GB sprinters one-two at Euro U20 Champs
Joy Eze and Renee Regis stormed to a British one-two in the women's 100m at the European Under-20 Championships in Jerusalem on Tuesday (Aug 8). Only one hundredth of a second separated the duo as Eze took first place in 11.39 (2.0) from her fast-finishing team-mate as Anna Kocsis of Hungary took bronze in 11.55.
Eze, 19, took bronze in this event two years ago in Tallinn in a race won by Irish sprinter Rhasidat Adeleke. But on Tuesday night she took control of the race as she sped into an early lead before holding off the late challenge of Regis.
For the runner-up, her podium achievement came 37 years after her father, John, won bronze in the men's 100m at the European Under-20 Championships in Cottbus in a race won by another Brit, Elliot Bunney.
Regis Snr went on to hold the UK 200m record for many years, too, before Zharnel Hughes broke it recently, whereas Renee's mother, Jenny Stoute, was also an Olympic sprinter.
This is how Joy Eze became the first British female athlete since Jodie Williams in 2011 to win the 100m at the European U20 Championships 🔥
Eze clocked 11.39 (2.0) to Renee Regis' 11.40 in an incredible photo finish between the Brits 🇬🇧pic.twitter.com/LnwVWeVgc8
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) August 8, 2023
Who knows, but there could have been a clean sweep as well if Nia Wedderburn-Goodison had not been forced to withdraw on the eve of the championships due to injury.
Eze said: “This is mindblowing. It is just amazing to become the champion. Coming to this competition, I just wanted a PB and then to see what it is enough for. Just to be on the list of all the British champions is a big honour for me.
“The big reward is that my hard work has paid off. At the finish line, I do not know what was actually going on. I did not know where I was at the finish line or what time it was. When I just saw the confirmation, my mind was just going crazy.
“When it comes to the weather, I almost got a heat stroke yesterday. It is good to have hot weather because it allows you to run faster. It was about the recovery and the help of my physio – the whole team – they were working together to get my body back in shape, recharging to stay focused for the race.”
Regis said: “If we were next to each other it would have been like the greatest race but I can’t hate on it. I came second, close to my PB, and I am happy with my performance over these couple of days.
“I saw her [Joy] in my peripheral vision so I had to make sure that I was near her. I saw that I was down but I made sure my top end technique was all correct. I am happy with silver. Last year I was third so now I’m second so I am just moving up slowly.”
READ MORE: Teenage talent Renee Regis on the rise
A few minutes after the women's 100m, there was another British sprint medal with Sean Anyaogu taking men's 100m bronze in 10.34 (0.6) behind Isak Hughes of Sweden and Marek Zakrzewski, who ran a Polish junior record of 10.25 to win.
Anyaogu said: “I am a bit upset at first but considering the scale of the event, it is all right. I didn’t have the best start, but I kept to my phases, and I tried to execute. I could feel myself catching up and maybe with another 10 metres I would have caught them.
“I am proud of what I have achieved. I came into this competition ranked 13th so to come top three is an achievement. I always race to win, a part of me is upset but a larger part of me is content and happy.”
Mattia Furlani of Italy broke a 36-year-old championship record in the men's long jump with a first round leap of 8.23m (-0.2) but he was pushed close by Bozhidar Saraboyukov of Bulgaria, who went over eight metres a total of five times with a best of 8.22m (1.6) to take silver just one centimetre behind Furlani.
Elsewhere on day two of these championships, Britain's Jessica Duncton was seventh in the women’s 100m hurdles with Rhys Allen and Cleo Agyepong both eighth in the men’s discus and women’s shot put.
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