There was 1500m delight for Revee Walcott-Nolan (Thomas Dreissigacker, Luton) as she clinched a memorable European bronze medal on night two at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands.
In a superb effort and huge lean for the line, Walcott-Nolan secured her first major international medal just one day after she celebrated her 30th birthday, whilst team-mate and European leader Georgia Hunter Bell (Trevor Painter) finished in fourth place after a tough final 100m.
Fresh from an assured victory in her heat just yesterday evening, Hunter Bell took to the track in the form of her life having returned to the sport full-time just last year. Jointed by Walcott-Nolan, who too looked assured and comfortable in coming through yesterday’s qualifying, the British duo toed the line as part of a strong field of nine.
The same nine showed some apprehension on both pace and a designated front-runner over the opening 400m, with both Hunter Bell and Walcott-Nolan tucking into second and third place behind somewhat reluctant early leader Guillemot (FRA).
With both Britons still in the medal positions through 700m, the pace then began to wind up a little through Hunter Bell’s work out in front. Intent on putting some pressure on those behind her, Hunter Bell continued to lead with 600m to go, shadowed by Walcott-Nolan all the way.
The pace lifted again and Guillemot struck for the front and the inside line, but Hunter Bell was alive to the threat and not allowing a gap to open on the inside. The attack came again, however, with the Frenchwoman surging once more around the final bend before streaking away for gold in a fast finish, with Afonso (POR) also coming by for silver.
The fight for bronze then went to the wire, with Hunter Bell and Walcott-Nolan neck and neck for the final step of the podium, Walcott-Nolan’s lean edging out Hunter Bell as the duo shared the same finishing time – 4:08.45 – only separated by thousandths of a second to split bronze and fourth place.
An elated Walcott-Nolan said: “I am so happy! Obviously silver or gold would have been nicer, but to come away with a bronze today from a couple of weeks ago when I didn’t think I would be racing indoors at all, I am really proud of myself.
“My coach told me to get up the front in the top two, and stay there. So that is what I was trying to do the whole race: stick to the plan for as long as I can. If I die, I die, but at least I know I have given it a go, and it paid off.
“I will be celebrating with my friends for my birthday and then this, I have double celebrations now with this medal! It means a lot, just knowing the hard work I have put in, my coach has put in and everyone around me has put into supporting me to get here; it means a lot that I can finally show that it is all worth it.”
Reflecting on her own race, Hunter Bell commented: “I don’t really know what happened, I felt really good yesterday I felt really smooth and thought I would win today, I didn’t think I would come fourth. I really locked up there at the end, I am not sure what happened there. I executed the whole plan until the last bit, I will have to go away and see.
“Last year when I came fourth at world indoors that really fuelled me for the summer so when I am done being sad about this, maybe I can take some positives from it, I am going to let myself be sad for tonight.”
On track just after the women’s race took centre stage, Neil Gourley (Stephen Haas, Giffnock North) went in search of another European indoor medal having won silver at these same championships two years ago.
Victorious in his heat yesterday and admittedly buoyed by the prospect of competing again so soon, Gourley channelled his energy and enthusiasm smartly, setting out by straddling lane two while keeping close attention with those occupying the top three.
After Frenchman Habz took the field through 400m in just north of a minute, Ingebrigtsen came round from last place to first to spark some panic and jostling through the field, with Gourley then finding himself riding elbows and placed down in sixth with 600m to run.
With the Norwegian turning the screw out in front and ticking off successively quicker 200m splits, the field began to noticeably string out as many found the going tough. Attempting to take closer order of his own race as they came round for 400m to run, Gourley looked to use the outside lanes to bring himself out and round into medal contention.
Ultimately Ingebrigtsen’s charge for the line took both the fast-finishing Habz (FRA) and Nader (POR) with him to complete the podium, with Gourley’s resolve over the final 100m seeing him cross over in 3:38.29 for fourth place.
“Sometimes you make your own luck in races, and I maybe didn’t put myself in the best spot to deal with all the carnage – such is the event,” Gourley reflected.
“I was happy with how I felt early on in the race I was full of running, ready to move when the race kicked off. Unfortunately, when it kicked off, everybody was diving on top of each other. I’ll put myself in better positions in the future – that one I just got a bit wrong today.”
In earlier sprints action, and having come through the women’s 400m heats as a non-automatic fastest qualifier, Ama Pipi (Tony Lester, Enfield & Haringey) went in search of making a first international final as she lined up in the first of two semi-finals.
Drawn in lane one and therefore facing a difficult task from the off, Pipi attacked the opening 150m aggressively in a bid to take the stagger out of Peeters (NED) inside her. Whipping round for the bell in fifth place, but with Spain’s Sevilla leading a front pack of four through 200m in a swift 23.7 seconds, Pipi had it all to do to run herself into one of the three qualifying spots.
Working incredibly hard down the backstraight while trying to keep something for the final 50m, Pipi closed the gap to the front four and was rapidly gaining on eventual fourth-placer Brossier (FRA), but sadly ran out of track to catch those out in front, clocking 52.29 for fifth.
Post-race, she reflected: “I did the best I could from lane one, I feel I am getting stronger and stronger each time I run the 400m so I am definitely coming into my own. It is taking a bit of time, but I am trusting the process.”
Great Britain & Northern Ireland have won two medals at the European Indoor Athletics Championships:
Revee Walcott Nolan, Women’s 1500m
All results from the European Indoor Athletics Championships can be viewed
here, along with the event timetable.
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