Danny Talbot edged out Adam Gemili to win the men’s 200m at the Sainsbury’s British Championships and put his name firmly in the selectors’ minds for Great Britain’s European Championships squad.
The 23-year-old crossed the line in a time of 20.42 seconds to win his first ever UK outdoor title - Gemili running a season’s best 20.61 in second and James Ellington finishing third.
“You always come to a Championships hoping you can win. I was up against great competition so to win was a different matter,” he said.
“I’ve got a great rivalry with Adam – we are really good friends off the track and it’s great when we can race each other and push each other.”
Jodie Williams claimed victory in the women’s 200m to build on a fantastic season to date, the 20-year-old coming home in 22.79 ahead of Bianca Williams and Anyika Onuora.
And in the women’s 100m hurdles Tiffany Porter reigned supreme as she was the only athlete to dip under 12 seconds, winning in a time of 12.85 ahead of Lucy Hatton and Serita Solomon.
Michael Rimmer bounced back from a poor run in the heats to win a fantastic men’s 800m final, kicking at just the right time to beat Andrew Osagie and Mukhtar Mohammed.
And the 28-year-old admitted this title, his seventh at the British Championships, was his proudest given the troubles with injury this season.
“I can’t describe the emotions – it’s been the toughest season of my life so far but this is my proudest title,” said Rimmer.
“I bounced back from yesterday’s heat by resting my legs and eating chocolate, so it’s a great turnaround. I considered pulling out but I’m too much of a competitor.”
Niall Flannery was the man of the moment in the 400m hurdles, taking gold in 49.54, while Eilidh Child and Meghan Beesley safely made it through their heats in the women’s discipline.
Laura Weightman held off the charge of Laura Muir to win the women’s 1500m, Hannah England finishing just off the pace in third.
And Tom Farrell was the victor in the men’s race, running away from Ross Millington and Jonathan Mellor.
Away from the track Isobel Pooley claimed her first British title by clearing 1.90m – one centimetre off equalling her personal best – against a tough field that included heptathlete Katrina Johnson-Thompson, who finished second.
Eden Francis took home a shot put and discus double, while Yamile Aldama won the women’s triple jump with her last jump from Laura Samuel and Chioma Matthews.
JJ Jegede jumped 7.83m to win the men’s long jump, while Nick Miller’s throw of 73.96m was enough for him to claim hammer gold.
© Sportsbeat 2014