Sophie Hitchon insists she’s about to be calmness personified after throwing a new British record and securing the world A qualification standard as GB&NI finished third overall at the European Team Championships.
Hitchon bettered the British hammer record she set on the way to qualifying for the Olympic final last summer by almost a metre in Gateshead as she threw 72.97m with her third attempt for third.
That mark was also almost a metre better than the World Championship A standard of 72m with Hitchon’s season’s best before the European Team Championships 71.16m thrown in Germany last month.
Germany’s Betty Heidler took first place with an effort of 74.31m and Anita Wlodarczyk second with 74.14m with Hitchon one of seven Brits to finish individually in the top three on day two while both the men’s and women’s 4x400m relay teams were victorious.
That helped Britain maintain their position of third in the overall European Team Championship table from the opening day in Gateshead with Russia taking the victory and Germany second.
And for Hitchon, who is off to the European Under-23 Championships in Finland next month, she admitted her achievements in Gateshead will allow her to breathe easier for the rest of the season.
“It was really good, the field was great with some really good girls in it and I am pleased to have come above my ranking and in the top three,” said Hitchon.
“It always feels great to beat people who have a bigger personal best than you; it gives you the confidence going into championships that anything can happen on the day.
“People have bad days and can have three no-throws, for me it is about getting consistency and bringing it when it counts.
“The crowd was amazing, and when I threw it [the British record] I heard my parents screaming and it just felt really good to be in front of a home crowd.
“The European Under-23 Championships are the main aim before the worlds. I have been chasing the World Championship A standard but now I have got it I can relax a bit.”
While Hitchon set a new British record, Tiffany Porter claimed Britain’s only individual victory on day two after clocking 12.62seconsd in the 100m hurdles however the men’s and women’s 4x400m relay teams didn’t disappoint.
Eilidh Child, Shana Cox, Meghan Beesley and Christine Ohuruogu clocked 3:28.60minutes for victory in the women’s while the men’s quartet of Michael Bingham, Conrad Williams, Rhys Williams and Richard Buck set a new European lead of 3:05.37.
Emelia Gorecka was an impressive second in the women’s 5,000m in 15:40.52 while Nathan Douglas, Andrew Osagie, Shara Proctor and Anyika Onuora were all third in the triple jump, 800m, long jump and 200m respectively.
Danny Talbot placed fourth overall in the men’s 200m with William Sharman fifth in the 110m hurdles as was Brett Morse in the discus and world silver medallist from 2011 Hannah England in the 1500m.
David Bishop and Sophie McKinna were seventh in the 3000m and shot put respectively, Lee Doran was eighth in the javelin, Isobel Pooley and Andrew Sutcliffe were both ninth in the high jump and pole vault while Rob Mullet was 11th in the 3000m steeplechase.
© Sportsbeat 2013