Aikines-Aryeetey wins twice in Lille to leave Britain in third

The British Athletics team sit third at the halfway stage of the European Athletics Team Championships in Lille thanks to two wins from Harry Aikines-Aryeetey.

The sprinter claimed victory in the men's 100m final in 10.21 ahead of Germany's Julian Reus and Churandy Martina of the Netherlands.

And then he helped the men’s 4x100m relay team to victory in a championship record time of 38.08 seconds.

Jack Greene, Dwayne Cowan, Eilidh Doyle and Dan Bramble also won their individual events to take maximum points for Great Britain.

Greene secured GB's first win of the day taking first place in the men's 400m hurdles in a time of 49.47.

Cowan then followed up with victory in the 400m in a new personal best time of 45.46.

He originally finished second but he was promoted to first place after the Netherlands' Liemarvin Bonevacia was disqualified for a false start despite being allowed to run the race.

Scotland's Doyle took a second off her season's best to win the 400m hurdles in 54.60.

She said: "That's what I was looking for. No big stutters and putting together a technically much better race.

"Even there it wasn't perfect but I think it was the best I could do in those conditions. I knew there was a sub-55 in there, it was just putting it all together."

And Bramble equalled his season best of 8.00m in the long jump to take first place and 11 points for GB.

Germany lead on 166 points with Poland second with 150.50 and GB on 144.50.

Sportsbeat 2017