WILLIAMS ENDS MEDAL DROUGHT
BRITISH athletics captain Jodie Williams chased away her demons to win a first championship medal in seven years last night.
The one-time child prodigy had not made a podium since 2014 and was new to the 400 metres distance.
But on a dramatic night for her team in Poland she produced a lifetime best of 51.73 seconds to take the bronze medal at the European Indoor Championships.
“I came here to do that, to prove to myself that I can get on podiums again,” said Williams, who was unbeaten in five years as a junior before stepping up to the senior ranks.
“This sport is such a mental battle and for me these championships were about overcoming mental barriers.
“There’s been a lot of ups and downs in my career but I have learned how to fight again.”
Williams’ performance, out of lane one, more than justified the faith shown by new team boss Christian Malcolm, who handed her the armband in Torun.
Her first individual medal since she took European 200m silver outdoors in Zurich in 2014 was sandwiched between contrasting fortunes for Britain’s two Hollys.
Holly Bradshaw, favourite for gold in the pole vault, produced her lowest clearance of the season and had to settle for a share of bronze.
Holly Archer was then disqualified for ‘jostling and obstruction’ after winning silver in a bruising 1500m final.
But Britain successfully appealed the decision and the Cambridge star was reinstated, pending a counter appeal.
No such reprieve for Bradshaw who, after clearing only 4.65m, admitted: “I should be coming here and delivering a better performance than that.”
Andrew Robertson missed out on a medal in the men’s 60m by 0.02secs after finishing fourth in 6.63secs.
But Jamie Webb qualified fastest for today’s men’s 800m final and has high hopes of adding to team mate Amy-Eloise Markovc’s gold in the women’s 3000m on Friday.
And Britain has three medal hopes in the women’s 800m after Keely Hodgkinson,
Isabelle Boffey and Ellie Baker all made the final.
Tiffany Porter today bids to become the first athlete to win an international title wearing a face mask.
The US-born Brit, 33, qualified safely out of her 60 metres hurdles. She said: “It’s not a big deal, I train every day in a mask so it’s part of my normal.”