Phillips Idowu secures gold and more medals to follow
The flamboyant and flame-haired triple jumper Phillips Idowu kept the good times rolling for Great Britain with a new personal best leap of 17.81 metres to secure the gold medal in the 2010 European Championships.
It was a wet and blustery night in Barcelona but that didn’t phase a determined Idowu. These days he’s a real workhorse on and off the track and the Londoner launched himself a big 17.46 metres straight off, sending a warning shot across the bows of the other triple jumpers.
Frenchman Teddy Tamagho was the early favourite. He went in with pedigree in the form of a huge jump of 17.96 in New York two months ago, however Tamagho flattered to deceive with a best of 17.45 leaving him well out of the running for the top prize, settling for bronze.
Idowu’s main challenge came in the form of Romanian competitor Marian Oprea who pushed him hard but fell short with a best of 17.51 and came away with the silver medal.
It was delight for Hackney-born Idowu though who is closing in on a full set of medals, he can hang this European Championship up next to his World Championships, Commonwealth Games, World Indoor Championship, European Indoor championships and a mountain of facial jewellery.
All eyes have to be on Olympic gold in 2012 as Idowu aims to cap off his career in style.
Meanwhile there could be a whole host of gold medals heading to Britain between 8.25 and 9pm tonight. First up the perma-bespectacled Martin Rooney and teammate Michael Bingham will battle it out in the men’s 400 metres final.
Then after that Jenny Meadows and Jemma Simpson will take part in the women’s 800 metres although Russian Mariya Savinova is heavy favourite to win there.
There are three British competitors going all out for the men’s 1500 as well with Andy Braddeley, Tom Lancashire and Colin McCourt all in contention.
So far the European games have proved a great glimpse of what could come in 2012 and today could prove the biggest gold rush yet.
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