Team GB enjoyed a wet, wild and wonderful Wednesday at the European athletics championship in Zurich last night. Three golds, a silver and two bronzes was the final haul on a stormy night to leave the British team top of the medal table with Germany lagging far behind.
After Jo Pavey's stunning gold in the 10,000 metres on Tuesday night, it was the turn of Mo Farah to go in the men's event on Wednesday and the double Olympic champion didn't disappoint. Despite an injury-ravaged season – which included withdrawing from the Commonwealth Games – Farah took gold with Britain's Andy Vernon edging out Ali Kaya of Turkey in a thrilling sprint for the silver.
"I was really ill a few weeks ago but training has gone well," Farah said later. "I didn't want to let people down after missing the Commonwealth Games... [and] winning the European Championships again really does mean a lot to me."
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Farah celebrated his gold with Usain Bolt, who was an interested, if cold, spectator in Zurich on a night when the conditions were more April than August.
Bolt would also have been impressed by Britain's sprinters, who made hay despite the blustery weather. First up was Tiffany Porter who won gold in the women's 100m hurdles in a time of 12.79 seconds, holding off the challenge of Cindy Billaud of France.
Porter's victory was the first sprint hurdle gold for a British woman at a European Championships and she described it as a "very special" moment. "When you see your team-mates doing so well it really spurs you on in your event. It's very satisfying to win."
James Dasaolu capped off Britain's brilliant night by making it a hat-trick of golds with a superlative run in the 100m. Having seen Ashleigh Nelson take bronze in the women's sprint – behind Dafne Schippers of Holland and France's Myriam Soumare – the 26-year-old Dasaolu ran a perfect race to beat reigning champion Christophe Lamaitre into second place.
In clocking 10.06 the Briton was hardly likely to have Bolt quaking in his spikes but it was an impressive time given the conditions, and the joint third fastest winning time in European 100m final history. "It's great to be the European champion," declared Dasaolu. "Track and field always has lots of ups and downs - I've had my hamstring injury but fast forward to Zurich in August and I'm the European champion."
Dasaolu, whose feat emulates the European triumphs of Darren Campbell and Linford Christie in these championships, was joined on the rostrum by bronze medallist Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, who beat veteran sprinter Dwain Chambers into fourth.
The upshot of 'Wonderful Wednesday' is that Britain has four gold medals after just two days of competition, the same number they managed in the entire 2012 European Championships. And there could be more to come in the next few days with Martyn Rooney, Conrad Williams and Matt Hudson-Smith all qualifying for the final of the men's 400m, while former Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu made it through to the women's 400m final.
