25/11/09 08:55 GMT
  £30 Free Bet Bet Now Champs League Oddschecker Sky Games Fantasy Competitions
 
 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS NEWS
Picture The team, minus Campbell, celebrate victory.

GOLD AT LAST FOR BRITAIN

E-mail this article E-mail Article Print this article Print-Friendly Subscribe to sportinglife RSS feed Subscribe to RSS Feed
Digg this story post this story to del.icio.us - social bookmarking site Post to del.icio.us

Click here for our special Gothenburg microsite
Click here for final medal table

Great Britain finally won a gold medal at the European Championships on Sunday, with the men's 4x100m relay team delivering the goods.

The quartet of Dwain Chambers, Darren Campbell, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis-Francis, who have had problems getting the baton round in the past, came good when it mattered in Gothenburg, winning in 38.91secs.

The Olympic champions' only scare came on the first changeover, Campbell seemingly setting off too early and he only just received the baton inside the allotted space.

However, once Devonish took over, Britain stormed into the lead. His fine second bend put Lewis-Francis in the clear and he fended off the opposition to strike gold.

Campbell, a former European 100m champion, surprisingly did not join in the lap of honour with his delighted colleagues, apparently upset at the inclusion in the side of Chambers, whose use of the designer drug THG four years ago at the previous championships in Munich resulted in Britain being stripped of the gold medal.

Campbell's behaviour marred the quartet's achievement in winning the Britain's only championship gold medal.

The senior British international failed to explain his behaviour, although he did attend the medal awards ceremony.

There the 32-year-old, who has served his country brilliantly for a decade, stood looking sullen with his head bowed.

Poland pipped world champions France to the silver medal.

The gold was one of five medals on a great final day for Team GB.

The women's 4x100m relay team grabbed a surprise silver medal in their final.

The British quartet had only qualified as fastest losers during Saturday's heats, but they made the most of their second chance.

Running in dreadful wet conditions, the British quartet ran well throughout and when the baton was handed to the in-form Joice Maduaka on the anchor leg, she brought the baton home behind the victorious Russian side.

Russia ran 42.71secs, with Britain coming home in 43.51.

Anyika Onuora had given the Brits a flying start with Emma Ania, who didn't run in the heats, and Emily Freeman continuing the good work.

Russia were way ahead, but the Brits moved into second place on the final changeover when the Germans fumbled their baton change and failed to finish.

They were not the only ones - the French and the Belgians also failed to get round.

"This is brilliant,'' said Maduaka. "This year we have an excellent team spirit and there is harmony.

"I was especially determined to get one because of my fourth place in the 100m final.''

Great Britain lost their vice-like grip on the men's 4x400m relay title but still picked up a medal as France won gold.

The British had won the event for the last five championships but could only finish second on this occasion.

Tim Benjamin was third at the start of the anchor leg but France's Marc Raquil - the gold medallist from the individual event - had too much for him as the French won in 3mins 01.10secs.

However, the Welshman did overhaul Poland in the closing strides.

Mo Farah also picked up a silver medal in the men's 5000m, losing out in a thrilling sprint finish to Jesus Espana.

Taking over at the front with around three laps to go, Farah managed to shake off all bar Espana with 200m remaining.

But he Spaniard just had too much in the home straight, pipping Farah to the line by just nine hundreths of a second.

Sam Ellis was GB's other medallist of the day, producing a storming finish in the home straight to claim the bronze in the men's 800m.

Ellis had only scraped through the first round as a fastest loser earlier in the week, but in what was a very physical final the British star forced his way through in the final few yards to grab a medal.

Dutchman Bram Som crossed the line first in one minute 46.56secs after battling his way up the inside in the home straight, pushing his way past long-time leader Dmitrijs Milkevics of Latvia.

David Fiegen, of Luxembourg, took the silver, just 0.03secs back, with Ellis (1.46.64) pipping Milkevics for third place.

The other British competitor, Michael Rimmer, finished back in eighth place in 1.47.66.

Back in the relays, hot favourites Russia streaked away to win the women's 4x400m as Great Britain finished only fourth.

The Russians led from start to finish, with Britain always struggling after a disappointing opening leg from Lee McConnell.

Individual finalist Nicola Sanders had a lot to do when she received the baton on the anchor leg and despite an impressive fightback she could only pass one athlete in the home straight, leaving Belarus and Poland to pick up the minor medals.

In the women's 1500m, two-time world champion Tatyana Tomashova added the European crown to her collection, setting a new championship record in the process.

She came past team-mate Yuliya Chizhenko in the final straight to take gold in 3mins 56.91secs - a new personal best.

Briton Helen Clitheroe could not live with the hot early pace and eventually finished 11th in 4.09.73.

Meanwhile, Olympic champion Stefano Baldini broke clear in the last two kilometres to win a second European Championship marathon title.

The 31-year-old Italian regained the title he last won eight years ago in Budapest, clocking a time of two hours 11 minutes 32 seconds.

Switzerland's Viktor Rothlin finished runner-up 18 seconds behind, with Julio Rey of Spain, clinching the bronze medal in 2.12.37.

Commonwealth bronze medallist Dan Robinson was the first Briton home, finishing 16th in 2.16.06.

In the field events, Steffi Nerius (65.82m) of Germany won the women's javelin with Briton Goldie Sayers 12th with a best effort of 54.70.

Alex Averbukh took gold in the men's pole vault, clearing 5.70m to win Israel's only medal of the championships.

And the women's long jump was won by Russia's Lyudmila Kolchanova who leapt out to 6.93m.

Click here to send us your sporting feedback

  Latest Commonwealth Games Stories
 POLICE DISCOVER DOPING PRODUCTS
 CHAMBERS URGED TO NAME AND SHAME
 COLLINS DEFENDS CHAMBERS SELECTION
 BRITISH EURO MEDALS ARE A BENCHMARK
 GOLD AT LAST FOR BRITAIN
 FARAH PIPPED TO GOLD
 SILVER FOR BRITISH WOMEN
 BRITS FORCED TO SETTLE FOR SILVER
 SURPRISE BRONZE FOR ELLIS
 CAMPBELL SNUB BAFFLES COLLINS

----------------------------------------------------------------
Part of 365 Media Group

Sports News & Entertainment
Sporting Life | TEAMtalk | Sportal | Football365 | Cricket365
Golf365 | Fixtures365 | Extreme365 | Planet F1 | Planet Rugby | Sky Sports | Football365 ZA

Betting & Gaming
Betting Zone | WSOP |Sky Bet | Poker | Online Casino | Online Bingo | Oddschecker | Casino Checker | Poker Checker | Bingo Checker | Free Bets

Mobile, Fun & Games
Free Online Games | 24-7 Football | Fantasy Football | Fantasy F1
----------------------------------------------------------------

© 2009 365 Media Group Ltd, All Rights Reserved.
Email Your Comments - Advertise With Us - About/Contact Us
Terms & Conditions - Privacy Policy - RSS


Medal Table
  G S B
1  Russia 12 12 10
2  Germany 4 4 2
3  Belarus 4 3 2
----------------------------
10  GB 1 5 5
Daily Results
Sunday August 13
Saturday August 12
Friday August 11
Thursday August 10
Wednesday August 9
Tuesday August 8
Monday August 7
Worth The Wait
GB Won A Gold Medal On The Final Day In The 4x100m
Relay Silver
Britain's Men's 4x400m Relay Team Finished Second
Magical Mo
Mo Farah Just Missed Out On Gold In The Men's 5000m
Baton Charge
GB's Female 4x100m Relay Team Won A Shock Silver
Silver Lining
Nathan Douglas Takes Silver In the Triple Jump Pit
Greg The Great
Teenager Rutherford Leaps To Silver In Long Jump
Sam Shines
Sam Ellis Was A Surprise Bronze Medallist Over 800m
Handy Andy
High Hurdler Turner Wins Bronze For Great Britain
Lyne Delivers Bronze
Britain's Revelation Rebecca Lyne Claims Bronze In The 800m
Marlon Medals
Marlon Devonish Won The First Of Two Medals Over 200m
Clearing The Hurdles
Rhys Williams Brings Home The Bronze In The 400m Hurdles
Search     for   Top Searches
The best results from google, Ask Jeeves, Yahoo! and more