Markovc gold caps a night for newcomers in Torun

Amy-Louise Markovc and Verity Ockenden stormed the women's 3000m on an opening night for the lesser lights at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland.

US-based Markovc, who ran a second off the 5000m Olympic standard in 2019, moved to the front with four laps to go and helped by Maureen Koster's fall, sprinted clear for gold on international debut.

The 25-year-old, who arrived in good shape having lowered the British indoor two-mile record last month, was joined on the podium by Verity Ockenden, who won bronze.

"Last year, I didn't compete as well as I wanted to and along the way I think there was a little bit of self-doubt," said Markovc.

"I've been really focussed the last few races and I've just been really confident. In the last few weeks, things have really turned around for me and now I've crossed the line with the Union Jack around my shoulders, so that's incredible.

"It's a dream come true. That's why we do this. We want to win medals and it was an amazing feeling standing on the podium."

Markovc's victory means the 3000m European title stays in British hands after Laura Muir's victories in 2017 and 2019.

Amelia Quirk, who front-ran in both her heat and the final, clocked 8:48.82 for a personal best in just the second indoor outing of her career.

The medals masked a difficult start to the Championships for funded field athletes with Morgan Lake, Sophie McKinna, Abigail Irozoru and Jaz Sawyers failing to advance from qualifying in their events.

Lake cleared the Olympic standard - 1.96m - in February but bowed out with three failures at 1.87m. She was upstaged by Wiganer Emily Borthwick, who improved her personal best by 4cm to claim the final qualifying spot with 1.91m.

Sawyers was 7cm away from progressing from a curious qualifier in which world champion Malaika Mihambo also struggled for distance.

Britain will hope for better tomorrow and should get it with Holly Bradshaw nailed-on favourite for pole vault gold, and Jodie Williams going into a headline 400m final in indoor PB shape.

Sportsbeat 2021