• European Athletics Indoor Championships

Captain Clitheroe digs deep to claim magnificent gold

Helen Clitheroe was stunned when she realised she had won gold in the 3000m © Getty Images

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Team captain Helen Clitheroe shone on the final day of the European Indoor Championships with a stunning triumph in the 3000 metres, beating Russia's Olesya Syreva to the line by three hundredths of a second for a superb gold, as Great Britain took their medal tally to eight.

The 37-year-old was involved in a tactical battle, biding her time before heading to the front of the pack with three laps to go. The decision looked a little premature as Poland's Lidia Chojecka took the lead at the bell, with the Brit appearing to have burnt herself out.

However, Clitheroe came roaring back and overtook Chojecka down the back straight to claim her first major individual title in a time of 8min 56.66sec.

Afterwards Clitheroe, who didn't realise she had won until it was declared on the scoreboard, said: "I just tried to keep concentrating and kept trying to push it on a bit but everyone was still there. It was only when I crossed the line I thought 'Oh my gosh I've won'.

"It's an absolute dream come true for me. I've been trying so long to get on a podium and to get on and win a gold medal at 37 is just unbelievable. I'm so delighted."

There was disappointment for young sprint sensation Jodie Williams after she just missed out on landing a medal on her senior debut, finishing fourth in a desperately tight 60m final.

The 17-year-old, who was drawn in the inside lane, got off to a flyer but was eventually pipped on the line, with Ukraine's Olesya Povh winning the race in 7.13 seconds - although there was some solace for Williams as she matched her personal best of 7.21s which she set in Saturday's semi-finals.

Dwain Chambers saved his best 60m run until last, although it wasn't good enough to stop Francis Obikwelu snatching gold. Chambers, the reigning champion over the distance, was below par in both heats and semi-finals on Saturday but he found his best form in the final, finishing one hundredth of a second behind Obikwelu, who stormed home in 6.53 secs.

Chambers said: "I dipped but I saw the green vest. I thought maybe my chest had done it but no, it went to the better man. I couldn't get switched on in the heats, but when it got to the final I thought 'let's go for it'. To do this with all my preparation for the outdoors it bodes well."

Jenny Meadows won silver in the 800m and later helped the 4x400m relay team to a second placed finish. Meanwhile, the men matched their female equivalents, taking silver in the 4x400m team event.

Andrew Osagie was unable to add to Britain's medal tally as he battled to a fourth placed finish in the 800m.The 23-year-old was always in contention to get on the podium but he couldn't live with the pace of Polish duo Adam Kszczot and Marcin Lewandowski and his medal hopes evaporated when Spain's Kevin Lopez hunted him down with the finish line in sight.

World and European outdoor champion Phillips Idowu may have found himself a new rival, with France's Teddy Tamgho winning the triple jump by breaking his own world indoor record with two leaps of 17.92 metres.

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