Borlée, Rosolová and Lavillenie take the plaudits at national championships | 18.06.2012
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| French pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie won the national title with a clearance of 5.85m in Angers. |
The results will have provided a good guide to national team selection for the 2012 European Athletics Championships, which will be held in Helsinki from 27 June to 1 July.
Below are some of the highlights of the action around Europe on Sunday with some of the top performances of the day coming from Belgium's Kevin Borlée, Czech Republic's Denisa Rosolová and France's Renaud Lavillenie.
Belgium – The reigning European 400m champion Kevin Borlée had a stunning run of 44.56 over one lap of the track in Brussels in his heat on Saturday and almost managed to match that in Sunday's final when he ran 44.63.
His twin brother Jonathan won the 200m in 20.32, just one-hundredth away from his personal best, and Adrien Deghelt won the 110m hurdles in 13.64. Michael Bultheel won the 400m hurdles in 49.60.
In the women's track events, Hanne Claes took the 200m in 23.33, just stopping a Borlée family triple triumph as their sister Olivia had to settle for second in 23.34. Anne Zagre, the 2009 European Athletics Junior Championships 100m hurdles gold medallist, won over the barriers in a personal best of 12.92, with Eline Berings second in 12.95.
Czech Republic - Denisa Rosolová made a sensational improvement in only her third serious 400m hurdles race when she ran 54.38 in Vyskov, the third fastest time by a European runner this year. “Finally, I was able to have a smooth race, I ran until the eighth hurdle with 15 strides. I'm start to like this event,” reflected the 2011 European Athletics Indoor Championships 400m winner. Second was Zuzana Bergrová in 56.67.
Pavel Maslak equalled the 200m national record with 20.60, finishing ahead of Vojtech Sulc who clocked 20.80.
The 2008 Olympic Games javelin champion and world record holder Barbora Špotáková predictably won her event with 64.40m while men's world leader Vitezslav Vesely came out on top with 81.15m. Katerina Cechová won the 200m in a personal best of 23.45, with 400m hurdles national record holder Zuzana Hejnová second in 23.93.
France - Christophe Lemaitre added the 200m title to the ones he had already won over 100m and 4x100m in Angers when he took the longer sprint in 20.31, coming home ahead of Ben Bassaw and Jimmy Vicaut, both men clocking a personal best of 20.58 but the former getting the verdict for second place.
Pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie remains unbeaten this year after he won with 5.85m. Former World Championships medallist Roman Mesnil was second with 5.62m.
Mickael Hanany cleared 2.25m to win the high jump while 2010 European Athletics Championships 200m champion Myriam Soumaré impressed when she won in 22.74, the third best performance of her career, with Johanna Danois second in 22.86.
Garfield Darien was the fastest in the 110m hurdles with13.28. Samuel Coco-Viloin and former world champion Ladji Doucouré were timed at 13.56 but the former took the silver medal.
Europe's top 3000m steeplechaser Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad won his specialist event in a comfortable 8:27.80 and Yannick Fonsat took the 400m title in 45.39.
Other winners included Francoise Mbango, who bounded out to 14.27m in the triple jump, Phara Anacharsis won the 400m hurdles in 55.97 while Muriel Hurtis sped to 52.17 in the 400m.
Gemany - It was a good day for the throws in Wattenscheid as 2011 World Championships shot put gold medallist David Storl won with 20.96m.
Two-time discus world champion Robert Harting also fulfilled his role as the favourite when he threw 67.79m while Markus Esser tossed the hammer out to 75.38m.
Former European javelin record holder Christina Obergföll had an excellent 65.86m but, behind her, the 2010 European Athletics Championships gold medallist Linda Stahl had her best outing since Barcelona two years ago when she threw 64.35m with Katharina Molitor finishing third with 63.20m.
Malte Mohr cleared 5.82m to win the pole vault from former world junior champion Raphael Holzdeppe, who went over 5.77m. Karsten Dilla and 2012 World Indoor Championships silver medallist Bjorn Otto were third and fourth respectively with both men clearing 5.72m.
Eike Onnen won the high jump with 2.25m and Georg Fleischhauer was the best in the 400m hurdles in 49.74. Julian Reus, the 2007 European Athletics Junior Championships 100m winner, won over 200m in a personal best 20.58 with Alex-Platini Menga second in 20.64, the latter having run 20.55 in his heat.
Other women's winners included Jenny Elbe taking the triple jump in 14.06, Esther Cremer winning the 400m in 52.21 in the 400m, Corinna Harrer coming home in front in the 1500m in 4:11.04 and national 3000m steeplechase record holder Antje Moldner-Schmidt winning over the barriers in 9:42.42.
Hungary - As expected there were some good performances in the throws in Szekszard with discus thrower Zoltan Kovago reaching 67.91m and 2011 World Championships hammer silver medallist Krisztian Pars throwing 80.28m.
The Netherlands – Top class sprinter Churandy Martina easily won the 100m in10.22. In Martina's absence, Jerrel Ferrel took the Dutch 200m title in 20.76. Eric Cadée was the best in the discus with 63.14 while the 2011 European Athletics Junior Championships heptathlon gold medallist Dafne Schippers had a busy day and won the 100m in 11.38 and long jump with 6.54m. Jamile Samuel sped to victory in the 200m in a swift 23.15.
Poland - The third day in Bielsko-Biala saw former world junior champion Artur Noga win the 110m hurdles in 13.38. There was also a very good women's 1500m which saw Renata Plis win in 4:06.96, ahead of Lidia Chojecka with 4:07.86 and Danuta Urbanik third in 4:08.32.
High jumper Szymon Kiecana cleared a personal best of 2.28m and triple jumper Karol Hoffmann also had a lifetime best of 16.98m to win their respective events.
Kamil Krynski won a fast 200m in 20.57 with Dariusz Kuc finishing second in 20.59 while Bartosz Nowicki comfortably won the 1500m in 3:38.93.
The 2006 European Athletics Championships pole vault silver medallist Monika Pyrek cleared 4.45m to win and long jumper Teresa Dobija leapt to 6.65m to beat Anna Jagaciak, who was second with 6.61m.
The 2010 European Athletics Championships discus bronze medallist Joanna Wisniewska is still going strong at the age of 40 and had her best competitions since Barcelona, throwing 61.92m to leave the favourite Zaneta Glanc having to settle for second place with 60.80m.
Slovakia – Long jumper Jana Veldakova leapt out to 6.64m in Banska Bystrica. Martin Kucera won the men's 400m hurdles in 50.73 while Lucia Klocova ruled in a tactical 800m which she won in 2:05.05.
