by Stuart Weir
Jake Wightman, EA team captain for GBR captured 800m! photo by British Athletics
Beth Dobbins wins 200m and on the team that wins 4x100m at EA Team, photo by British Athletics
This is Stuart Weir’s final piece on the 2021 European Team Champs and how Team GB, which fared well, could have won it all, if one baton exchange had gone well.
The British team achieved their best result at the European Athletics Team Championships Super League since 2013 as they finished third in the standings behind Poland and Italy with individual wins for Beth Dobbin, Lawrence Okoye and Jake Wightman on the second day of action.
The final points totals were:
1 Poland 181.5
2 Italy 179
3 Great Britain 174
The big disappointment of the day was the failure of the GB men’s 4 by 400 to complete the final baton change, meaning that up to 7 points went up in smoke.
Team captain Jake Wightman led by example as he surged to victory in the men’s 800m. In a competitive field, the European and Commonwealth medallist over 1500m showed his credentials over the shorter distance as he came through to win in 1:45.71. With 200m to go, he positioned himself at the front and kicked away from his opponents to bring home the victory.
He said afterward, “The only real aim from it was to win it. I think putting ourselves top of the leader board after day one, I knew I had to do my bit to keep us there. So, to get the full points is big for me. I’ve just tried to lead by example. Everyone has shown so much character in the way they have performed that it is very easy to know you have to do the same. I don’t know what the other teams think of us, but I think we’ve massively over-performed so far.
“It’s awesome to be captain. I thought that would be something I’d get near the end of my career so for Christian Malcolm to trust I can do that now is an honour. I won’t take much credit for how the team has done because they have all been on another level.”
He added, “Every athlete who has earned their first senior vest this weekend should be very proud of their performance. They’ve all given 100% and that is all you can do. It’s great having the team environment, there are no medals individually, so to be competing for one another is very rare and I feel like everyone is making the most of that.”
The Star of the day was Beth Dobbin who won the 200m in 22.78 a day after helping the GB sprint relay win. She commented: “Do you know what, after we got the win yesterday with the 4x100m girls, I had to win again. The feeling you get for a win, there is nothing quite like it. I’m buzzing with that race and the time. I wasn’t expecting it to be that quick because when we were in the blocks I could just feel the rain hitting the back of my neck, it was so grim. But I absolutely went for it and fought to the end, I cannot ask for anymore. I’ve really enjoyed myself at this Champs. I know when I’m feeling relaxed and having a good time, I run better”.
Beth is one of those lovely people that our sport throws up. 3 years ago, she had no funding and was doing 2 or 3 jobs to fund herself and her training. Now she has had a breakthrough and is loving it all.
So Britain with a young team finished a creditable third but with a better relay change, they could have been champions.
This is a fun event with an easy to follow format. What it really needs is to find a space in the calendar that suits athletes and a sponsor so that athletes can be paid in order to attract the top European athletes – almost all of whom were absent.
PS Sorry there are no photos but on day one the organizers supplied 122 images and on day 2 – none!
