Emily Newnham, Success Eduan and both women’s relay teams make the top of the podium in Bergen, Norway

Britain finished second in the medals table at the end of the European Under-23 Championships in Bergen, Norway, with four golds and 11 medals in total.

Germany topped the table with five golds and 26 medals. Spain won the same number of medals as Britain – and the same number of golds – but fewer silver medals. France, meanwhile, won 12 medals but just three golds.

The British women’s 4x100m and women’s 4x400m teams each set championship records on the final day (July 20) of the four-day meeting.

The sprint relay team of Nia Wedderburn-Goodison, Kissiwaa Mensah, Alyson Bell and Success Eduan clocked 42.92. Joy Eze and Faith Akinbileje, who ran in the heats, joined them on the podium.

In the 4x400m, Rebecca Grieve, Emily Newnham, Poppy Malik and Yemi Mary John stormed to gold in 3:26.52 with Holly Mpassy and Abi Ives having run in the heats.

On the penultimate day of the championships on Saturday, while most of the athletics world was focused on the Diamond League in London, Newnham struck gold in the women’s 400m hurdles with GB team-mate Eduan winning the women’s 200m.

In addition, John claimed silver in the women’s 400m final as Brodie Young and Will Barnicoat took home bronze medals in the men’s 400m and 5000m respectively, while Ives surged on to the women’s 800m podium.

Newnham is enjoying a great summer and her 54.08 was a championship record and also lifted her to No.4 on the UK all-time rankings behind Sally Gunnell, Perri Shakes-Drayton and Tasha Danvers, the latter winning gold at these championships back in 1999.

“The people around me fuel me with so much confidence. It is hard to hold on to that but also not put pressure on myself,” said Newnham, who is coached by Nick Dakin. “Everyone keeps saying this was mine to win, so subconsciously that gave me the confidence that I can do it.”

Eduan held off Henriette Jaeger of Norway to win the 200m title in 22.74 (-0.7).

“Project Gold,” Eduan said. “Even my biomech and my physio knew what I came here to do, my coach knew what I came here to do, and I did just that. I didn’t care about the time, I didn’t care about anything else, I just wanted to win.

“I was trusting in my training, trusting in the process, trusting in my abilities, and I did just that.”

Elsewhere, Abigail Pawlett set a Welsh record en route to heptathlon silver with a score of 6320 as she finished 243 points behind Saga Vanninen, who set a championship record.

Justin Davies clocked 1:44.97 to take silver in the men’s 800m behind Niels Laros as the Dutchman proved one of the stars of the championships with an unusual 800m and 5000m double gold.

In the longer event, Laros saw off the challenge of, among others, Nick Griggs of Ireland and Barnicoat.

In the women’s 800m, Ives broke two minutes with 1:59.77 to take bronze behind winner Audrey Werro of Switzerland’s championship best of 1:57.42.

The European Under-23 Championships, which was first held in 1997, has proved a fine stepping stone to senior championships for many. It provides tough competition, too.

In the women’s 400m John clocked 50.50 but had to settle for second behind Jaeger’s 49.74 championship best.

In the women’s 100m, Wedderburn-Goodison clocked 11.38 (-1.3) but was runner-up to Karolína Manasová, as the Czech athlete clocked 11.30.

GB & NI medals

Gold: Emily Newnham (women’s 400m hurdles), Success Eduan (women’s 200m); women’s 4x100m, women’s 4x400m

Silver: Nia Wedderburn-Goodison (women’s 100m), Yemi Mary John (women’s 400m), Abi Pawlett (heptathlon), Justin Davies (men’s 800m)

Bronze: Abi Ives (women’s 800m), Brodie Young (men’s 400m), Will Barnicoat (men’s 5000m)