Bronze for Elliot Giles in 800m and top ten places for Hawkins and Steel in half marathon
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On the morning of the final day of action, the European half marathon cup took centre stage at the picturesque museum square acting as the backdrop to the start and finish area. Callum Hawkins (handicap -6.4) and Gemma Steel (handicap -1.6) finished in the top ten of their respective races before Elliot Giles (handicap -6.4) won an outstanding bronze medal in the men's 800m final at the European Athletics Championships.
There was a fine performance from Callum Hawkins who secured a solid ninth place finish in the senior men’s race at the inaugural competition. The Scottish athlete started well, settling into the top six after the opening 5km, going through in 14.26. He dropped down the 12th at the 10km mark but the Kilbarchan athlete ran a strong second half to the race, recording a time of 63.57.
Hawkins said afterwards: “I was feeling quite strong in the last 6km, but the middle part I just wasn’t feeling it. It started off a lot more aggressive than I thought, normally I like to come through, but I thought I’d try something different and try to put myself near a medal but it didn’t pay off.
“Racing in in a championship definitely helped pre-Rio, I’m going to Mallorca on Monday, so hopefully that will help me to get used to the heat. The temperature here was up what Rio is going to be, so coming from Scotland I don’t get much of a chance to run in that, so this has definitely helped.”
Matt Bond (handicap -5.1), on his first European Championship appearance, was the next British athlete to cross the line in the city centre. After going through the 10km point in 12th place, he experienced a trickier second lap around the streets of Amsterdam, placing 42nd in 67:00.
Lee Merrien (handicap -4.8) was next home in 52nd, posting 67:29 with Jonny Hay (handicap -5.3) 77th in 70:08. Unfortunately, Tsegai Tewelde (handicap -3.3) had to withdraw from the event due to illness. The men’s team finished outside the medal places.
Steel was the leading British woman, placing tenth overall in 72.19. The Charnwood athlete was in seventh at the halfway point, working hard to stay with the chasing pack. She was pressured by fellow Briton Alyson Dixon (handicap -1.5) in the next five kilometres as she dropped to 12th. However Steel, who is third on the UK all-time rankings, pushed up the field in the closing stages, grabbing a top ten finish on the European stage.
Steel said afterwards: “I found it was a bit hotter than I expected it to be. I put myself in contention in the first 5k and it went off a bit quicker than I expected it to. I hoped we would have done better as a team, but it just wasn’t quite there on the day. But it’s been a great experience and I came here to do my best and that’s what I’ve done”
Dixon, already selected for the marathon at the Olympic Games, showed her good form over the 13.1 mile distance, crossing the line in 13th in 72.47. It was a consistent run from the Sunderland Stroller athlete who will now continue her preparations for the 26.2 mile distance in Rio next month.
Dixon commented: “It was good practice for Rio; there were a lot of twists and turns so it was never going to be fast. The heat did start to get to me a bit, but you’re not going to get better conditions than that for preparing me ahead of Rio. Coming into this I didn’t know what shape I would be in, with such a short turnaround from London. I’m happy with what I’ve done today because obviously the big picture is five weeks today and the Olympics.”
Lily Partridge (handicap -1.0) was the third British finisher in 51st, crossing the line in 1:16.57 after a difficult second half to the race after sitting in 23rd at the 10km check point. Tina Muir (handicap 0.1) was the fourth British finisher in 59th in 1:17.23. Unfortunately, Charlotte Purdue (handicap -0.6) did not finish. The women’s squad finished seventh in the team standings, with Portugal taking the gold after Sara Moreira won the individual title.
Later in the day, Elliot Giles set a huge personal best of 1:45.54 in the 800m final. After impressing through the rounds the debutant, from Birchfield Harriers, did not look fazed as he lined up against some experienced international athletes. He sat in fifth coming into the home straight but he calmly moved around his rivals and nearly bagged silver, and a photo finish was required. However, he claimed his first senior championships medal and ran inside the Olympic qualifying standard.
After his maiden medal, Giles said: “It is my first GB vest, my first championships and my first medal, so that is an achievement in itself. I actually thought I had got second but I am really happy with the bronze medal. It was also inside the Olympic qualifying standard which is huge! I wanted to win, that may seem like a long shot but I am really confident in my ability.”
It was an action-packed evening for the British team as they won seven medals on the final day of the Championships. Gold medals for the men’s 4x100m and the women’s 4x400m relay added to the final tally of 16 overall.
Full results from the European Championships can be found here: http://www.european-athletics.org/competitions/european-athletics-championships/2016/schedules-results/
British Athletics medal tally at the 23rd European Championships (16):
Gold (5)
Dina Asher-Smith – Women’s 200m
Martyn Rooney – Men’s 400m
Greg Rutherford – Men’s Long Jump
Men’s 4x100m relay
Women’s 4x400m relay
Silver (3)
Robbie Grabarz – Men’s High Jump
Jazmin Sawyers – Women’s Long Jump
Women’s 4x100m relay
Bronze (8)
Chris Baker – Men’s High Jump
Elliott Giles – Men’s 800m
Anyika Onuora – Women’s 400m
Tiffany Porter – Women’s 100m Hurdles
Julian Reid – Men’s Triple Jump
Danny Talbot – Men’s 200m
Steph Twell – Women’s 5000m
Men’s 4x400m relay