200m hot on the hells of the Dutchwoman, Nielsen ran a fine leg to both stay in touch with the leaders and stave off pressure from behind, before handing into Kelly.

Looking to attack Franke hard over the opening 200m, but with eyes needed in the back of her head to stave off Spanish interest, Kelly ran wide into lane two in an attempt to round Franke coming into the straight, with Britain still in silver position.

Handing into Newnham, who had to hold space somewhat to keep Britain in silver medal position round the first bend, the race was building for a fine finale as Newnham then attacked on the outside down the back straight of her final lap. Handing into Amber Anning, who had redemption on her mind after a cruel disqualification from the individual event earlier in the championships, Britain had work to do after a slightly delayed handover.

Trying to challenge Femke Bol early in the rave and give her something to think about, only to be pushed back out into silver by the Dutch great, Anning again valiantly tried to attack one last time. Running hard and showing no signs of letting the chasing Czech Republic or Spain by her, Anning drove for the line and crossed the British quartet over in 3:24.89, a new national record time and one fitting of a silver medal for the team.

Lina Nielsen said: “I am so proud of us. We wanted to stay close as possible to the Dutch, if not beat them and we really gave it our best shot so I am glad we got a national record and a silver medal.”

Kelly added: “When you are running it all blends into one. It is an advantage to have a home crowd, but we push ourselves and push each other so regardless of the crowd we went out there and do the best we can.”

Reflecting on her leg Newnham said: “I had to stand my ground and be strong. Rooney said that before the call room and reminded us that we have earnt our space here, you are just as good as those girls out there, own it. I have never got an international medal before and this is my second this week! Very happy!”

Amber Anning, whose individual ambitions were cut short earlier in the week said: “I had my opportunity so it was very much about compartmentalising that and getting ready to do it for the team. I am very grateful to have run out there. We have a great team, we have so much depth as GB so to come away with a national record and silver medal, I am grateful.”

Picking up where she left off after three personal bests from three events earlier in the day, ahead heading into the two finals events in the bronze medal position, Jade O’Dowda (John Lane, Newham & Essex Beagles) sailed out to 6.43m, an equal season’s best, as the women’s long jump got away in the women’s pentathlon.

With room to spare on the take-off board, O’Dowda then produced 6.33m, with a huge 6.61m personal best from the fiercely supported Sofie Dokter (NED) temporarily bumping O’Dowda from silver into bronze. Somewhat hampered by a delay to the competition due to a technical issue inside the stadium, O’Dowda fouled her third and final attempt to round off the event with 985, and a score of 3871 heading into the 800m in bronze medal position.

Entering the race with a lifetime best in the 2:15 region, the ever-complicated routine of live maths vs the performances of other medal competitors came into play. O’Dowda tucking into the pack and going through the opening 400m in around 1:05, as Ireland’s O’Connor went out hard in a bid to climb onto the podium. O’Dowda’s running, and legs, were resolute, O’Dowda running wide to try and make a move on the leaders took the bell.

Working incredibly hard and knowing she needed to stay within a handful of seconds of O’Connor, the Irishwoman crossing over in a personal best 2:11.43, and O’Dowda clocking 2:15.91, a season’s best, on hugely weary legs. When the totals had been calculated, it was O’Connor who got the nod for bronze, her final score of 4751 bringing up an Irish record, with O’Dowda’s score of 4751, a personal best, just short off the rostrum.

Proud but understandably disappointed at her near miss at a medal, O’Dowda said: “It is because it was right there, and it feels like it was obviously mine to lose; I just didn’t have it in me. I could be wrong – I need to go back and look. At about six hundred metres, I was still there or thereabouts and tried to go and kick, but I simply didn’t have it. It sucks, emotionally I am hurting a bit but if I think a bit more logically, I had an incredible day and it was just really the 800m I was a bit disappointed with. I wasn’t too sure about my shape coming into it. I can’t complain either I did a PB hurdles, PB high jump, a really good shot and a really good long jump.

“For the past four years, I have not been in a position to do indoors, and I have always struggled with injuries over the winter. It’s not been smooth sailing this year. I have managed to get myself into a position to do one, so leading into outdoors is super good, but it hurts. I am sure I will sure it for a bit of fuel.”

The final men’s track event of the championships, the quartet of Alex Haydock-Wilson (Dai Greene, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow), Efekemo Okoro (Felipe Siqueria, Birchfield Harriers), Josh Faulds (James Wright, Rugby & Northampton) and Alastair Chalmers (Matt Elias, Guernsey) hunting down a podium finish.

With six teams in the mix, Haydock-Wilson running a typically aggressive opening 200m while initially holding off the Dutch’s push for the inside, with Okoro then taking the baton with Britain in third from Netherlands and Belgium.

Iguacel putting the burners on to push Belgium into gold, Okoro needed to run wide and round Dutch representative Smidt before beginning to tire over the final 75 metres.

Thrusting the baton into Faulds, and with the Dutch streaking away with a lead of fifteen metres or so, Faulds ran a smart opening 200m to keep on the shoulder of experienced Spanish third-leg Husillos. Looking to keep something in reserve for the final 150m, Faults attacked against on the outside, using lane two to try and come round and jump Britain from fourth into bronze.

Chalmers took the baton on anchor with work to do, a gap of a metre or so into Spain, with France attacking from fifth. Pushing in vain, ultimately the gap proved too large, with Chalmers bringing the team over the line in a season’s best of 3:05.49, 0.31 shy of bronze.

Second-leg for the team, Josh Faulds said: “The boys worked hard. We got stuck behind people and then you are fighting too much to go round which is indoor racing. I had so much left, I am just a bit annoyed – I should have made a move earlier then boxed him in, but hindsight is a beautiful thing isn’t it. You can’t do anything about not giving it a bit more. It is what it is.”

Anchor leg, Alastair Chalmers added: “I’m hugely disappointed – to get fourth in any race sucks. We have a strong team here and we know we are good enough to medal. It just got a bit scrappy in between those second and third legs. I tried my best to get us back in the mix but these guys are world class and I didn’t have that other gear to get past. The guys did a great job but that is racing at the end of the day.”

There was an agonising miss at the podium for British team captain Scott Lincoln as he finished just 2cm short of European indoor bronze in a tight competition.

Opening up with 19.19m after a first round foul, Lincoln then uncorked a 20.73m to put himself right in contention. Chasing down Tomas Stanek (CZE) and his mark of 20.75m, the tension was building as Lincoln fouled in both round four and five to leave himself with one final shot.

It was another superb effort to close his competition, with a long wait for the result to flash up following, though the 20.69m produced fell just 6cm shy of what was needed to draw level with the Czech as Lincoln settled for fourth, his best finishing position on the European stage.

Post-competition, Lincoln reflected: “It is little bit bittersweet. Obviously I was in the hunt for the medals all the way through. It didn’t quite go my way and to fall short by 2cm is a bit of kick in the teeth. We are on the right path. I have a good group around me and now it’s about looking forward.

“This is my first European Indoors, not that it is any different to any other competition; I am still finding my feet on the wooden circle, competition by competition. I felt more comfortable towards the end of that. It took me about round three to wake up but it is definitely coming. It has boosted my confidence being here and I am very grateful – we go from here.”

Known as a 200m specialist by trade, Amy Hunt (Marco Airale, Charnwood) was a fine sixth in the final of the women’s 60m, running her second quickest time ever with 7.10 to cap a fine championships in the event.

Running from lane eight, and with yet another callback to the start line to contend with, Hunt was a little left in the blocks as eventual gold medallist Dosso (ITA) got out to a blistering start. With some work to do and some metres to claw back on her rivals, Hunt found her top speed through 40m, pushing through and leaning for the line to claim sixth, sharing the same time as fifth-placed Rani Rosius (BEL), but being edged into six by thousandths of a second.

Following a 7.17 personal best earlier in the day to squeeze through her heat, Hunt had earlier upped her game in the semi-finals, lopping a huge 0.07 off her personal best to run 7.09, the fifth quickest British time ever, finishing third and securing a non-automatic fastest qualifier spot into the final.

I am super, super happy – it has been a crazy day. We came into this to show what I have doing in training, so to consistently go 7.09 and 7.10 when the pressure is on, in the big leagues, with the big girls…I am super excited,” Hunt said.

“The 60m for me – we have a love-hate relationship, but today it was love. It is super exciting for my 200m, if I can be with these girls at 50/60 then by the time we get to 150 metres it will be a completely different story. There is nowhere to hide for anyone this summer, so I am super excited.”

Having produced personal best after personal best already this calendar year, sadly Bianca Williams (Linford Christie, Thames Valley) missed out on a spot in the final after a third-place finish in her semi-final, clocking 7.17.

Reflecting post-race, Williams said: “I know I am faster and I should have been in that final, but it is what it is at the end of the day. I would have had to have run a PB again, and I have been running personal bests for the last three weeks, so maybe it is my body telling me I need a bit of a rest – but I have enjoyed the 60m.

Joy Eze (Michael Donnelly, Gateshead) also bowed out at the semi-final stage of the championships, her time of 7.25 good for a seventh-place finish in her semi-final, unfortunately not enough to see her through.

For Eze, who has clearly loved her first taste of the British senior team experience, there was nothing but positive learnings as she said: “To be competing in a championship I have watched for years is a full circle moment; I am so grateful to be here. And to not have pressure on me as it’s my first one allowed me to soak in the atmosphere and get used to being at this level.

“Competing here shows me I am good enough to be in the semi-final , and it gives me positive momentum for the outdoor season.”

After a faultless performance through qualifying, with three clearances from three heights, Morgan Lake (Yannick Tregaro, Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow) stepped back out into the stadium and targeting European silverware in the women’s high jump final.

Going clear at 1.80m first-time, and then proceeding over 1.85m at the second attempt, Lake’s jump at 1.89m was poised and clean at the first time of asking, as the competition began to really take shape with seven athletes remaining at 1.92m.

For Lake, a hugely clutch clearance was required as it took her third and final attempt to clear the height, the 27-year-old using the big stage experience she has collected over the years to stay calm and collected under huge pressure.

With one failure at 1.95m on her scorecard, and recognising her scorecard left her down the placing order owing to previous failures, Lake opted to put the bar up to 1.97m for her remaining two attempts, however two failures followed to leave Lake settling for a fifth-place finish on countback.

After the competition, Lake said: “I am frustrated. I knew coming into this there could be a medal in a 1.95m, I didn’t think 1.92m would be a medal but that is the game. My 1.92m jump felt really good but it was third attempt. My mind was there and I was feeling really confident, my body wasn’t quite so I decided to skip to 1.97 to give myself a bit of time and let the body adapt, to give myself two good attempts. They definitely were not two good attempts.”

“Hopefully coming into the summer I will get really comfy with that run up, and keep going. It has been a long time in this game and it is hard to always be so close. But if I am that close so many times, one time I know I will hit at some point.”

British Athletics Head Coach, Paula Dunn said:

“It’s been a championships’ of two halves – the first couple of days were quite tough, and then some of our established athletes stepped up. Seven medals, and a time size of 42, with 13 of those athletes being debutants – we’re quite happy with where we are at the moment.”

“My job is to make sure the environment stays really positive – we knew we didn’t have all of our high performing athletes here, so we knew some of those situations [where there are medal misses] were going to arise, and we planned for it. But we had some really nice high points with athletes getting season’s bests and personal bests, and just really learning how to operate in this environment – it’s a hard environment if you’ve never done it before.

“The timing is perfect – it’s the start of the LA cycle and we’ve got three years to go, so this is the time to put athletes in these situations.”

Great Britain & Northern Ireland ended with seven medals at the European Indoor Athletics Championships, finishing eighth in the medal table.

Gold

Jeremiah Azu, Men’s 60m

Silver

George Mills, Men’s 3000m

Melissa Courtney-Bryant, Women’s 3000m

Women’s 4x400m Relay

Bronze

Andrew Robertson, Men’s 60m

Mixed 4x400m Relay

Revee Walcott Nolan, Women’s 1500m

All results from the European Indoor Athletics Championships can be viewed here.