Kenny leads medal charge at European Championships

Great Britain won their first medals of the inaugural mixed-event European Championships as they impressed on the track and in the pool.

At the velodrome, Laura Kenny, Katie Archibald, Elinor Barker and Neah Evans dominated Italy in the final to take the title in the team pursuit.

While Hannah Miley produced a strong finish to win bronze in the women's 400m individual medley.

Emily Kay won silver in the 10km scratch and the men’s team pursuit team finished third.

The women's team pursuit squad had the honour of becoming Great Britain's first gold medallists in Glasgow after a stirring performance on the track.

The quartet of Kenny, Archibald, Barker and Evans were a cut above in the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, stopping the clock in 4:16.896 - nearly nine seconds ahead of silver medallists Italy.

The race ran true to form for the team that qualified fastest, beginning to replicate the class that saw Team GB top the podium in the discipline at both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

But Barker - part of the 2016 team alongside Kenny, Archibald and Joanna Rowsell Shand - always knew they had something more to give after their first day of racing.

“I think we rode that really well, obviously Ellie Dickinson also contributed to this ride, she was in qualifying on Thursday and I think we've improved a lot overnight,” she said. “It helps having two teams on the track but I think structurally we maybe rode that a bit better, looked after each other quite well and were really happy with the time.”

Meanwhile, Britain's first medal of the maiden mixed-event European Championships also came on the track, Emily Kay doing the business in the scratch race.

The 22-year-old won Commonwealth bronze earlier this year but silver came her way this time around - notably her first individual European medal after success in the team pursuit and the Madison. While the men's team pursuit squad ensured a full collection of medals on day two in Glasgow, with Olympic champion Steven Burke joining world champions Ethan Hayter, Charlie Tanfield and Kian Emadi in picking up bronze.

Elsewhere, Hannah Miley secured Great Britain’s first medal in the pool as she took bronze in the women’s 400m individual medley.

The three-time Olympian held off a charge from teammate Aimee Willmott and finished just 0.43s ahead to bring the house down in Glasgow.

“I am very happy, obviously I would love to have a different colour of medal but it is just down to the race.

“I have been touched out of a medal so many times so it is nice to be in among the medals for that. I did my first European Championships in 2006 so to still be here in 2018 and medalling is not too bad.”

One medal almost became two, as the women’s 4x100m relay team narrowly missed out on bronze – finishing just 0.07s back.

Elsewhere, Olympic champion and world record holder Adam Peaty reached the men’s 100m breaststroke final and will go up against teammate James Wilby for gold.

The two qualified first and second, with Peaty just ahead as he backed up a new Championship record in the morning with a solid semi-final swim.

Six British crews came through their repechages at Strathclyde Country Park to give themselves hope of a medal at the European Rowing Championship.

Gold medallists from the Rio Olympics Moe Sbihi and Will Satch helped the men’s eight progress in Glasgow, finishing second in their repechage behind Romania.

Elsewhere, Olympic silver medallist Zoe Lee was part of the women’s quadruple sculls crew that qualified for Saturday’s final. Sportsbeat 2018