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Athletics

Britain claim two more medals

13/08/2006

Great Britain have claimed two more medals in their bid to finish this year's European Championships on a positive note.

The women's 4x100m relay team overcame difficult conditions to win the silver medal, finishing behind heavy favourites Russia and ahead of Belarus.

The team of Anyika Onuora, Emma Ania, Emily Freeman and Joice Maduaka ran an impressive race while Germany and France dropped the baton.

Britain's Sam Ellis then produced a late charge on the home straight to claim bronze in a memorable men's 800m final.

Ellis, who started in lane seven, surged through in the last 100m to finish the race in 1 minute 46.64 secs to give Britain their eighth medal.

He said afterwards that he was delighted with his performance after going into the Championships with low expectations.

"I'm over the moon at the moment. If the gap had opened up one metre earlier I would have got gold," he told the BBC.

"In the back of my mind I didn't think I would get a medal but with a bit of positive thinking, things can happen."

The race was won by Dutchman Bram Som with Luxembourg claiming their first medal of the championships after David Fiegen took silver.

20-year-old Michael Rimmer, finished in eighth despite being up with the leaders on the first lap.

Rimmer, who made the final after being the fastest loser in his semi, toiled in the final 400 metres and was brushed aside in the race for the line.

Elsewhere, Olympic champion Stefano Baldini broke away in the latter stages to snatch gold in the marathon.

The Italian surged past Switzerland's Viktor Rothlin with two kilometres to go to clinch victory with Spain's Julio Rey taking bronze and Britain's Dan Robinson finishing in 16th.

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