Hosts Poland take Super League title as Britain finish fifth after mixed weekend in Bydgoszcz

Poland stormed to victory in the European Team Championships in front of their home fans in Bydgoszcz. The hosts were literally poles apart as they crushed Germany, France and Italy to take the Super League crown.

In fifth, Great Britain enjoyed some great results on the final day of the event as Ben Williams won the triple jump and Richard Kilty the 200m. But they also endured a few poor moments, the most notable being an administrative cock-up in the men’s 4x400m which left them unable to start the race.

Poland held the overnight lead going into the final day on Sunday (Aug 11) with 193 points from France (181.50), Italy (171), Great Britain (160.50) and Germany (160). But after an eventful session in the Polish city the final scores were:

1 Poland 345 points; 2 Germany 317.5, 3 France 316.5, 4 Italy 316, 5 Great Britain 302.50, 6 Spain 294.5, 7 Ukraine 225, 8 Czech Republic 219.5, 9 Sweden 210.5, 10 Greece 197, 11 Finland 190, 12 Switzerland 175.

With the European Team Championships Super League being streamlined in future to eight teams instead of 12, it meant the bottom five here were relegated, with Portugal promoted from the First League match in Sandnes, Norway.

The British performance of the weekend came from triple jumper Ben Williams. The 27-year-old from Stoke began with a modest 14.69m before improving to 16.37m in round two, but he then bounded out to a huge PB of 17.14m in the third round to leapfrog his rivals and take maximum points.

Williams, whose PB was 16.74m beforehand, went to No.9 on the UK all-time rankings with his jump in Bydgoszcz. Ten years ago he won the world youth title in Italy and this weekend, after years of injury problems, finally came of age as a senior athlete.

Ben Williams on his 17.14m triple jump PB to win in Bydgoszcz, a mark which moves him to No.9 on the UK all-time rankings, plus his change in coaching set-up #ETCH2019 @stuartweir @BritAthletics pic.twitter.com/5KZnztnXqj

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) August 11, 2019

“I’m completely over the moon and bringing home 12 points for the team is great,” he said. “It’s a World Championship standard too (and also an Olympic qualifier). I knew it was coming. I looked surprised but I wasn’t! There’s more to come, I’m sure.”

Williams works as a personal trainer but cancelled appointments with clients this month and moved to Loughborough in an effort to train and compete at a higher level this summer. Now he hopes he can maintain the routine to the Tokyo Olympics.

Richard Kilty also impressed as he took the men’s 200m in 20.66 despite feeling a sore hamstring halfway through the race. “I was going to stop coming around the bend,” he said. “I felt my hamstring nip and I continued to run through. Not sure I should have done that but I wanted to get the full points for the team.”

He added: “If the hamstring didn’t seize up I think I would have gone quicker. I’m only a year out of having Achilles surgery and last time I was here in Bydgoszcz I was eliminated in the 200m heats at the World Juniors so I’ve come a long way. I’m really proud of myself.”

It was a good weekend for the Kilty family generally as his wife, Dovilė (née Dzindzaletaitė) won the triple jump on Saturday for Lithuania with a PB of 14.28m at the First League match in Norway.

Poland stamp their class

The host nation did not waste time imposing their superiority on their rivals on Sunday. After fellow Polish middle-distance man Marcin Lewandowski won the 1500m on Saturday, team-mate Adam Kszczot delivered in the 800m with 1:46.97 as Britain’s Jamie Webb battled into second place in a challenging, tactical affair.

.@jamiewebb800 talks to @stuartweir after his European Team Champs 800m runner-up finish in 1:47.25. Had medical attention after the race but said: “They wanted to take me to hospital but I said I am old school – let me throw up and I'll be fine.” #ETCH2019 pic.twitter.com/MPgdE4lSc2

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) August 11, 2019

The Polish juggernaut continued in the women’s 1500m when Sofia Ennaoui took victory in 4:08.37 after Britain’s Jess Judd made a bold long run for home but faded to sixth in the home straight in 4:09.89.

There was more home nation success in the men’s pole vault, too, as Piotr Lisek (main image, above) took top points with 5.81m from Melker Svärd Jacobsson of Sweden and Renaud Lavillenie of France as Britain’s Charlie Myers was 10th with 5.31m.

An exciting end to the men’s discus saw Poland extend their lead further when Piotr Malachowski threw 63.02m with his final effort to overtake Martin Weirig of Germany and Daniel Stahl of Sweden. Behind, Greg Thompson was 10th for Britain with 55.71m.

Historyczny moment na stadionie @cwzs_zawisza . A sukcesu reprezentacji Polski @PZLANews gratulowal m. In. minister sportu i turystyki @WitoldBanka . pic.twitter.com/rRWsgAibBX

— TVP3 Bydgoszcz (@tvpbydgoszcz) August 11, 2019

The closest event of the weekend was the women’s 100m hurdles as Luminosa Bogliolo of Italy pipped Cindy Roleder of Germany and Karolina Koleczek of Poland in a blanket finish. The first two were given the same time of 12.87 (-1.2) with Koleczek one hundredth of a second behind as Cindy Ofili – back in a British vest after serious Achilles problems – was fourth in 13.12.

In the relegation battle, Ukraine just escaped the drop partly thanks to Yuliya Levchenko, who was the class act in the women’s high jump with 1.97m as Britain’s Emma Nuttall was 11th with 1.80m.

Other highlights

Malaika Mihambo of Germany produced one of the performances of the weekend when she took the women’s long jump with a slightly wind-assisted 7.11m (+2.2m/sec) as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru impressed in second with 6.75m (2.2m/sec).

Alexandra Tavernier of France took the women’s hammer with 72.81m as Britain’s Sophie Hitchon endured a bad day with an under par 63.23m (and two fouls) for 10th.

Orlando Ortega of Spain clocked 13.38 to beat France’s Pascal Martinot-Lagarde in the men’s sprint hurdles as Cameron Fillery of Britain was seventh in 13.83m.

Spain enjoyed victory over the barriers in the men’s steeplechase too when Fernando Carro sprinted to victory in 8:27.28 as Britain’s Zak Seddon was fourth in 8:30.89.

Christina Schwanitz of Germany took the women’s shot put with 18.93m. It proved one of Britain’s best events, too, as Sophie McKinna took third with 17.94m. “It was really close to being good (18 metres) today but I didn’t quite ‘catch it’,” she said.

The women’s 200m was also good for Britain as Jodie Williams led for much of the race before being passed in the closing stages by Mujinga Kambundji of Switzerland – the pair clocking 22.72 and 22.89 into a headwind.

Germany were also successful in the women’s 5000m as Hanna Klein kicked to victory in 15:39.01. Britain’s Sarah Inglis ran well in third in 15:45.23.

British middle-distance man James West put up a similarly plucky run as he came third in 8:02.97 in a 3000m won by Adel Mechaal of Spain in 8:02.51. West beat, among others, the last two European Cup 10,000m winners Yeman Crippa and Richard Ringer.

As the weekend drew to a close in the relays, Poland were already safe and clear but showed their rivals no mercy in the women’s 4x400m as anchor runner Justyna Święty-Ersetic brought them home in 3:24.82 ahead of a GB quartet of Emily Diamond, Jodie Williams, Zoey Clark and Jessica Turner as the Brits clocked 3:27.12 to hold off Italy.

There were no points for Britain in the men’s 4×400, though, as Youcef Zatat, a reserve in the throws, was incorrectly named to run the first leg instead of Rabah Yousif.

“It’s absolutely gutting for the athletes in particular,” said British Athletics performance director Neil Black. “There was a technical error with the declaration process. But the athletes took it on the chin.”

It did not affect the team scores either, although that did not stop a torrent of criticism on social media.

Results can be found here.

Athletes impress as many warm up for the European event in Venice

Older athletes stole the show as nearly 700 masters ranging in age from 35 to over 90 gathered at the Alexander Stadium for the British Masters Championships while honing their preparations for the European veterans’ championships in Venice next month.

Five years ago, 1970 Commonwealth Games discus champion Rosemary Chrimes entered the W80 category and promptly set a series of world age-group records and here, after sitting out the intervening years, she returned to set three British records in the W85 class.

Evaun Williams took Chrimes’ W80 shot record when posting four world bests in Malaga last summer and here was again on form, with four W80 golds, albeit not quite up to the standard she set in those world championships.

With her first throw in the discus, Chrimes’ 17.90m added to her British record tally before improving to 18.61m with her final effort, just shy of a world record.

A dozen or so more British records came and W80 Kathleen Stewart took three – in the 200m, 400m and 800m – whilst there were more in the 2000m steeplechase.

1956 Olympic Games steeplechase eighth-placer Eric Shirley won the M90 200m after setting a British record of 1:54.92 in the 400m before also winning the 800m.

Elsewhere, the W65 sprints saw a double from Helen Godsell but the weather thwarted her attempts to set a legal European 200m record, after being denied earlier in the season due to the absence of a wind gauge.

There was a good M45 sprint double from Jason Carty but he also felt affected by the wind.

Neil Tunstall, Jane Horder and Joe Appiah were on form in the hurdles races.

Great Britain's wheelchair rugby team have won a third successive European Championship title with victory over Denmark.

Having led by just two points at half-time, a dominant fourth quarter saw them secure a 55-45 win against the hosts in Vejle.

In reaching the final, GB secured a place at next year's Paralympic Games in Tokyo. They finished fifth in Rio.

GB have now won seven European titles since the inaugural tournament in 1995.

France won this year's bronze medal after beating Sweden 45-43.

Wales have injury worries over fly-half Gareth Anscombe and scrum-half Tomos Williams after their World Cup warm-up defeat by England.

Anscombe and Williams will both have scans on Monday, for knee and shoulder injuries.

Anscombe 28, had to come off because of his knee in the 33-19 loss at Twickenham, while Williams, 24, was a late withdrawal.

Flanker Justin Tipuric, 30, limped off with an ankle problem but should be OK.

Ospreys' Anscombe was helped off late in the first half and later seen on crutches on the sidelines.

Wales coach Warren Gatland said Anscombe will undergo a scan to determine the extent of the damage.

"We're not sure about Gareth," said Gatland.

"He's going to get a scan tomorrow [Monday] so we'll see how that turns out.

"I've spoken to the physios. If it's just a strain of the ligament, he'll be out for a few weeks. We'll know more details after the scan."

Gatland said the medical advice during the game was to allow Anscombe the chance to overcome the injury after the initial blow.

"The message from the medics was just to see how it goes. He didn't do any further damage to it. He's already done that," Gatland added.

"Sometimes players like to run off a knock - he wasn't able to do that.

"That's why with Justin Tipuric we made the change as soon as we saw him limping a little bit.

"There's a risk, but you have to be battle hardened as well, and the guys want to play. You have to balance that against the injuries you may pick up."

Blues scrum-half Williams was initially named as a replacement for the Twickenham match but was pulled out after suffering an injury in training on Friday.

Wales have a rematch with England in Cardiff on Saturday, 17 August followed by another double-header against Ireland in Cardiff on 31 August and 7 September in Dublin as they prepare for the World Cup in Japan.

In the build-up to the game, Gatland said criticism of Wales playing four warm-ups was "fair".

After the defeat at Twickenham that denied Wales top spot in the World Rankings, he told BBC Sport: "There's a risk, but you have to be battle hardened as well, and the guys want to play.

"You have to balance that against the injuries you may pick up."

In Japan, Wales' Pool D campaign begins against Georgia in Tokyo on Monday, 23 September followed by games against Australia, Fiji and Uruguay.

Mobil 1 – the best choice for your Truck or SUV. Learn more about Mobil 1 Truck & SUV oil and enter for a chance to win a Toyota pickup or SUV at dirtgiveaway.com.

KNOXVILLE, Iowa – Though he put on a Herculean charge through Saturday night’s NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals finale, Logan Schuchart came up one spot short of victory after 50 laps.

Aiming to do what his grandfather, legendary driver-turned-owner Bobby Allen, did in 1990 when Allen upset the field to win the Nationals title, Schuchart charged from 22nd on the grid into contention to win it all at the legendary Marion County Fairgrounds black-dirt half mile.

The Hanover, Pa., native was quiet about it during the first half of the feature, sneaking up to ninth when the yellow waved for the halftime break at lap 25, but made plenty of noise in the second half.

He charged from ninth to fifth in just four laps following the restart, then methodically spent the next 11 circuits picking his way up into a podium position. By that point, however, Schuchart was six seconds adrift of race leader David Gravel, who dominated the proceedings for most of the night.

Still, there was no quit in Schuchart or the Shark Racing team, as the 26-year-old continued to push and eventually latched onto second-running Daryn Pittman’s rear nerf bar at Doug Clark’s white flag.

When Pittman made a small misstep in turns one and two on the final lap, Schuchart was there to pounce in traffic, driving past Pittman to secure the runner-up spot at the finish and a $75,000 payday.

It easily marked Schuchart’s best-career Knoxville Nationals performance in four Saturday A-main appearances. His previous high-water mark was eighth a year ago, after rolling off 17th in that one.

“To start off the week the way we did was tough, but I said after Friday night, when you put this team on the ropes they come back swinging,” Schuchart said. “Second at Eldora (during the Kings Royal) hurt, but I’m really proud of this one. Congratulations to David and Jason Johnson Racing, though … to win this race and overcome what they have is really cool to see.

“This is one of those things that you dream about as a little kid, and it’s a dream come true to get to drive these things,” Schuchart added. “I’m just happy to be a part of such a great sport. We didn’t quit.”

Schuchart and company’s perseverance extended far beyond just making adjustments to the car he was driving on Saturday night. It included a complete car swap on Friday prior to the Hard Knox program, from the new chassis they debuted at the Nationals back to the old one they’d been using coming in.

That mount, by the way, was the same car Schuchart won his four World of Outlaws races this year in.

“I can’t say enough about this team. I know that’s a pretty common thing to say, but since we started this deal, there’s been so many times when we’ve been knocked down and had to get back up,” Schuchart noted. “It’s what this team is all about and it’s something that my grandfather was built on when he raced and taught me as a little kid, as well. We actually had a bad night Sunday (in the Capitani Classic), and that made me really nervous. I didn’t have the confidence I felt that I should have had.

“Wednesday we just sat in the trailer and decided we were going to switch back to the car that was running well, and it seemed to play out (in our favor).”

As he was leaving Eldora Speedway in July after running second to Brad Sweet in the Kings Royal finale, Schuchart was glum and “didn’t have too much to be upbeat about.”

Saturday night, departing the Sprint Car Capital of the World, Schuchart sang a vastly different tune.

“To start 22nd and run second at the Knoxville Nationals is awesome,” Schuchart said. “There’s good and bad second-place finishes. Eldora was a tough one; I wasn’t smiling much after that one.

“Tonight, I’m smiling. That was pretty awesome, what we did out there.”

Mobil 1 – the best choice for your Truck or SUV. Learn more about Mobil 1 Truck & SUV oil and enter for a chance to win a Toyota pickup or SUV at dirtgiveaway.com.

Middlesex 156 for 3 (Malan 91*) beat Gloucestershire 168 for 8 (Hammond 42, Finn 3-18) by nine runs (DLS method)

Dawid Malan's imperious unbeaten knock of 91 steered Middlesex to a rare Vitality Blast victory against Gloucestershire at Radlett as they climbed to second place in the South Group.

Middlesex had registered only one win in their previous seven home T20 games against the West Country side - but always looked in control as they triumphed by seven wickets in the ground's inaugural Blast fixture.

The Seaxes' skipper entertained a sell-out crowd of 2227 as he flayed the Gloucestershire bowling to the tune of 91 from 59 deliveries, including seven fours and four sixes. At 156 for 3, Middlesex still needed 13 from 11 balls when a heavy downpour descended on the Cobden Hill ground - but their nine-run lead under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern system was enough to secure the two points.

Gloucestershire opted to bat after winning the toss and Miles Hammond immediately went on the offensive, hitting Tom Helm for successive boundaries and sweeping Mujeeb Ur Rahman to register the first six of the match.

The left-hander dominated an opening stand of 53 with Michael Klinger, but Toby Roland-Jones and Steven Finn, bowling accurately in tandem, put the squeeze on Gloucestershire as they picked off three wickets for 20 runs. Roland-Jones made the breakthrough with one that kept low and uprooted Klinger's middle stump, while Finn found the outside edge of Ian Cockbain before having Hammond caught on the boundary.

Former Middlesex allrounder Ryan Higgins picked up the baton with 19 from 13 balls, including two maximums off Nathan Sowter - who had the last word by taking the catch to dismiss him when he skied Finn to deep midwicket.

James Bracey and Jack Taylor both holed out after threatening to dominate the closing stages, while a late flurry from Graeme van Buuren guided the visitors to a total of 168 for 8.

Gloucestershire needed wickets in the Powerplay to stand much chance of defending that total, but they failed to collect any as Malan and Paul Stirling quickly made inroads into the target.

Stirling displayed an effective mix of power and placement, punching two boundaries off Van Buuren's first over and swinging across the line to slam David Payne for an enormous six over long-on. The opener had made 33 from 26 balls when he speared Chris Liddle into the hands of deep extra cover - but his departure was no more than a fleeting setback for Middlesex.

Malan took a particular liking to the bowling of Tom Smith, dispatching the left-armer back over his head for the six that brought up his half-century from 30 balls and following that by sweeping and reverse sweeping the next two deliveries for four.

Stevie Eskinazi became Liddle's second victim as he miscued to cover and Eoin Morga also perished before the heavens suddenly opened to bring the game to a premature conclusion.

Derbyshire 207 for 5 (Madsen 66, du Plooy 51) beat Yorkshire 152 (van Beek 4-17) by 52 runs

Derbyshire defended an imposing 208 target at Headingley to secure the Vitality Blast double over Yorkshire for the third successive season, winning by 52 runs.

The Falcons were fired to 207 for 5 by superb fifties for Leus du Plooy and Wayne Madsen, who shared a damaging third-wicket partnership of 87 in seven overs to advance from 55 for 2 in the seventh. Both hit fifties - du Plooy with 51 off just 23 balls and Madsen 66 off 37.

Overseas fast bowler Logan van Beek then starred with 4 for 17 in three overs as Yorkshire, for whom Jack Leaning top-scored with 36, were bowled out for 152 with 17 balls remaining.

The Falcons were bottom of the North Group coming into this clash, but won for the third time in eight to leapfrog a Vikings side who have now lost four in nine and only won once.

Derbyshire, having been inserted, were given a brisk start by captain Billy Godleman, whose 16-ball 28 included two of 11 sixes in the innings. Du Plooy and Madsen hit four apiece in their explosive, game-changing third-wicket stand.

Left-hander du Plooy targeted the short leg-side boundary towards the East Stand side from the Kirkstall Lane End. He hoisted fledgling left-spinner Jack Shutt, who had dropped a tough chance at third man with Madsen on 28, over midwicket on the way to Derbyshire's joint-fastest fifty in any format.

In 2015, Wes Durston also hit a 20-ball fifty, and he was present on the ground as part of the Loughborough Lightning coaching staff. They had played a morning women's Super League match.

The Falcons innings, however, was given real impetus when 45 came off the 12th and 13th overs combined, taking the score to 141 for 2. Du Plooy hit the lion's share of 32 off compatriot and former international quick Duanne Olivier in the 12th.

He hit the first ball of the over, a no-ball, for a straight six before depositing the free hit over wide long-on and out of the ground. A further six and two fours came off the rest of the over.

Typically inventive, Madsen reached his fifty off 31 balls shortly afterwards, but both fell lbw to David Willey and Tim Bresnan as the score reached 179 for 4 in the 17th. Bresnan, who had only bowled two overs in three previous Blast appearances this year, struck twice in the over to remove Madsen and Matt Critchley - caught at cover - on the way to 2 for 17.

Yorkshire's chase was subject to an early blow when captain Tom Kohler-Cadmore was caught at point off van Beek's third ball.

Adam Lyth and Willey both hit sixes to take the score beyond 30 in the third over, only for the latter to slice van Beek to third-man as the score fell to 31 for 2. Lyth was then caught behind off Ravi Rampaul, Jonny Tattersall was lbw reverse sweeping at Critchley's legspin and Bresnan was run out.

The Vikings remained afloat - just - as Leaning and Jordan Thompson both struck sixes and shared 45 in four overs. But when both fell in the 14th to van Beek, Thompson caught at cover and Leaning brilliantly caught behind by a diving Daryn Smit off the glove, Yorkshire were done for at 137 for 7.

Luis Reece then struck twice in the 18th over to help mop up the tail before a second run out.