Spar European Cup Report

Britain's top male and female 400m hurdlers made significant progress in their 2003 seasons as they kicked off the British teams' challeneges in the European Cup in Florence.

Chris Rawlinson bounced back from a disappointing performance in Ostrava where he trailed in last, to record one of the best performancxes of his career. Despite being drawn in the difficult inside lane, Rawlinson dominated from start to finish,easing down off the last hurdle to record a season's quickest of 48.45, the second quickest time in the world in 2003.

The Commonwealth champion comfortably defeated European finalist Perikle Iovakis [Greece] into second, whilst Edmonton silver medallist Fabrizio Mori of Italy who had taken this title 12 months previously in Annecy was well down the field in 6th position.

This followed an excellent return to form from Natasha Danvers who pushed the European Champion Ionela Tirlea all the way until the Romanian pulled away on the final straight. Never the less, the Californian based Danvers was rewarded with her best performance since 2001 - her time of 55.01 being only jut outside her pb set when winning the World University title in Beijing.

It was easily Danvers quickest performance of the season, having previously shown better form over the sprint hurdles with a 12.96 clocking to her name. Selected for both hurdles events in Florence, Danvers was running well until hitting hurdle eight hard with the trail leg, doing well to stay on her feet and finish 7th. It is a measure of her improved sprint hurdling ability that her resulting 13.27 is not far off her pre 2003 best, with evidence of much more to come in a clean run race.

Nottinghamshire's Andy Turner ran a highly credible 13.71 [just outside his recent new best of 13.66] to finish in fifth place on his senior British debut. The race was won by Ladji Dacoure, the young Frenchman who is starting to develop his undoubted hurdling potential [having already clocked a 13.44 time this season.]

25 June 2003