Duo seal historic sprint double for Britain
BERLIN: Zharnel Hughes and Dina Asher-Smith claimed a historic European sprint double for Britain on Tuesday as they won the men and women’s 100 metres at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.
Hughes, allowed to compete for Britain as he was born in Anguilla, a tiny British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean not recognised by the International Olympic Committee, clocked a championship record of 9.95 seconds to edge compatriot Reece Prescod by one-hundredth.
Eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt, whose former coach Glen Mills is now working with Hughes, tweeted: “Congrats to my @racerstrack teammate @zharnel_hughes on winning the 100m @EuroAthletics.”
The victory by Hughes came fast on the heels of that by Dina, who led from gun to tape for a dominant win in 10.85sec.
Dina’s victory was the first by a British woman in the European 100m since Dorothy Hyman in Belgrade in 1962. And it was the first time Britain had claimed the two blue riband titles at the same Euro championships.
“I came here to be European champion, so I’m happy to have achieved that,” said Dina, who is targeting a sprint treble.
“One race down, let’s see what happens next in the 200m!”
Hughes, 23, ran 9.91sec this year to establish himself as the joint second-fastest British sprinter (with James Dasaolu) after Linford Christie.
“It was a great day for Great Britain winning two golds and one silver in sprints,” said the 23year-old Hughes.
In the field, Wojciech Nowicki beat three-time world champion Pawel Fajdek for a one-two for Poland in the men’s hammer throw.
Nowicki, thrice a bronze medallist in the last three major championships, managed a best of 80.12m, with Fajdek way off with 78.69 and Hungary’s Bence Halasz taking bronze (77.36).
“I always used to be third so this is the breaking point!” joked Nowicki.
And the strong Polish team also scored a one-two in the men’s shot put to put paid to home hero David Storl’s chances of a fourth successive European title.
Michal Haratyk went out to a best of 21.72m for gold ahead of teammate Konrad Bukowiecki (21.66), Storl content with bronze (21.41).
The men’s 10,000m was claimed by France’s Mourad Amdouni, winning in 28:11.22 in just his second ever race over the distance.
Somali-born Belgian Bashir Abdi claimed silver, while Ethiopianborn Italian Yemaneberhan Crippa took bronze.
Amdouni’s victory at least went some way in making up not only for Vicaut’s injury, but also Kevin Mayer’s long jump disaster in the decathlon.
World champion Mayer, touted to be in the shape capable of breaking Ashton Eaton’s world record, recorded three foul jumps in the second of the 10discipline event to put an abrupt end to his hopes of getting close to the record or adding the European title to his world one.
“This is a black day for me,” said Mayer. “I do not have an excuse.”
The first gold medals went to Ukraine’s Maryan Zakalnytskyy and Portuguese veteran Ines Henriques, who claimed victories in the men and women’s 50km race walks respectively.