Athletics: Holly's top of the tree

Sunday 3 March 2013

Holly Bleasdale yesterday won Britain's first title at the European Indoor Championships, with team-mate James Dasaolu agonisingly close to making it a golden double in Gothenburg.

Holly Bleasdale on her way to winning gold in GothenburgPhotograph: PA

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Phil Casey

Bleasdale triumphed in the pole vault after a dramatic jump-off with defending champion Anna Rogowska. Both athletes had failed with three attempts at 4.72 metres and could not be separated on countback.

Dasaolu and France's Jimmy Vicaut were also inseparable in terms of time in the 60m final, but a photo-finish gave Vicaut the title and meant Dasaolu had to settle for silver, with both given the world-leading time of 6.48 seconds.

But Britain still face an uphill task to achieve the target set by head coach Peter Eriksson of improving on the nine medals won in Paris two years ago, with Olympic bronze medallist Robbie Grabarz only sixth in the high jump and Shara Proctor denied a bronze medal in the long jump by just two centimetres.Bleasdale, Britain's first European pole vault champion, initially thought she had finished second. "I knew they did them [jump-offs] but I've never been in one before," said the 21-year-old, who was sixth at the London Olympics but came into the competition as No 1 in Europe. "I thought I had just come second so I was waving to the crowd and then they told me I had to do a jump-off."I didn't really know what one was but I am glad we did it. We had the option to share the gold medal or do a jump-off and I wanted to do a jump-off. I wanted the gold medal to myself."I was in the moment and felt really good and felt if I got my jump together I could clear the bar easily."Bleasdale and Rogowska both failed one more attempt at 4.72m in the jump-off. With the bar then lowered to 4.67m, Rogowska suffered another failure and Bleasdale took her chance with a fine clearance to seal victory.Team captain and room-mate Jenny Meadows said: "I talked to Holly beforehand about lots of different scenarios but we didn't talk about a jump-off. But she did brilliantly. When I was younger I over-analysed things but Holly's not like that. She's got so much talent. She believes she can jump 5.20m - and I believe her."Dasaolu had won his semi-final in a personal best of 6.52, but went even quicker in the final."I'm still taking it in that I've run 6.48, which is a really, really quick time, and on top of that I got a silver," the 25-year-old said. "At the beginning of the championships I didn't think 6.48 would get a silver but I am just happy to be injury-free and enjoying competing. I am extremely happy and hope I can carry this on to the outdoors."Team-mate Harry Aikines-Aryeetey was seventh in a season's best 6.63.Proctor had earlier looked certain to claim Britain's first medal, occupying third place after an opening leap of 6.68m which she extended to 6.69m in the fourth round. However, the 24-year-old from Anguilla saw Sweden's Erica Jarder produce a personal best of 6.71m in the final round and could only manage a foul with her final attempt.Russia's Darya Klishina successfully defended her title with a leap of 7.01m in the first round, with France's Eloyse Lesueur (6.90m) taking silver."I am very disappointed," said Proctor, who was ninth in the Olympic final. Elsewhere, Perri Shakes-Drayton smashed her personal best with a time of 51.03 to qualify for the 400m final alongside Scots fellow hurdles specialist Eilidh Child and Shana Cox, while Britain will have half the field in the men's final after Nigel Levine, Richard Strachan and Michael Bingham all qualified.Mukhtar Mohammed reached the 800m final as team-mate Joe Thomas missed out, while 19-year-old Scot Laura Muir was unable to repeat her semi-final succcess when she ran a lifetime best and came last in the 1500m final.In the morning session, all four athletes in action advanced through qualifying. Long-jumper Chris Tomlinson needed a leap of 7.98m in the last round.Asha Philip, the former world youth champion whose career has since been plagued by injury, eased into the 60 metres semi-finals, while pole vaulter Steve Lewis and Lauren Howarth, making her senior British debut in the 3000m, also looked impressive in reaching their finals.

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Athletics: Holly's top of the tree

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