GOLDEN CHILD Scot Eilidh takes European title in Zurich
EILIDH CHILD finally claimed the major title she has been aiming for her entire career with victory in the 400metres hurdles at the European Championships in Zurich last night.
However, although the Scot delivered on her advance billing as the favourite for gold, she confessed to hanging on for dear life as her dream threatened to turn into a nightmare in a desperate race for the line.
After landing silvers and bronzes aplenty, including second place at successive Commonwealth Games, the 2 7 - y e a r- o l d sealed an unforgettable triumph in 54.48 seconds but was fighting through the fatigue before holding off the late-breaking c h a l l e n g e o f U k r a i n e ’s Anna Titimets.
‘That was a relief,’ she said. ‘I knew if I executed my race well, I should be close to the medals. I came off the 10th hurdle and knew I was in the lead and I tried to just get to the line.
‘My legs were dying coming off the last hurdle. Then, at about five metres out, everybody came alongside me. So I didn’t know what had happened when I crossed the line, but I’m delighted to have won.’
She gave credit to her coach, Malcolm Arnold, who plotted her quick recovery from the emotional drain of serving as the Glasgow 2014 poster girl.
And to her psychologist, Mike Cunningham, who helped pick her up off the floor when the rigours of London 2012 made her question whether the fire still burned to show up for training each morning in Bath with a will to improve.
Even as European No 1, there were still doubts as she entered the arena and wondered if her destiny was to succeed.
‘There were some nerves on the start line,’ she said. ‘The blue number didn’t really help as it just advertises that you should be favourite. But I managed to calm myself down and focus on what I needed to do.’
There was no repeat European title for Lynsey Sharp but, although the Scot was stone-faced on the podium, silver in Switzerland was a class above her golden run from Helsinki in 2012.
The 2 4 - y e a r- o l d from Edinburgh stuck with her new tactic of leading from the front and though she was overtaken on the home straight by Maryna Arzamasova of Belarus, her bravado was rewarded with a Scottish record of 1:58.80 that blew Susan Scott’s longstanding mark out of the water.
‘I knew I had a fast race in me, then everyone said I looked amazing in the semi-final, so I just went out and did exactly what I did then,’ said Sharp. ‘Obviously, it was two seconds faster and I paid for it in the home straight.
‘Perhaps I shouldn’t have looked behind me with about 120m to go but that is the most uncomfortable way to race, running scared the whole way.
‘I knew in that field — it’s world class — that someone would be coming and I was waiting for them. I knew it would be her. The time is unbelievable. I’m probably more happy with the time.’
Child could receive her wish of a second medal shot in today’s 4x400m final with all of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s relay quartets surviving the heats yesterday. But there was no additional reward for 10,000m champion Jo Pavey, with the 40-year-old Englishwoman coming seventh in the 5,000m, won by Sweden’s Meraf Bahta.
France’s Renaud Lavillenie delivered pole-vault gold with a clearance of 5.80m, while the final day of the championships sees Scot Chris O’Hare chase a medal in the 1,500m final.
SUSAN McKELVIE retained her hammer-throwing title at the National Championships in Kilmarnock yesterday, with a throw of 64.21metres.
Kathryn Christie will go for a sprint double this afternoon after winning the 100m in 12.04 seconds. Commonwealth bronze medallist Mark Dry competes in the men’s hammer event.