Briton adds 1500m title to her 800m win after four races in four days in Sweden

Britain’s Jemma Reekie completed an historic middle-distance double at the European U23 Championships in Gävle, Sweden, adding the 1500m title to her 800m gold claimed the day before.

After four races in four days, the 21-year-old clocked 4:22.81 to become the first British athlete to ever win two individual gold medals at the European under-23 event.

It was another fine performance by the Andy Young-coached runner, who is a training partner of British 1500m record-holder Laura Muir. With her latest win, it means that all the female European 1500m titles are currently held by either Reekie or Muir, with Reekie also the reigning European under-2o champion and Muir having both the senior indoor and outdoor titles to her name.

“I don’t think it has hit me yet,” said Reekie. “I am really tired, my legs are sore and the girls did not make that easy for me, both days, but I am really pleased.

“I didn’t know the last lap was as fast as it was (59.6) but it did feel hard so I am glad it was fast.

“I know I said coming here that I would be happy with two medals but there was only one colour I wanted in both and I am really pleased I got it right.”

Elise Vanderelst of Belgium secured silver with a time of 4:23.50, while bronze was claimed by Italy’s Marta Zenoni in 4:23.96.

As the championships came to a close, the British team finished fourth on the medals table and third on the placing table as Germany ended up on top after a strong last session featuring six gold medals.

Among the nation’s winners was Niklas Kaul as he achieved an impressive 8572 points to take the decathlon title, breaking the championship record with his European-leading PB.

The 21-year-old adds this gold to a CV which also includes 2015 world under-18 and 2016 world under-20 titles, plus 2017 European under-20 gold.

He pushed all the way to the line in the final event, clocking his second quickest ever 1500m of 4:17.63 to complete a series which also featured an 11.17 100m, 7.26m long jump, 15.19m shot put, 2.03m high jump, 48.67 400m, 14.83 110m hurdles, 47.35m discus, 4.80m pole vault and dominant 77.36m in the javelin.

Estonia’s 2017 European under-20 silver medallist Johannes Erm had led the decathlon at the end of the first day and went on to secure silver with a national under-23 record score of 8445 points, while Kaul’s team-mate Manuel Eitel claimed bronze with 8067 points.

Germany’s other titles on the final day were claimed by both 4x100m relay teams, as the men’s quartet ran 39.22 and the women’s clocked 43.45, plus the men’s 4x400m team (3:03.92), steeplechaser Frederik Ruppert (8:44.49) and Annika Fuchs, who improved her PB by more than a metre with 63.68m to win the women’s javelin title.

GB teams secured silver in both 4x400m events as individual 400m medallist Cameron Chalmers anchored the men’s team to a time of 3:04.59 before Hannah Williams crossed the finish line with 3:32.91 on the clock to finish behind individual 400m champion Natalia Kaczmarek as she powered past on the final leg to get gold for Poland in 3:32.56 after running a 51.84 split.

Silver medals were also claimed by Britain’s Spencer Thomas, as he came through to clock 1:49.06 behind Poland’s Mateusz Borkowski (1:48.75) in the 800m, plus Tom Gale, as he cleared a season’s best of 2.27m in a high jump competition won by European senior silver medallist Maksim Nedasekau of Belarus with a 2.29m clearance.

In the 4x100m events, GB’s women’s team finished fifth in 44.54, while the men’s team was unable to get the baton around.

Earlier on in the day, the GB team co-captain Callum Wilkinson (1:22:13) had claimed bronze in a 20km race walk contest won by Russia’s authorised neutral athlete Vasiliy Mizinov (1:21:29), as Britain’s Cameron Corbishley placed 12th in 1:27:07.

The women’s 20km race walk title was won by Turkey’s Ayse Tekdal in 1:34:47.

Back on the track, Denmark’s Anna Emilie Møller won a battle between champions in the women’s 5000m, running a national record of 15:07.70 to add that title to her 3000m steeplechase win in Gävle as Germany’s 10,000m champion Alina Reh was second in 15:11.25.

GB’s Jodie Judd ran a PB of 15:51.67 to place sixth and Amelia Quirk, who trains with St Mary’s University student Møller in the UK, clocked 16:08.71 for 12th.

France’s Hilary Kpatcha won the women’s long jump title with a 6.73m (+0.5m/sec) leap after jumping a PB of 6.81m in qualifying, while GB’s Alice Hopkins was seventh with 6.12m (+2.4m/sec).

Turkey’s Necati Er leapt to triple jump success with a national record-breaking mark of 17.37m, while Slovenia’s Kristjan Ceh won the discus with a throw of 63.82m.

The 400m hurdles gold medals were claimed by France’s 2017 European under-20 champion Wilfried Happio (49.03) and Paulien Couckuyt of Belgium with a PB of 56.17. GB’s Alex Knibbs finished eighth in the men’s event in 50.82.

Switzerland’s Angelica Moser retained her pole vault title by clearing 4.56m.

Results can be found here, while a report on day one action is here, a day two round-up is here and a day three report is here.

Watch the winning moment Novak Djokovic beats Roger Federer 7-6 (7-5) 1-6 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 13-12 (7-3) in a final-set tie break to secure his fifth Wimbledon title.

FOLLOW LIVE: Wimbledon men's final: Djokovic v Federer - TV, radio & text

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Novak Djokovic saved two championship points to retain his Wimbledon title with a thrilling final-set tie-break win over Roger Federer.

On a Centre Court, with an atmosphere that felt at times more akin to football than tennis, Djokovic won 7-6 (7-5) 1-6 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 13-12 (7-3).

The Serbian world number one has now won 16 Grand Slam titles.

It was the longest Wimbledon final, at four hours 57 minutes, with a Federer error handing Djokovic victory.

"It's quite unreal," Djokovic said after winning his fifth Wimbledon title.

Federer, who at 37 was chasing a record-equalling ninth Wimbledon singles title, added: "It was a great match, it was long, it had everything. Novak, congratulations, man, that was crazy."

A meeting of the greats serves up a classic

A highly anticipated final between two of the sport's greats always had the potential to go the distance - and this did that and more.

With fans unable to watch at times, while leaping to their feet and chanting at others, a nerve-jangling final set turned this into a classic .

When Federer had two championship points at 8-7, Djokovic held his nerve to save both and then break back, eventually taking it to the new tie-break at 12-12.

The Serb - who for extended periods of the match had been second best - had won the match's previous two tie-breaks and he did so again, snatching victory when Federer scooped a return high.

The Swiss had been seeking to become the oldest Grand Slam champion of the Open era but instead found himself part of a different record as the match time surpassed the Wimbledon record of four hours 48 minutes play of the 2008 final he lost to Rafael Nadal.

More to follow.

Great Britain will play in both the men's and women's Olympic Sevens in Tokyo next year after England won their qualifying tournaments.

England were nominated as the chosen home nation to represent GB in the qualification events, and the women's team beat France to reach the final.

They then saw off hosts Russia 19-0 in Kazan to win the tournament.

In the men's event in Colomiers, England also faced the hosts in the final, beating France 31-7.

Having finished second in their group on Saturday, the women's team overcame Ireland 17-7 in the quarter-finals

In that match, England trailed but Holly Aitchison replied on the stroke of half-time as they went into the break 7-5 down.

Deborah Fleming went over in the corner to put them ahead, before Matthews sealed victory just before full-time.

In the tense semi-final, Matthews crossed to give England an early lead before France levelled through Coralie Bertrand.

Ellie Kildunne gave England the lead after the break and despite Valentine Lothoz's try, two conversions from Aitchison took them through 14-12.

Neither side made the breakthrough in the first half of the final, before Heather Fisher squeezed through for the opening try to set England on their way to Olympic qualification, with Emma Uren and Alex Matthews also scoring against the hosts.

"They are still a really young group and it's so exciting to think what the future holds for them," coach James Bailey said.

The men's team beat Italy 35-0 in the last eight after tries from Harry Glover, Tom Mitchell, Will Muir, Ben Harris and Will Edwards.

Dan Norton, Mike Ellery and Muir put England 17-0 ahead at the break in the semi-final against Portugal before Charlton Kerr and Ben Harris also went over in a 29-12 win.

England led France 21-7 at half-time in the final after Norton scored a hat-trick before the break. Ollie Lindsay-Hague's interception led to a fourth try to settle the contest.

Britain's women's team finished fourth when rugby sevens made its Olympic debut at Rio 2016, losing their bronze medal match 33-10 to Canada, while the men won silver after a 43-7 defeat by Fiji in the final.

WEST ALLIS, Wis. — Fifty-one cars participated in the 25th annual Miller at Milwaukee vintage Indy car event at the Milwaukee Mile over the weekend.

The two-day event, held Friday and Saturday, featured all front engine and both pre- and post-WWII Indy cars, Champ Cars, and even Indy Roadsters and Laydown cars.

The late David V. Uihlein, Sr., founder of the Harry Miller Club, sought to bring recognition to Harry Miller and his vast accomplishments, by sharing his great race car and engine designs with younger generations. Miller-based cars and engines dominated championship competition in this country during the 1920’s, winning 38 Indianapolis 500 races.

Event Chairman Dana Mecum had seven cars at the event, including Bill Holland’s Blue Crown Special, which won the 1949 Indianapolis 500.

Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Johnny Rutherford was a special guest at the event both days, meeting with participants and spectators. Rutherford also logged several laps in various cars.

Thirteen hours of track time over the two days allowed participants the chance to put the cars “into a normal race pace,” to the delight of another great spectator crowd. Cars ranged from three 1909 cars to mid-60’s Watson roadsters.

Next year’s 26th annual event will take place at the Milwaukee Mile on June 24-25, 2020.

TORONTO, Ontario – Just one day after claiming his first Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship pole and podium finish, Denmark’s Christian Rasmussen went one better.

Rasmussen claimed the first victory for himself and the Jay Howard Driver Development team, on Sunday, finishing barely a car’s length ahead of Saturday winner Darren Keane  at the conclusion of a dramatic 20-lap Cooper Tires Grand Prix of Toronto presented by Allied Building Products main event on the challenging Exhibition Place street circuit.

Englishman Matt Round-Garrido profited from a variety of incidents to claim a hard-earned first podium finish.

“I’ve got goosebumps!” said an elated Rasmussen. “I’ve been waiting such a long time for this first win and first podium this weekend. I managed to get Darren at the start and build from there, pulling a gap again on the restarts. That last restart was a little too intense, because Darren was right there, but I managed to pull it off and I’m so happy.

“I really enjoy the street races; they are much more driver-dependent than other tracks. We struggled a bit early in the season to find our pace, but we’re on a roll now and I can’t wait for the next race.”

Anxious to atone for an error which cost him a potential victory yesterday, second-starting Rasmussen made an incisive move to the inside of polesitter Keane at the first corner to take the lead.

Behind, Colin Kaminsky also took advantage of Keane’s loss of momentum to sneak through into second place at turn three.

Rasmussen’s teammate, Christian Bogle, was the biggest mover on the first lap, pulling off an audacious outbraking maneuver at turn three – perfectly cleanly – to vault from 10th on the grid to fourth by the completion of the first lap.

That move placed Bogle ahead of Brazil’s Eduardo Barrichello and series leader Braden Eves.

Bogle soon slipped down the order, but still seemed to be set for a career-best seventh-place finish until clipping a wall moments before the third and final full-course caution. Unfortunately for him, the clean-up was completed just in time for a one-lap dash to the checkers, so he had no option but to head for the pit lane as a retirement.

Up front, meanwhile, Rasmussen had managed to eke out a little breathing space by the time the caution flags waved for the first time after seven laps due to a spin for Barrichello in turn three.

Rasmussen maintained his advantage over Kaminsky at the restart, and again following another caution period shortly afterward when Barrichello’s teammate, Jack William Miller, found the wall in turn five.

Rasmussen was gifted a much greater cushion on lap 16, when Keane muscled his way past Kaminsky into second place at turn three. Kaminsky then came under intense pressure from the second Cape car of Eves, who attempted a similar move in turn one – which again ended in contact and ensured yet another full-course caution.

Eves and Kaminsky were able to continue after stopping in the pits, but could manage only distant 11th- and 12th-place finishes, respectively.

The one-lap dash to the finish saw Rasmussen barely hold off Keane, while Round-Garrido was hot on their tail in third, just ahead of DEForce teammates Manuel Sulaiman and 14-year-old Jak Crawford.

Australian Cameron Shields rounded out the top six finishers despite losing a lot of ground in the early stages. Next up was Brazilian Bruna Tomaselli, who earned the Tilton Hard Charger Award for climbing all the way from 16th on the grid to seventh.

INDIANAPOLIS – “Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing,” is a creed that’s heard repeated all throughout the sports world.

However, what the quote doesn’t say is that, more often than not, it’s consistency that wins championships.

If an athlete’s final product of results is “boom or bust,” and met with the unpredictability of highs and lows throughout the duration of the campaign, the short-term reward may pay its dividends, but the ultimate result will find you behind the one who’s always in the hunt, always has a chance, and never, seemingly, has a night off.

Over the past decade, that’s been the mantra of Chris Windom.

Of course, he’s won his fair share of feature events in his USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car career. His 23 series victories equal that of A.J. Foyt and Roger McCluskey for 22nd all-time entering the 32nd edition of NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week on July 18-27.

The beginning of his season came with a different set of circumstances, however.

After two highly successful tenures at Baldwin Brothers Racing, which resulted in a pair of ISW titles in 2011 and 2018, plus a USAC national title in 2017, the team unexpectedly shuttered its doors.

Although this could’ve proven to be a major setback, at least in the short term, for Windom, the core of the group – Windom and crew chief Derek Claxton – stuck together when they signed on with Goacher Racing, winning the first race out of the box in February at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla.

Throughout the season, the team has been consistent, rattling off 11 finishes inside the top-10 through the first 12 races of the season, including becoming the first team to reach multiple wins with a May triumph at Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Ill.

Consistency is of utmost importance in winning a title, and Windom has done just that during ISW, with 45 top-10 finishes in 68 starts, a percentage of 66%. He’s also finished in the top-five on 24 of 68 occasions, or 35% of the time.

Those are pretty solid numbers, considering his most recent Indiana Sprint Week win came eight years ago, in 2011 at the Terre Haute Action Track. But to win a title, it takes more than victories alone. In fact, it takes more than consistency too.

You’ve got to have the driver, crew chief and all facets of the team in perfect harmony.

“It’s a week of consistency, that’s for sure, between driver, crews, owner, everything,” Windom explained. “You’ve got to be on point that week. It seems the last few years that Derek Claxton and I have jelled together during those long, grueling weeks, whether it’s Indiana Sprint Week, Eastern Storm or anytime we have a long stretch, we seem to enjoy it. So far, we’ve had success with it. You have to have a little luck thrown into it too.”

To illustrate the fact of how tough it is to succeed on the national tour, or in a shorter spurt such as ISW, consider this. Windom’s two wins and nine top-fives in 12 season starts only have him fourth in the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Series standings.

The standards have changed on what is considered a “good” or “bad” night at the track in recent times. Riding out an ill-handling car, having a driver error or getting caught up in something not of your doing and finishing mid-pack on just one of the eight nights of ISW, could prove to be the fly in the ointment.

Driver and team have to be engaged and locked down to get every spot and point possible.

“The competition is so tough right now,” Windom pointed out. “A bad night at Sprint Week may be a 10th place. Anymore, you’ve got to be in the top-five every night, I feel like, to be in contention. That’s a tough feat when you’re running against 10 to 12 guys who can win every night. We seemed to have capitalized on it the last few years. So far, I’ve been really happy with our speed this year.

“I think we’re going to be in good shape to get another one this year.”

VENRAY, The Netherlands – Loris Hezemans won an exciting 100-lap ELITE 1 oval race at Raceway Venray on Sunday with the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series.

The Dutchman moved into the lead on lap 86 and fended off all attacks until the checkered flag. Driving the No. 50 Hendriks Motorsport Ford , the 22-year old son of motorsport icon Toine Hezemans grabbed his third series win, second of the season and first on an oval.

After starting second, Hezemans spent the first half of the race in a fierce battle for the lead with polesitter Jacques Villeneuve. The Canadian defended the lead well, and it was Hezemans who ended up losing a spot on lap 54 to Stienes Longin.

Hezemans moved back to second on a restart at lap 73, when Villeneuve and Longin collided ahead of him and the Canadian slipped down the order. The Dutchman then hunted down Longin for the lead and made a brilliant move to overtake the 27-year-old.

The Hendriks Motorsport driver also topped the Junior Trophy classification.

“It couldn’t have gone any better for us here at Raceway Venray, but I’m still a little bit frustrated about missing the pole position,” said Hezemans. “I really wanted to give my fans here at my home race a great spectacle. It was 100 laps of action and I had some great duels with Stienes and especially Jacques.

“I’m very happy and I thank my team for the great job they did all season long.”

The contact between Longin and Villeneuve resulted in a penalty for the Belgian, who crossed the finish line second but was demoted to 13th place.

Nicolo Rocca ended up second and secured his third podium finish of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season. Despite his worst result of his season, Longin retained the ELITE 1 point lead by seven over Hezemans, who took over second place from Rocca.

“It was a nice and clean race,” said Rocca, who will enter the playoffs eight points behind. “I was focused since this morning to get into the rhythm and to score a solid result here at Venray. The restarts were really good and I never lost a position. The contact between Stienes and Jacques helped me a lot. I was told about Stienes’s penalty so I relaxed in the last laps and came home a good second.”

Villeneuve led the race until lap 72 but fell back to fourth after the contact with the No. 11 PK Carsport Chevrolet Camaro. Despite some damage to his No. 32 Go Fas Racing Camaro, the former Indy 500 winner grabbed his second Euro Series podium finish.

“The car was really hard to drive in the end, but it was good overall,” said Villeneuve, who led the most laps. “It was very loose and it took always three or four laps to get up to full speed. Stienes was a little bit too aggressive and I had to back out. I ended up in the marbles and the choice was to hit him or the wall. It doesn’t matter, as I had a great battle with Loris. That’s what we love, clean racing and intense duels.”

Three-time champion Ander Vilarino was fourth in his No. 48 Racing Engineering Ford Mustang and scored important points in the last ELITE 1 race of the regular season.

Frederic Gabillon wasn’t able to contend for the win, but closed the top-5 driving the No. 3 RDV Competition Chevrolet Camaro.

Vilarino’s teammate Romain Iannetta was sixth ahead of Ulysse Delsaux. The Frenchman was second in the Junior Trophy classification and was rewarded with four bonus points for gaining the most positions during the 100-lap race at Venray.

Reigning champion Alon Day brought home an eighth place finish, edging Salvador Tineo and Henri Tuomaala, who topped the Challenger Trophy classification for the sixth time.