Stratford AC duo bag medals at European Masters Championships

STRATFORD athletes Paula Williams and Phil Brennan both returned with medals after competing in the European Masters Athletics Championships in Aarhus in Denmark.

Having missed out on a medal in the 80 metres hurdles, Williams then helped GB women take the 4x100 metres relay bronze, while Brennan helped the men’s 4x400m relay squad take bronze in their age group.

For Williams, who is one of the top rated female athletes in the country in a range of events for her age group, it was her first experience of European competition.

She ran a fast, clean race in her hurdles heat, finishing a close second behind German, Evelin Nagel, just outside of her PB. This was good enough to put her into the final as the third fastest qualifier.

Two days later, she was lining up against Europe’s best in the final. Despite a good start, she hit the second hurdle, stumbled, and lost pace and position, finishing just outside the medals in fourth place, with Nagel taking first place.

Next day, she finally achieved medal success, as she joined three other GB women to take the bronze in the 4x100m relay for their age group.

Compared to his hectic schedule at last year’s World Masters Championships, Brennan had a relatively quieter schedule, competing in ‘only’ the 800m, 5,000m, and half marathon.

Unfortunately, the schedulers had done him no favours with his 800m heat being run just two hours after his 5,000m.

In the 5,000m he was seeded in B final and took the opportunity to run to win rather than attempt a time. Enjoying himself, he cruised comfortably behind two competitors as they traded the lead and unsuccessfully attempted to break away.

Then with four laps to go, he saw his chance and took the lead, holding off all challengers to win.

Once combined with the faster A final, he was placed in a very creditable 11th place.

Then, just two hours later, with tired legs, he faced a strong field in his 800m heat and finished down the field.

After three days of rest, he was back in action in the M70 half marathon. On a difficult twisting course, the strong field was dominated by other British runners, with Brennan finishing as the fastest 74-year-old a bit down the field.

Despite being run over and knocked flat by an incoming German runner just before the handover, he was part of the GB 4x400m relay team to take bronze.