ATHLETICS INTERNATIO NAL VOL 29 , NO. 2 4 – JULY 26 , 2021 EDITED BY PETER MATT HEWS & MEL WATMAN E UROPEAN UNDER - 20 CHAMPIONSHIPS Tallinn, Estonia July 15 - 18 Britain topped the medal table in Tallinn for the second 7.92. The future of Polish hammer throwing looks in good successive edition with six gold medals – and twelve hands as Dawid Pilat won the title with a last gasp sixth medals in total – ahead of Germany and Ireland with four round effort of 79.59, a Polish U20 record. He led with gold medals apiece. However, Germany collected the 79.20 in the fifth round but Germany’s world U20 leader most medals of any colour, 15, and headed the points Merlin Hummel eclipsed that mark with his last throw of table with Britain second. the competition which landed at 79.32. But Pilat kept his Day 1: Historic gold medal for Kosovo cool under pressure with the last throw of the final as he Muhamet Ramadani creat ed athletics history for Kosovo regained the lead in a thrilling and see - sawing finale. by becoming his country’s first ever European champion Britain won two gold medals, and with personal best across all age groups and disciplines with gold in the times. Toby Makoyawo, clocking 10.25, ran the quickest shot put. He wasn’t even ranked inside the top - 10 on the 100m time by a European U20 this year while Edward European U20 list ahead of the championships but the Faulds did likewise in the 400m with his time of 45.72 ... 18 y ear - old led the morning’s qualifying round with a and he has another year in the junior r anks. Ireland's lifetime best and national U20 record of 19.80 before Rhasidat Adeleke won the women's 100m in 11.42 as dominating the final. He was assured of victory with his Britain's Joy Eze placed third in 11.44, a European U18 fifth round throw of 19.90 but he eclipsed that mark with leading time. Tokyo - bound Silja Kosonen of Finland, his last attempt of 19.92. The first track title to be decided holder of the world U20 hammer record with 73.43, broke was the women's 10,000m walk in which Russian neutral the championship record wi th 68.75 when qualifying, while athlete Yuliya Khalilova pulled clear on the penultimate Switzerland's Ditaji Kambundj equalled the championship lap for victory in 46:14.21. Although the hot evening record of 13.09 in her 100m hurdles heat. temperatures were far from ideal for the walkers, six of Day 3: Wind blows Zhoya to 12.98 hurdles the firs t ten – including all three medallists – set pbs. Sasha Zhoya broke the championship record in the 110m The men’s 100m heats were highlighted by 17 year - hurdles (99cm) to win his first major gold medal in the old Jeff Erius from France with 10.29 which eclipsed the event. After storming to an unsurpassed 12.98 in the European U18 best. He safely made it through the semi - semi - final - the fastest ever time in the U20 hurdles, final stage, finishing second behind Britain’s Jeriel Quainoo although it won’t be ratified due to the illegal following who set his second lifetime best of the day with 10.26. wind - the Frenchman was a fraction slower in the final That time was matched by his team - mate Toby Makoyawo but his winning time o f 13.05 still eclipsed Wilhem which also represented a lifetime best. Fastest time of Bé locian's championship record. There was also an the day in the women's 100m was a lifetime best of 11.35 expected championship record for Silja Kosonen in the by Minke Bisschops for second on the Dutch U20 all - time women’s hammer. She extended that to 70.47 with her list behind Dafne Schippers (11.19). Britain's Edward first throw before improving again to 71.06 with the th ird. Faulds, running in lane eight, broke 46 sec for 400m for Britain's Derek Kinlock, from a pb of 21.22 before the the first time with a semi - final time of 45.95. meeting and 21.34 in 2021, relished the opportunity to Day 2: Super score by Saga Vanninen compete in hot weather (so unlike Britain this year) by Finland’s Saga Vanninen added more than 400 points to smashing that in each round – 21.04 heat, 20.97 200m her lifetime best to win the heptathlon title. She had never semi and victory in the final i n 20.72. He said: "Coming exceeded 6000 point s prior to this week but amassed a into the Championship I was ranked about 20th so that tremendous score of 6271, setting four individual pbs on took a lot of pressure off me. I really surprised myself the way. It was the best in the world at U20 level th is today." After gold medals in heptathlon and by Kosonen, year and moves her to ninth on the world U20 all - time list Finland won a surprise third gold medal in the women's ahead of the likes of reigning World champion Katarina 3000m (9 :15.66) thanks to Ilona Mononen. Runner - up Johnson - Thompson and reigning Wor ld U20 champion Sofia Th ø gersen from Denmark is only 16 and eligible to Niamh Emerson. Vanninen could make further inroads compete at the next edition of the Championships in Cluj - on the record books next year as she on ly turned 18 in Napoca in 2023. Ditaji Kambundj broke the championship May and remains eligible for junior competitions all the record for 100m hurdles with 13.03 and it was a grand way through to the end of 2022. In a high quality comp - day for the Irish with victories in the men's 1500m and etition the first ten all set lifetime best scores. 3000m and a national 200m record of 22.90 by Rhasidat There were two dramatic field event finals. In the long Adeleke to complete the sprint double . jump France’s Erwan Konate went into the final round in Day 4: British relay bonanza gold medal position with a world U20 leading jump of After winning individual 100m, 200m and 400m titles, the 7.91 but he was shunted down into the bronze medal Brits were t he overwhelming favourites in both men's relays position. Germany's Oliver Koletzko soared to a lifetime barring dropped batons, injuries or any other unforeseen best of 7.98 with his last jump while Konate’s team - mate circumstances. They came through their finals unscathed Br yan Mucret also produced a six th round lifetime best of as Ethan Wiltshire anchored them to the 4x100m title in 1 39.74 before Ed Faulds closed the track programme with 6kg SP : 1, Muhamet Ramadani KOS 19.92 U20 rec a scorching 44.97 anchor leg for victory in the 4x400m in (19.80q U20 rec ); 2, llya Misovskiy BLR 19.49; 3, Claudio 3:05.25. One day after winning a bronze medal in the Stoessel GER 19.43 ; 4, Brigi BLR 19.20. 200m, 16 year - old Success Eduan anchored Britain in 1.75kg DT (17 - 18): 1, Mykolas Alekna LTU 68.00 (65.90, the women's 4x100m to victory in 44.62 but Germany 65.96, 65.79, 61.81, 66.89, 68.00) ( 61.55q); 2, Magnus came out on top in the 4x4 00 in 3:35.38. Britain did not Zimmermann GER 61.55 (60.89q); 3, Vladislav Puchko field a team. BLR 61.06; Qual: Richter GER 63.83; Sosna GER 60.67 Another of the final day highlights was the crowning of 6kg HT (15 - 16): 1, Dawid Pilat POL 79.59 U20 rec; 2, Belgium’s Jente Hauttekeete in the decathlon. He led by Merlin Hummel GER 79.32 (79.90q); 3, Jean Baptiste more than 300 points overnight and while his advantage Bruxelle FRA 77.90; 4. Dousáki s GRE 76.76. w as chipped away by his Norwegian rival Sand er Skotheim JT (15 - 17): 1, Artur Felfner UKR 78.41 (77.49q); 2, Onni over the course of the second day, he still won by a Ruokangas FIN 73.06; 3, Lanny Brisseault FRA 72.62. comfortable winning margin of more than 150 points with Jnr Dec (17/18): 1, Jente Hauttekeete BEL 8150 U20 rec 8150 points for six th on the world U20 all - time list. One of (10.97/0.5, 7.44/1.0, 2.09, 49.07, 14.09/0.7, 43.69, 4.60, the most dominant performances was Mykolas Alekna’s 54.28, 4:32.62); 2, Sander Skotheim NOR 8012 (11.31/ - master - class in the di scus. The 18 year - old son of the 1.2, 7.55/1.0, 1.91, 49.05, 14.54/0.2, 44.85, 4.80, 56.96, 2000 and 2004 Olympic champion Virgilijus ended up 4:35.03; 3, Teo Bastien FRA 7722; 4, D O’Connor IRL winning the title by more than six metres after extending 7604; 5, Toivonen FIN 7464; 6, Vogelsang NOR 7446 his lead to 68.00 in spite of the slippery throwing circle. 4x100 (18): GBR (Harding, Quainoo, Makoyawo, Wiltshire Sweden's Maja Å skag was a double champion, adding 39.74 ( 1h3 39.68); 2, NED 40.07 (2h2 40.06); 3, ITA the long jump with an only just wind assisted 6.80 to her 40.18 (1h2 39.81); 4, POL 40.30.