Georgia Hunter Bell won the women's 1500m final in the style that has become her trademark, gliding clear in the closing stages of a slow, tactical race to claim the European title that had eluded her in Rome two years ago.
Georgia Hunter Bell won as she pleased in the European women's 1500m final on Sunday night in Birmingham, timing her effort to perfection in a race where most of her rivals seemed to have settled for silver before the start.
The early pace was cautious, passing 400m in 68.81 and 800m in 2:21.28, with nobody prepared to press the issue and everyone seemingly content to race for the places behind her rather than test her directly. Hunter Bell had taken over at the front by 1200m, reached in 3:24.95, and from there simply glided away in that effortless style of hers, winning in 4:07.78 with daylight to spare by the finish.
It completes a remarkable rise for the 32-year-old, who was still finding her feet at this level when she won silver behind Ciara Mageean in Rome two years ago. Since then she has added Olympic 1500m bronze, World Championship 800m silver, Commonwealth Games 800m gold and a world indoor 1500m title to her collection – and Sunday's win continues that trajectory in some style on home soil.
Explaining her tactics, Hunter Bell made clear the plan had worked exactly as intended. "Just getting myself in a good position throughout was always the plan. I thought, if it comes down to a kick, I've got it, so I didn't want it to go too quick," she said. "I thought it might be a 600m burn-up, which it was - and that was perfect for me."
She was also full of praise for her training environment. "Our M11 group is such a vibe isn't it. Trevor and Jenny are like my amazing second parents, they're the best. We've got such a great unit, everyone is very fun and loving but also very professional. We've all got big goals, we aren't here just to make teams, we are here to win medals and win golds," she said. "The whole GB team is so great to be a part of as well. It's so great to all be together, supporting and tracking each other's events. Seeing the mixed relay team win the gold earlier really inspired me tonight."
With a third major gold of the year now secured, following her Commonwealth 800m title in Glasgow and world indoor 1500m crown in Torun, Hunter Bell began to look ahead to the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest next month. "I think I need a little break to start even thinking about the fourth gold at World Ultimate Championships but that is certainly the goal. Can I get four major golds in a year? I really hope so, it's the next big challenge but I'm going to make sure I enjoy tonight first before starting to focus on that."
She also spoke about the impact of her story as "late bloomer" who returned to the sport after time away. "Some people have told me that I am inspiring the older runners as well as all the youngsters. I really love seeing people who have got jobs coming back into sport. Hopes and dreams aren't just for kids, it's important for adults to have them as well. Doing sport at any age is so cool, you can get such a good quality of life from it, so just go for it."
There is a tantalising subplot to consider from Sunday's performance. Hunter Bell's ability to sit patiently through a slow race and still produce a devastating closing kick raises an obvious question: how would she have fared had she instead lined up in the 800m at these championships against Audrey Werro, Keely Hodgkinson and Femke Broeders-Bol?
They are due to meet in Zurich later this month, a prospect Hunter Bell has already said she cannot wait for. Yet by her own admission, she is not sure she is even in the form of her life right now - her recent races, including the Commonwealth Games, have been slow and tactical rather than genuine time trials and she has not run a personal best all year.
Behind her, Poland's Klaudia Kazimierska produced a fine run for silver in 4:08.80, while Portugal's Patricia Silva - the daughter of former European 1500m medallist Rui Silva - claimed a well-earned bronze in 4:09.22. Reigning European indoor champion Agathe Guillemot of France, tipped before the championships as Hunter Bell's biggest threat in precisely this kind of slow, tactical race, could not find a way past fourth in 4:09.62, while Ireland's Sarah Healy was fifth in 4:10.76.
Women's 1500m: 1 Georgia Hunter Bell (GBR) 4:07.78; 2 Klaudia Kazimierska (POL) 4:08.80; 3 Patricia Silva (POR) 4:09.22; 4 Agathe Guillemot (FRA) 4:09.62; 5 Sarah Healy (IRL) 4:10.76; 6 Adèle Gay (FRA) 4:11.01; 7 Kristiina Sasínek Mäki (CZE) 4:11.06; 8 Sophie O'Sullivan (IRL) 4:11.72
