Tim Duckworth's encouraging European start
Tim Duckworth made an encouraging start to his European Championships decathlon campaign to sit fourth after the opening three events in Berlin.
The Briton had in fact led the way after two events, with the long jump seeing reigning world champion Kevin Mayer remarkably failing to register a mark.
Duckworth had sat just behind the Frenchman following the 100m which kicked off proceedings in very hot conditions at the Olympic Stadium.
The American-based decathlete, who is third behind Daley Thompson and Dean Macey on the all-time British standings, clocked 10.65 to Mayer’s personal best of 10.64, in race 4.
No-one could have foreseen what would unfold in the long jump, however. Mayer, a training partner of British heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson, failed to record a legal leap and was left understandably devastated. In fact, none of the trio of French decathletes competing managed a long jump mark.
“This is a black day for me,” said Mayer. “I do not have an excuse. I am very sorry for those who expected a lot of me. I was in great shape, but today the others were better.”
Duckworth, who won the British long jump title in Birmingham at the start of last month, managed a best leap of 7.57m to finish that event second behind Norway’s Martin Roe, who produced a personal best of 7.61m.
Roe moved into the lead in the overall standings after the shot put, in which he was fourth with a throw of 15.48m. Germany’s Matthias Brugger, who also had a no mark in the long jump but continued, went furthest with 15.92m while Duckworth managed 13.61m, the second-furthest throw of his career.
With the high jump and 400m events to come this evening Duckworth has a total of 2596 points, narrowly behind Estonian Karl Robert Saluri (2629), with German Arthur Abele (2636) second and Roe out in front on 2673.
There were further shocks in the men’s discus when Germany’s Olympic champion Christoph Harting and defending European champion Piotr Malachowski failed to record a mark in qualifying. Christoph’s brother, the three-time world champion Robert, did progress with 63.29m, while Swedish world silver medallist Daniel Stahl led the way with 67.07m, followed by compatriot Simon Pettersson in 64.82m.
In the men’s 400m, Belgian brothers Jonathan and Kevin Borlee qualified fastest with season’s best times of 45.19 and 45.29 in winning the opening two heats, while their sibling Dylan took heat 3 in 45.84.
The British pair of Dwayne Cowan and defending champion Martyn Rooney ensured they also progressed thanks to running 45.75 and 46.27 respectively.
“Job done, only just about,” said Rooney, who was third in heat 3. “It was a poor second half of the race, the first half was the best I’ve ran all year.”
Cowan won heat 4 and was at a loss as to why he had received a yellow card following his first start. “I don’t know what happened there, it felt like I really got out, so when they called me back I was a bit hesitant to even start the second time,” he said.
“I was a bit rusty on the back straight, hopefully I’ll fix up for tomorrow and make it through to the final.”
Italy’s European U23 champion Yohanes Chaippinelli clocked 8:28.41 in heat 2 to qualify for the men’s 3000m steeplechase fastest, while Topi Raitanen won heat 1 in a personal best time of 8:28.48. Britian’s Zak Seddon also progressed to the final as a fastest loser after his run of 8:30.00 secured him 14th, though his fellow countrymen Jamaine Coleman (8:33.78) and Ieuan Thomas (8:40.87) missed out.
The first medals of these championships were decided in the men’s 50km race walk, which was won by Ukraine’s Maryan Zakalnytskyy in a time of 3:46:32, ahead of Slovak Olympic champion Matej Toth (3:47:27) and a personal best performance of 3:47:59 from Belarussian Dzmitry Dziubin.
Ines Henriques won the women's walk. The Portuguese inaugural world champion and European record-holder was competing in her first 50km of 2018 and she was always in control, the 38-year-old clocking a winning time of 4:09:21.
Alina Tsviliy of the Ukraine was closing in the final laps but she ultimately fell over three minutes short, albeit setting a Ukrainian record of 4:12:44.
Spaniard Julia Takacs’ bronze matched the colour of her 2011 European under-23 medal. Her time was 4:15:22.
Back in the Olympic stadium, two British women shot putters qualified for the final for the first time in many years.
Amelia Strickler was ninth best with a PB 17.31m and Sophie McKinna 10th with 17.24m.
Strickler said: "It was a PB so I am absolutely thrilled. The stadium is amazing. I live for big stadiums like this. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to qualify."
McKinna added: "Bish, bash, bosh, it’s all done with one throw. It wasn’t one of my greatest throws but it doesn’t matter as it was over the qualification mark and I wanted to get it done so I could get back and recover."
Divine Oladipo failed to qualify with a below-par 15.78m which placed her 21st, while defending champion Christina Schwanitz topped qualifying with a throw of 18.83m.
With Eilidh Child and Meghan Beesley gaining byes into the 400m hurdles semi-finals, Britain's sole competitor was Kirsten McAslan, who excelled to qualify comfortably with 56.78 for second place. Russian Vera Rudakova was the fastest with 56.24.
There was also good news for Britain's female 800m runners.
The 2012 champion Lynsey Sharp finished second in her heat in 2:00.32 behind Olha Lyakhova's 2:00.26 which was the fastest of the round. Adelle Tracey won her heat in 2:01.91.
Defending champion Natilya Pryshchepa won a slow heat 3 in 2:04.07, a fraction ahead of Shelayna Oskan-Clarke's 2:04.08 as both advanced with a little in hand.
Sweden's Hanna Hermansson won heat 4 in 2:01.33 just ahead of 2016 silver medallist Renelle Lamote's 2:01.34.
» Results can be found here, while a day-by-day guide to the upcoming action in Berlin is here. See the August 9 and 16 editions of AW magazine for coverage
