0:00:49 > 0:00:51The European cross-country champions, John Brown of Great
0:00:51 > 0:00:56Britain. Ukraine win set! Paula Radcliffe is coming home! The
0:00:56 > 0:00:58champion in Europe.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08The nine times European champion, unbelievable. Great to win, she is a
0:01:08 > 0:01:10huge talent.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16Hayley yelling comes back from retirement to win for the second
0:01:16 > 0:01:20time. A fantastic run from Philander Britain. Paula Radcliffe, goals for
0:01:20 > 0:01:25Great Britain. Mo Farah takes the gold medal at the cross country
0:01:25 > 0:01:27Championships.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33Welcome to the 2017 European Cross country Championships, traditionally
0:01:33 > 0:01:37a happy hunting ground for British athletes, especially in terms of
0:01:37 > 0:01:42team medals. This year's event is in Samorin, 12 miles south-east of the
0:01:42 > 0:01:47capital Bratislava on the banks of the Danube River. There are men's
0:01:47 > 0:01:51and women's races. Under 23 and the senior's with team medals also up
0:01:51 > 0:01:58for grabs. The mixed relay is new this year, flat and fast, with some
0:01:58 > 0:02:01artificial obstacles which may favour those with track pedigree.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04Plenty to look forward to over the next hour.
0:02:06 > 0:02:13A strong squad for Great Britain, led by two-time redirect sky and
0:02:13 > 0:02:165,000-metre champion Andrew Butchart. Turkey have their king in
0:02:16 > 0:02:20imports, they have become the dominant force in European Cross
0:02:20 > 0:02:23country, the winners are both senior titles are here to defend their
0:02:23 > 0:02:26crowns. It could be the age groups where there is most competition with
0:02:26 > 0:02:31plenty medal hopes for Britain. After success at the world Cross,
0:02:31 > 0:02:40the mixed relay makes its first appearance at European level. A few
0:02:40 > 0:02:44minutes away from the senior men's race. It may be difficult
0:02:44 > 0:02:53individually. We have a strong, Turkish contingent. Andrew Butchart,
0:02:53 > 0:02:55leading Great Britain. Gary Griffiths having a wonderful period
0:02:55 > 0:03:05in his career. The senior men get underway. The usual charge to the
0:03:05 > 0:03:10fall. Two short laps first and then six longer laps of around 1500
0:03:10 > 0:03:20metres. That will at up to 10,000 metres cross-country running. It is
0:03:20 > 0:03:25not difficult, but it will suit quicker people. It is flat and fast.
0:03:25 > 0:03:31Conditions underfoot are very good. The cold weather has meant that the
0:03:31 > 0:03:35ground hasn't cut up, it is firm underfoot. Some obstacles for them
0:03:35 > 0:03:39to contend with as they go around but by and large it is a course
0:03:39 > 0:03:42which is a bit different to that which many would have faced
0:03:42 > 0:03:49including Alex Teuten. Andy Prichard going through strong, British
0:03:49 > 0:03:52contingent in here, Gary Griffiths has come off the brilliant marathon
0:03:52 > 0:03:57performance in the autumn. Ben Connor. Tom Lancashire. A lot of
0:03:57 > 0:03:59experience in this British team.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05They will be hoping that maybe they can give something to think about.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09They will be the prerace favourites individually and in the team race.
0:04:09 > 0:04:19Two small laps. Since big laps. Hannah England joining me. Plenty of
0:04:19 > 0:04:23success in the last few years. The Turkish had been able to call on the
0:04:23 > 0:04:26former Kenyan 's who have transferred to Turkey. They have
0:04:26 > 0:04:32dominated in recent years.Yes. It adds an unusual element to the race.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37Traditionally, we haven't seen it. I sometimes find it a bit frustrating
0:04:37 > 0:04:42but here we go. We are already getting... You can almost decided is
0:04:42 > 0:04:47going to be a given race, that they will have a heavy influence on the
0:04:47 > 0:04:53results. It doesn't always happen. I like to keep hope we might still get
0:04:53 > 0:04:58an interesting race.Varying reports as to the fitness of Aras Kaya, won
0:04:58 > 0:05:01last year. The defending champion. We have heard he had a few problems
0:05:01 > 0:05:06last year. He was going to go to the under 23 race and in the end he
0:05:06 > 0:05:12didn't run anything. Aras Kaya went on to win. The two of them are
0:05:12 > 0:05:19effectively the champion from 2015 and 2016, both called Kaya. We will
0:05:19 > 0:05:21keep up-to-date with who is who.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25Very strong contingent.
0:05:28 > 0:05:35They've decided, though, they will let the early pace beset by others.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39The Spaniard is already up there, he fancies his chances, adult Michelle,
0:05:39 > 0:05:43he wants to give the Turkish athlete something to think about he said. --
0:05:43 > 0:05:47Adele chow. Andy Butchart went off very quick with Callum Hawkins. He
0:05:47 > 0:05:52got involved with Kaya.
0:05:53 > 0:05:59In the end, Andy Butchart just finished outside the medals. Setting
0:05:59 > 0:06:03the pace in the early stages. They've just dropped off a bit, the
0:06:03 > 0:06:10pack is saddening. I think they will be happy about it. -- the pack is
0:06:10 > 0:06:15settling. Aras Kaya has gone down! I wonder whether he just got clipped
0:06:15 > 0:06:16from behind.
0:06:20 > 0:06:26The Belgian athlete might have just clipped his heels. He went down and
0:06:26 > 0:06:30is struggling to get back involved. Probably in about 20th position,
0:06:30 > 0:06:36maybe not that far back, maybe 15th also. TOWIE Griffiths leading, Great
0:06:36 > 0:06:38Britain going well. Andrew Butchart is there as well.
0:06:42 > 0:06:50Tom Lancashire. A lot of the names that we thought would be up there in
0:06:50 > 0:07:00the top ten, 12, 15.
0:07:03 > 0:07:09There is the defending champion, Aras Kaya. A little further back we
0:07:09 > 0:07:18would have seen Aras Kaya as well. Great Britain easily winning. Only
0:07:18 > 0:07:21three to count, bit of a change from previous years, always four. They
0:07:21 > 0:07:26have changed it to make it three. Theoretically to give more teams a
0:07:26 > 0:07:31chance of getting involved in the medals. Dewi Griffiths looking
0:07:31 > 0:07:38comfortable. They are probably wondering where on earth the Turkish
0:07:38 > 0:07:47athletes are. It's no surprise to see Andy Butchart having a go. Great
0:07:47 > 0:07:51Britain leading in the team race with seven points. Hang on a minute,
0:07:51 > 0:07:58Dewi Griffiths is just stopping. Dewi is holding his groin area. If
0:07:58 > 0:08:03he even has a slight injury I would be rugby tackling him to say stop.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07He has a year ahead of him. He has qualified for the marathon, he needs
0:08:07 > 0:08:12to... The team will do well without him today. For him this was a big
0:08:12 > 0:08:17opportunity but if he is injured, he needs to stop. It is pointless
0:08:17 > 0:08:22keeping going. He is only going to risk further injury. I am trying to
0:08:22 > 0:08:27see whether he is trying to get running again. Anyway, that leaves
0:08:27 > 0:08:32them in front. These three starting to pull away a bit, it is terrible
0:08:32 > 0:08:37news for Dewi Griffiths. Let's hope it is not too serious.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41Heartbreaking. My worry is that he is so tough in such a team player
0:08:41 > 0:08:44that I really hope he can make that smart call today. Perhaps it is the
0:08:44 > 0:08:48cold weather. It is very cold. Perhaps just a muscle strain, that
0:08:48 > 0:08:55is what we can hope for. That it won't impede his preparations for
0:08:55 > 0:09:01the marathon in the spring.Laps to go. Plenty of time. -- two laps to
0:09:01 > 0:09:06go. Another 11 minutes of running, something of that nature. You can
0:09:06 > 0:09:11see in the background, I am not sure he is getting much closer. Aras Kaya
0:09:11 > 0:09:15Has had to work hard to even give himself a chance. 12-15 seconds
0:09:15 > 0:09:21behind the leaders. Mecchaal Sensing it. Ben Connor struggling a bit.
0:09:21 > 0:09:26Andy Butchart still in bed.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30Those are the first to six.
0:09:35 > 0:09:40Quite a good gap between the leaders. 12 seconds to Aras Kaya.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44That is the same as the previous lap, he's made no ground on that
0:09:44 > 0:09:52lap. We will look to the British third counter. As I said, I think
0:09:52 > 0:09:54Tom Lancashire was going in the wrong direction in terms of
0:09:54 > 0:10:00position. Dewi Griffiths dropping out, that may well also be... One
0:10:00 > 0:10:07time that the senior men have to work hard in the team race.It is
0:10:07 > 0:10:11incredibly competitive, the senior men's race. You see a lot of
0:10:11 > 0:10:14countries come very well prepared. Britain have as well. It is hard
0:10:14 > 0:10:20when you lose one of your front runners like him. Hopefully it is
0:10:20 > 0:10:27just a nickel, not an injury. A lot can change. Like you said, still ten
0:10:27 > 0:10:31minutes of running here. A lot of people go through bad patches, go
0:10:31 > 0:10:34backwards and then forward.Tom Lancashire is the third counter.
0:10:34 > 0:10:41They are not that far away, only 11 points behind Turkey. It is very
0:10:41 > 0:10:47close for the medals. The positions are changing so much that Andy
0:10:47 > 0:10:55Butchart is now third. Mechaal pushes on. Ben Connor leading the...
0:10:55 > 0:10:58Not the chasing group at the hanging on group in fourth place at the
0:10:58 > 0:11:04moment. May well come into some threat from behind us. Aras Kaya has
0:11:04 > 0:11:08moved into seventh position past his team-mate. Mechaal, now, what a
0:11:08 > 0:11:13story it would be for him to come and win this. He was talking a good
0:11:13 > 0:11:15game for these championships. Most people were looking elsewhere for
0:11:15 > 0:11:19the winner. Thought he would run well, thought he would be close to
0:11:19 > 0:11:24the medals. But this is a real push from him, now. Still got plenty of
0:11:24 > 0:11:29running to do. Andy Butchart has got to stick in. He needs to make sure
0:11:29 > 0:11:34he stays strong, there are some athletes particularly Aras Kaya who
0:11:34 > 0:11:38may have continued to surge in the latter stages. At the moment, it is
0:11:38 > 0:11:43Spain first, Turkey second and Great Britain third.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51Mechaal isn't making any ground up but I can't figure out why he is
0:11:51 > 0:11:56looking behind every 20 metres. He is leading the race, he is doing
0:11:56 > 0:12:01something right. I would love to see him relax a bit more and focus on
0:12:01 > 0:12:02running hard.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06If the person behind you is going to catch you, you will know without
0:12:06 > 0:12:11having to look round as he is probably well aware, now. You are
0:12:11 > 0:12:15right. It is starting to get on my nerves. Look at Ozbilen, thinking
0:12:15 > 0:12:19enough is enough. That is a sign to the person behind, when you look
0:12:19 > 0:12:22around, Legrand, the ground, the person behind things you are not
0:12:22 > 0:12:27that confident. -- look behind, look behind, look behind. That is a brave
0:12:27 > 0:12:33move for Ozbilen. Beginning of the last lap he is leading. Two laps to
0:12:33 > 0:12:37go. I am hearing the bell. I think it is one big lap and then the home
0:12:37 > 0:12:41straight which is why it says two laps to go. Ben Connor in fifth
0:12:41 > 0:12:43place.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48That gap to the leaders is now 20 seconds.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54Despite his fall, he is in seventh place but he will not be able to
0:12:54 > 0:12:57close that gap. You wouldn't think.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03Another look behind, there's no danger. Andy Butchart still in third
0:13:03 > 0:13:10place. He is starting to tire a bit. Safe in third, a big gap between him
0:13:10 > 0:13:15and the chasers. Only another two or three minutes of running to go. In
0:13:15 > 0:13:19this European Cross country Championships. Ozbilen of Turkey
0:13:19 > 0:13:22needs. Not the athlete we would have expected to be out there, his two
0:13:22 > 0:13:27team-mates, Aras Kaya and the two champions from the year before had
0:13:27 > 0:13:34not had a good day. Ali Kaya not in great shape. Aras Kaya took a fall
0:13:34 > 0:13:37in the early stages and hasn't recovered. He is giving chase.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Moving into about fifth position. You can see him in the background.
0:13:40 > 0:13:46He will run out of time. What about Mechaal? The indoor European
0:13:46 > 0:13:51champion, we thought we might have enough from him. Missed out at the
0:13:51 > 0:13:54World Championships at 1500 metres. It cannot find the strength to
0:13:54 > 0:13:59unleash a bit of a sprinter. He can't stay close enough to Ozbilen
0:13:59 > 0:14:04at Ozbilen is the one that will, we here for the win. Not the person who
0:14:04 > 0:14:08you would have expected. His preparation for this was Istanbul
0:14:08 > 0:14:12marathon. That was one of his last races, not the sort of thing that is
0:14:12 > 0:14:16ideal preparation. He has done superbly well. He has grabbed hold
0:14:16 > 0:14:21of the race in the last lap and made his move when he needed to. He kept
0:14:21 > 0:14:25the pressure on Mechaal and he has finally buckled and accepted the
0:14:25 > 0:14:29silver medal. Ozbilen of Turkey. They retain their title as a nation
0:14:29 > 0:14:36as they have done in recent years. It is a different name, Ozbilen, the
0:14:36 > 0:14:39champion for 2017. Mechaal jogging across the line. He takes the silver
0:14:39 > 0:14:47medal for Spain.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Waldo and Andy Butchart, taking the bronze medal.
0:14:50 > 0:14:51Waldo and Andy Butchart, taking the bronze medal. -- well done Andy
0:14:51 > 0:14:58Butchart. Ben Connor is the next to cross the line, good performance in
0:14:58 > 0:15:04six of the Great Britain. The defending champion after the fall, a
0:15:04 > 0:15:07little bit of applause, and maybe for himself. Just crossing the line
0:15:07 > 0:15:08there in seven.
0:15:10 > 0:15:15A brave run from Michelle, and she nearly pulled it off, and great to
0:15:15 > 0:15:20see Andy Butchart converted into third. He could have used the summer
0:15:20 > 0:15:26season as an excuse not to turn up. I am sure he has big focuses this
0:15:26 > 0:15:28year but he has applied himself today and it's a tremendous response
0:15:28 > 0:15:32from him.They all start piling across the line.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39We are looking for the next British contender, Tom Lancashire. Third
0:15:39 > 0:15:47across the line the Great Britain. -- for Great Britain. A fine win in
0:15:47 > 0:15:56the end from Ozbilen. A good run from Ben Connor as well as Andy
0:15:56 > 0:16:02Butchart to finish in the top ten. Ingebrigsten in 11th as we go
0:16:02 > 0:16:09further down. Tom Lancashire, the third British runner. A gold medal
0:16:09 > 0:16:14for Turkey. Great Britain and Northern Ireland are secure in third
0:16:14 > 0:16:16with 35 points and take the bronze medal.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24Ozbilen came back and showed us how it was done, but I kept my plan well
0:16:24 > 0:16:29and I'm happy just to get that place. I've been out for the past
0:16:29 > 0:16:33month, but this is still my base phase before the Commonwealth games
0:16:33 > 0:16:37and I'm not in the right shape yet and I'm peaking at a later date and
0:16:37 > 0:16:47I have room for improvement.Let's pick out into few names as we go
0:16:47 > 0:16:56through the start list here. Goretzka, great to see her leading a
0:16:56 > 0:17:03strong team. That is a very good Turkish team which will do well, and
0:17:03 > 0:17:13Bobocel from Romania. Mc Cormack setting a record four appearances in
0:17:13 > 0:17:20the female event, and she will be hoping she can wind the clock back.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22The senior women are poised and at the ready.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29The British girls look ready for some fun.On your marks.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37The senior women get underway and an intriguing race in prospect. The
0:17:37 > 0:17:43defending champion from Turkey, and the former Kenyon, who was dominant
0:17:43 > 0:17:49last year. Will she try and do the same here going from the start or
0:17:49 > 0:18:00will some of the other contenders and the British contingent, led by
0:18:00 > 0:18:03Gorecka, and Gemma Steel and Steph Twell, a lot of experience, and
0:18:03 > 0:18:10backup from lots of other talent. An intriguing racing prospect. One
0:18:10 > 0:18:15small lap of 450 metres then they head onto the big lap the five times
0:18:15 > 0:18:21and that will complete all of this hard, fast running on this course,
0:18:21 > 0:18:26which was and I wouldn't say it was a great con -- cross-country test
0:18:26 > 0:18:31but it is the traditional winter test and it is cold with the wind
0:18:31 > 0:18:35blowing hard but there are some obstacles for them to negotiate but
0:18:35 > 0:18:40nothing to difficult and nothing to break up the rhythm. It is the terms
0:18:40 > 0:18:46that do that. Lily Partridge up there for Great Britain, but they
0:18:46 > 0:18:50have already settled down as they make their way around this first
0:18:50 > 0:18:56small lap. Come on, Hannah, what would you do today? If they go off
0:18:56 > 0:19:00hard, do they go with her or let her go or do they think she is in not
0:19:00 > 0:19:05sure which form and this is the year to maybe not Challenger?I would say
0:19:05 > 0:19:09you have to give it a go and go with her. Which is easy for me to say sat
0:19:09 > 0:19:15here. She had a great world championship and she has been mixing
0:19:15 > 0:19:19it with all sorts of athletes on the track season outdoor and I think she
0:19:19 > 0:19:23has to have the confidence to go for it. The last couple of years we have
0:19:23 > 0:19:30seen the likes of Bobocel from Romania, and Gemma Steel, and these
0:19:30 > 0:19:35guys, maybe take it to the Turkish girls. They have nothing to lose.
0:19:35 > 0:19:41I'm not saying they were handing it to them, and it's hard work to run
0:19:41 > 0:19:45with the leader, but it's worth taking a risk and seeing what
0:19:45 > 0:19:47happens because sometimes the Turkish athlete can be unpredictable
0:19:47 > 0:19:54and you never know what will happen. . So, the early stages, and there
0:19:54 > 0:20:02are five women already pulling clear of the pack another one there who
0:20:02 > 0:20:12had a good progression on the track as well, the tall, Swiss athlete.
0:20:12 > 0:20:23The pressure is on Jan to take it on to her. I'm sure they have been
0:20:23 > 0:20:26going on the all-weather training and they will have run this scenario
0:20:26 > 0:20:30over and over in their head. The nerves might dissipate because it is
0:20:30 > 0:20:34familiar. This is what they were preparing for and what they were
0:20:34 > 0:20:40ready for.The defending champion with a big lead. Just extending the
0:20:40 > 0:20:47lead, but the battle for the lead is impressive. A great race by the
0:20:47 > 0:20:56Romanians. The chase is on. Charlotte Taylor having a fabulous
0:20:56 > 0:21:03run. Steph Twell not far behind either. Still chances for the
0:21:03 > 0:21:09British athletes. And they are doing very well. Charlotte Taylor having a
0:21:09 > 0:21:15cracking run ahead of Steph Twell and Gorecka, who won the British
0:21:15 > 0:21:18trials but on completely different ground. That is what cross-country
0:21:18 > 0:21:25doors. It is horses for courses will stop there she is, and making good
0:21:25 > 0:21:34progress. Still time here, but Charlotte Taylor is moving well.
0:21:34 > 0:21:48This is the battle for silver and bronze. And you just wonder that if
0:21:48 > 0:21:51Grovdal breaks, if she could get away. But she is working really hard
0:21:51 > 0:21:59to get onto well -- onto her. Bahta is the better exponent on the track
0:21:59 > 0:22:07at 5000 metres. And there is Charlotte Taylor now. It looks like
0:22:07 > 0:22:12a big gap and these two are working well together. Grovdal is pushing on
0:22:12 > 0:22:18and Bahta is pushing on as they take the bell. The leader, Can has one
0:22:18 > 0:22:24more lap to complete. She is clear in the lead was last year. Maybe not
0:22:24 > 0:22:30quite as dominant as last year and her teammate is nowhere to be seen.
0:22:30 > 0:22:37And it is Grovdal, the bronze-medallist from last year, who
0:22:37 > 0:22:40is contending second with Bahta, and then a bit of a gap to Charlotte
0:22:40 > 0:22:45Taylor. Charlotte is having a great race, trying to push on in fourth
0:22:45 > 0:22:56place. Schlumpf is ahead of the next group of athletes. Steph Twell is
0:22:56 > 0:23:00into the last lap as well. So, the leader comes to take this tricky
0:23:00 > 0:23:08water jump the last time. The ice bath as we now call it. A little
0:23:08 > 0:23:12downhill section meaning they can take off or miss it out completely,
0:23:12 > 0:23:16which you might want to one a day like this when it is covered in ice.
0:23:16 > 0:23:22Here is the battle for second place. Bahta and Grovdal locked together.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26You might have thought Bahta would want to sit and wait. Not the
0:23:26 > 0:23:32quickest on the track but she has good speed. Grovdal is no slouch.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34Neither of them with total confidence in the finishing kick
0:23:34 > 0:23:40which is why they look as though they may be to break the pace.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44Grovdal was the leader, but Bahta finds herself a metre ahead of her
0:23:44 > 0:23:48teammate. Those two are ten seconds ahead of Charlotte Taylor of Great
0:23:48 > 0:23:53Britain in fourth.It's a great battle between second and third,
0:23:53 > 0:23:57going hammer and tongs. It is great to see people throwing moves at each
0:23:57 > 0:24:00other and trying to see who has got the most and it will be a great
0:24:00 > 0:24:16finish for those two.Into the closing stages for Can of Turkey.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20She has got great pedigree in terms of European racing now. She is the
0:24:20 > 0:24:27European 10,000 metres champion on the track from Amsterdam in 2015.
0:24:27 > 0:24:36She will be the first person to defend the title from Fionnuala
0:24:36 > 0:24:44McCormack. Here is the battle for second and third. Bahta and Grovdal,
0:24:44 > 0:24:50long way behind Can, who has just the last turn to make an alternative
0:24:50 > 0:24:58home straight and repeat the feat of last year. No surprise that she
0:24:58 > 0:25:03comes home to take the title. She was the prerace favourite. Not sure
0:25:03 > 0:25:06it was as dominant performance as last year but whenever you win any
0:25:06 > 0:25:13title by this sort of distance you've done pretty well. So Can of
0:25:13 > 0:25:18Turkey takes the medal and repeat of last year. Defends her title in fine
0:25:18 > 0:25:22style. All smiles and she will be delighted with that. A bit of a hard
0:25:22 > 0:25:29run out there today. A great battle for the silver medal, and Grovdal
0:25:29 > 0:25:34just finishes ahead of Grovdal. Sweden ahead of Norway will stop and
0:25:34 > 0:25:39it might well be a scrap for fourth place. With Charlotte Taylor trying
0:25:39 > 0:25:44to hold of Barca, and there is Schlumpf, and it looks like it will
0:25:44 > 0:25:52be Barca of Romania coming in. That was a very good finish with
0:25:52 > 0:25:58Charlotte Taylor coming in behind the German in sixth place. And
0:25:58 > 0:26:04Schlumpf in sevens. Just waiting for the other British athletes to cross
0:26:04 > 0:26:10the line. Emilia Gorecka and Steph Twell. Great Britain with those
0:26:10 > 0:26:14three finishing together they do not need the four counters, so Gemma
0:26:14 > 0:26:18Steel will be the third counter, not Steph Twell but all four of them the
0:26:18 > 0:26:27top ten. The gold medal goes to Can from Turkey. A good performance from
0:26:27 > 0:26:31the British team with Charlotte Taylor excellent in sixth. Eight,
0:26:31 > 0:26:37ninth and tenth. There is the British team. Led by Charlotte
0:26:37 > 0:26:44Taylor. And a great performance from her. Emilia Gorecka and generally
0:26:44 > 0:26:47other counters. Steph Twell not far behind, and again the British women
0:26:47 > 0:26:53coming out on top. 23 points for Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
0:26:53 > 0:26:56head of Romania, who packed up really well. Turkey might be
0:26:56 > 0:27:00disappointed with their bronze medal. 54 points but they do have
0:27:00 > 0:27:05the individual gold-medallist. Some great performances there and it's
0:27:05 > 0:27:11been a good year for it.After the races are won and the medals are
0:27:11 > 0:27:15gained the record is broken and the punches thrown. After the hard
0:27:15 > 0:27:19yards, the hard games are done, the Giants conquered and the trophies
0:27:19 > 0:27:25edged for ever. After the legends have taken their bow there is only
0:27:25 > 0:27:32one thing left to decide. The BBC sports personality of the year 2017,
0:27:32 > 0:27:34live from Liverpool.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43The distance they are going to compete over -- over in this under
0:27:43 > 0:27:5123 race is 8230 metres exactly. 85 entrants and 24 different countries
0:27:51 > 0:27:58hoping they can pick up a team medal. So the British team have
0:27:58 > 0:28:02Daniel Jarvis. And Mahamed Mahamed, his first attempt in the under 23
0:28:02 > 0:28:09is, and he will be right there. Chris Olley, Joe Steward -- Joe
0:28:09 > 0:28:13Steward and Jack Rowe. It will be tough for Great Britain to follow
0:28:13 > 0:28:19Mahamed Mahamed through. That is as far as the team raises concern. --
0:28:19 > 0:28:29the team race is concerned. Away they go. One short lap and they will
0:28:29 > 0:28:34head out onto the big lap, five times around that. The big sprint,
0:28:34 > 0:28:40and it's only 64 people, actually, 80, it was 64 in the women's race.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43No need to get the elbows out too much although they have started
0:28:43 > 0:28:48quickly. Mahamed Mahamed leading the charge from Britain on the left of
0:28:48 > 0:28:52the picture and he has got himself involved nice and early. And it will
0:28:52 > 0:28:57take a while for it to settle down with one or two of the others who
0:28:57 > 0:29:00were expecting to figure who have decided not to start quite as
0:29:00 > 0:29:04quickly. They don't really need to. It's amazing how quickly it settles
0:29:04 > 0:29:07down after the sprint at the beginning. Sometimes a little
0:29:07 > 0:29:13unnecessary. You have the days of the world Cross country where they
0:29:13 > 0:29:16do that and they don't slow down and they just keep going at that pace
0:29:16 > 0:29:20and you have to be careful. But in this one they will slow down. The
0:29:20 > 0:29:27Swiss runner having his glory moment at the front, just wondering why
0:29:27 > 0:29:30everybody else is not joining him, and that may be because you are
0:29:30 > 0:29:35going a bit too quick.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38Going well with Mohamed Mohamed starting to push on at the front.
0:29:38 > 0:29:43That is a good move to make. You are getting into the part of the race
0:29:43 > 0:29:48where you really don't want to have too many people hanging around.
0:29:48 > 0:29:53Crippa us is thinking the same thing. France packing very well
0:29:53 > 0:30:01indeed. Chaplin only having a bit of a struggle. Crippa won't see his
0:30:01 > 0:30:05team-mate but he might see that this burst is having an effect. Mayo is
0:30:05 > 0:30:14thinking that he needs to cover this. He is one of the main rivals.
0:30:14 > 0:30:19Plenty of running left in this. An early bid from Crippa but decisive.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22He looks good. Look at the pressure he has put on the other guys, they
0:30:22 > 0:30:26do not look as good as Crippa in the front. Maybe he has a poker face,
0:30:26 > 0:30:31maybe he is working harder than it looks. They are coming back to him.
0:30:31 > 0:30:36Two laps to go?It is not short. This is a long bid for home. He
0:30:36 > 0:30:40looks confident. He has the experience. I don't see Mayo giving
0:30:40 > 0:30:46up easily but he looks like he is working harder at the moment.Crippa
0:30:46 > 0:30:52one of the prerace favourites. But that big effort, was that too early?
0:30:52 > 0:30:57Did he get a bit overexcited? He was obviously feeling good. But this
0:30:57 > 0:31:01race is far from over. The two Frenchmen are starting to hunt him
0:31:01 > 0:31:08down. I like Gressier, he is that typical... Not a great track
0:31:08 > 0:31:14exponent, typical cross-country runner. Crippa perhaps a bit more
0:31:14 > 0:31:17pedigree. A bit more of a thoroughbred. He is the European
0:31:17 > 0:31:20under 23 5,000-metre champion. He knows what it is like to win a title
0:31:20 > 0:31:25in this age group. On the track it isn't different matter. He will have
0:31:25 > 0:31:28pace but I'm not sure how much pace Gressier has. You might want to try
0:31:28 > 0:31:32to get ahead of the Italian before the closing stages. -- he might
0:31:32 > 0:31:37want. What about the other Frenchmen, Hugo Hay? He is just
0:31:37 > 0:31:40hovering, not doing anything, not getting involved in this title. He
0:31:40 > 0:31:44made a big effort to get onto the two of them. It looks as though he
0:31:44 > 0:31:48is having to work a bit more to hang onto them. Closing stages, three men
0:31:48 > 0:31:53in contention.Hay just drifted up very nicely past those guys. Perhaps
0:31:53 > 0:31:57going through a bad patch but capitalised on that momentum going
0:31:57 > 0:32:02through the field. He needs to hold onto these guys.Jimmy Gressier is
0:32:02 > 0:32:07making a big bid. Still got a bit of work to do. Gressier is sprinting
0:32:07 > 0:32:11for home. Still got another turn to make. Into the home straight. It
0:32:11 > 0:32:15looks as though he has got this one. No challenge coming from his
0:32:15 > 0:32:19team-mate Hay and Crippa has given this one up completely. He went too
0:32:19 > 0:32:25early. The Frenchman will finish out on top, what a shock. Gressier
0:32:25 > 0:32:29finally wins a medal at the European Cross country Championships. The
0:32:29 > 0:32:34under 23 champion. Look at his team-mate, Hugo Hay. He is jubilant
0:32:34 > 0:32:41in second place. France with three in the top four, Crippa just hung on
0:32:41 > 0:32:45for the bronze medal. But it will be France who get double gold.
0:32:45 > 0:32:49Individually and in the team race. What a performance from Jimmy
0:32:49 > 0:32:56Gressier. Covered the first move by Mayo and then covered the move by
0:32:56 > 0:33:02Crippa. He had enough strength to push on in the closing stages.
0:33:02 > 0:33:07Congratulations, twice forth in the junior ranks but is now champion.
0:33:07 > 0:33:12Gressier taking the gold by just two seconds from his team-mate Hay.
0:33:12 > 0:33:18Perhaps Crippa disappointed to win the -- win the bronze medal. Faded
0:33:18 > 0:33:21on the last lap, Mahamed Mahamed.
0:33:22 > 0:33:28The third British counter. Good news for Great Britain. They just managed
0:33:28 > 0:33:32to sneak a head of Spain to take the bronze medal.
0:33:34 > 0:33:38France, just seven points. Great performance from them to take the
0:33:38 > 0:33:41gold. The British under 23 men will be delighted they have got on the
0:33:41 > 0:33:45roster with a bronze medal.
0:33:48 > 0:33:57Let's enjoy the under 23. This will be a great spectacle. As you said,
0:33:57 > 0:34:00you will be interested to see how the rest of the British contingent
0:34:00 > 0:34:08do.Amy Griffiths, gesture and Phoebe Law have won 18 gold medal as
0:34:08 > 0:34:14juniors in 2014. They're getting another chance to get together as a
0:34:14 > 0:34:21team to get another medal. Hopefully they can do that today.How many
0:34:21 > 0:34:26officials does it take to start a race? There is a three, one to hold
0:34:26 > 0:34:31the clipboard, one to hold the gun and one to hold the loudspeaker. The
0:34:31 > 0:34:39loudspeaker has been duly held, good job, mate. Away we go. In the
0:34:39 > 0:34:46women's under 23 race. A real front running bonanza we could see here.
0:34:46 > 0:34:51It would be really interesting. The likes of Mola, there are others in
0:34:51 > 0:34:56here, a very good Danish athlete. -- the likes of.
0:34:58 > 0:35:04Great Britain very well represented. The individual medal in terms of
0:35:04 > 0:35:11Jess we would hope the Germany is the favourite. To take the team gold
0:35:11 > 0:35:14medal. Great Britain won't want to be too far away. Only three to
0:35:14 > 0:35:19count. We are an favour of the German quartet. If they were to
0:35:19 > 0:35:24falter, Britain will be hoping they can steal it. Certainly 18 medal up
0:35:24 > 0:35:31for grabs. Four laps, six kilometres. Jessica Judd. Amy
0:35:31 > 0:35:36Griffiths you can just see.
0:35:39 > 0:35:46Neale also right up there. This is the first interesting thing. I was
0:35:46 > 0:35:49wondering whether Klosterhalfen, having had her fingers burned by
0:35:49 > 0:35:52Reh, at their Championships might think I will do something different.
0:35:52 > 0:35:56But it is very hard to get a leopard to change their spots. Klosterhalfen
0:35:56 > 0:36:02already to the fore. And Reh thinking this is a bit early, but I
0:36:02 > 0:36:06know I need to keep my eye on you and gesture at the same. At the
0:36:06 > 0:36:10moment Klosterhalfen started brilliant, she is a massive talent.
0:36:10 > 0:36:14She has had a phenomenal couple of years. The times that she is
0:36:14 > 0:36:20producing at such a young age on the track is incredible. But it is about
0:36:20 > 0:36:23that expectation. That despite her young age, people will say, she has
0:36:23 > 0:36:29got to contest for medals. Absolutely. With the times. At least
0:36:29 > 0:36:34she is halfway there. She has got the times. It is about honing the
0:36:34 > 0:36:38tactical ability. She is hard as nails. Time and again she goes off
0:36:38 > 0:36:42the front. Half the impressive times she has done on her own at the
0:36:42 > 0:36:45front. That is very intimidating and that is a way to run races, we have
0:36:45 > 0:36:50seen people do that internationally. Maybe that will have to be had
0:36:50 > 0:36:57tactic because that is her strength. Jessica Judd clear in third. Trying
0:36:57 > 0:37:03to go with Jess to hang onto that possible medal. Neale and Griffiths
0:37:03 > 0:37:07packing well behind Jessica Judd. I would say Great Britain probably
0:37:07 > 0:37:10leading the team standings at this point.That is great from Britain.
0:37:10 > 0:37:14We need to keep an eye on this third German girl to see what she does.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17Fascinating to see this domestic rivalry playing out on the European
0:37:17 > 0:37:23stage. Jess is eating into that gap a tiny bit. You could have maybe
0:37:23 > 0:37:26these two will get a bit tactical and lose sight of the race overall
0:37:26 > 0:37:31and watch each other. That would give Jess and in. Perhaps they will
0:37:31 > 0:37:35exhaust each other, trying to race each other and not remember about
0:37:35 > 0:37:39the rest of the field. Jess will put absolutely everything out there
0:37:39 > 0:37:43today. What a result she gets, it will be the maximum of her
0:37:43 > 0:37:46potential. And that whatever result. I would not want to raise her flat
0:37:46 > 0:37:50out on a six K calls, she has every chance of getting back up to these
0:37:50 > 0:37:55girl that may be giving them a scare -- six kilometre course.A really
0:37:55 > 0:37:59good performance from Reh, the writing was on the wall a bit at the
0:37:59 > 0:38:03German championships when this happened. A repeat performance.
0:38:03 > 0:38:09Beating her more famous team-mate, Klosterhalfen, she will be secure in
0:38:09 > 0:38:13second place. Great Britain's Jess Judd running another strong race.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17Very clear in third. Bronze medal is hers. A long way ahead of her
0:38:17 > 0:38:21team-mates. It will be a leaner ref who will take this title, I am
0:38:21 > 0:38:27pretty sure. -- it will be Reh. Lots of these at the end. Judging pace
0:38:27 > 0:38:32perfectly well well. -- judging her pace perfectly well.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38Brauer keeping Company with Neale and she needs to be aware. Moller.
0:38:38 > 0:38:43As they enter the last lap. Position is becoming settled.
0:38:45 > 0:38:52Deadly group starting to come through. -- a big group starting.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58Watching these two disappear into the distance. Reh putting a bit of
0:38:58 > 0:39:05pressure up and opening up the gap. Jess Judd. A lonely race as Hannah
0:39:05 > 0:39:10was saying, couldn't get in terms early on. And once these two moved
0:39:10 > 0:39:14away, she was pretty much on her own. For a while it looked as though
0:39:14 > 0:39:18she could hang on, keep them within sight, within striking distance but
0:39:18 > 0:39:21not now.These two have worked incredibly hard over the last couple
0:39:21 > 0:39:27of laps. Two or three kilometres, these German girls have pushed each
0:39:27 > 0:39:31other away from Jess, benefited a lot from having each other's
0:39:31 > 0:39:36company. Curious, for me, it is my racing style versus Klosterhalfen,
0:39:36 > 0:39:41but she has a fast 800 metres personal best, surely, sit, take a
0:39:41 > 0:39:47ride. Cooking is changed over eight country race versus a track race,
0:39:47 > 0:39:52but it is a gut instinct, that push and that lead. A clash between these
0:39:52 > 0:39:56two with very similar running styles. It looks like Reh will come
0:39:56 > 0:40:00out on top today.Klosterhalfen, you can see that she is trying to raise
0:40:00 > 0:40:05up one last effort. She gets good times. Partly because she is just so
0:40:05 > 0:40:11strong. It is that change of pace that she struggles with. I think
0:40:11 > 0:40:15Reh, look, she doesn't have the same times in terms of personal bests
0:40:15 > 0:40:20that Klosterhalfen does. But in these one-on-one races like this, as
0:40:20 > 0:40:23we see here, Reh has just got that bit of power the Klosterhalfen
0:40:23 > 0:40:28doesn't have. She is putting it to good effect. They have had the race
0:40:28 > 0:40:31between them since the start. It will be Reh to take the gold medal
0:40:31 > 0:40:38in the women's under 23. Germany one and two, Klosterhalfen, the former
0:40:38 > 0:40:45junior champion yacht not able to convert it to a gold medal in the
0:40:45 > 0:40:48under 23, they were one and two in the same position in the German
0:40:48 > 0:40:51championships. And so it has turned out in the European. Jessica Judd, a
0:40:51 > 0:40:55long, lonely battle for Jessica Judd but a good bronze medal for her. Has
0:40:55 > 0:41:00to watch the two Germans run away from her in the last two kilometres.
0:41:00 > 0:41:05A very tired Jess Judd coming across the line. It has been a hard days
0:41:05 > 0:41:08work for Jess, hopefully she is OK.
0:41:09 > 0:41:14Great Britain doing really well. Neale rallying to get ahead of Amy
0:41:14 > 0:41:19Griffiths. That will pretty much cement them in the gold medal
0:41:19 > 0:41:20position.
0:41:23 > 0:41:28Reh, really dominant performance. Hard work. There is the smile.
0:41:28 > 0:41:33Congratulations. The hugs for the British trio.What a display by
0:41:33 > 0:41:37Britain, once again, at the European Cross country Championships.I'm
0:41:37 > 0:41:42really happy with the way I ran it, couldn't have done any more. I am
0:41:42 > 0:41:45exhausted but really happy.In terms of the team race, Great Britain
0:41:45 > 0:41:47confirmed not by much in the end.
0:41:49 > 0:41:54It wasn't good enough to back up the one that two finish for the Germany
0:41:54 > 0:41:58team. Great Britain, once more taking the gold in the under 23 and
0:41:58 > 0:42:02Germany, the silver. There is Premier League football on five
0:42:02 > 0:42:04live.
0:42:06 > 0:42:10An in-depth look at the contenders for BBC sports personality of the
0:42:10 > 0:42:14year.
0:42:16 > 0:42:21If you are enjoying the racing today, Chiudinelli and in the New
0:42:21 > 0:42:25Year: -- tune in.
0:42:31 > 0:42:37Over 100 athletes taking part, 26 different countries. A late change,
0:42:37 > 0:42:42Phoebe Barker having come in overnight. Wallace has had to pull
0:42:42 > 0:42:46out. Harriet Knowles-Jones leads the team, one of the prerace favourites
0:42:46 > 0:42:51having won a medal at the last championships. This is last year in
0:42:51 > 0:42:55the race in the under 20s before moving through to the seniors or the
0:42:55 > 0:43:00under 23 is in future years. She has won a medal. On the last two
0:43:00 > 0:43:04occasions. Can she turn it to go this time?
0:43:06 > 0:43:13Just a bit of a gap beginning to appear. Harriet Knowles-Jones moves
0:43:13 > 0:43:16alongside Lau, this very good Dutch athlete tucked in behind. Trying to
0:43:16 > 0:43:22stay with them. They are starting to stretch a little bit. Sclabas
0:43:22 > 0:43:27working hard to stay. Working very hard, look at her action. I wouldn't
0:43:27 > 0:43:31like to see her on a muddy course, either. She has plenty of movement
0:43:31 > 0:43:35going on, even on a course like this. Sitting in fifth place. Along
0:43:35 > 0:43:40with hungry, Toth.
0:43:42 > 0:43:49Hughes. 15th. And 20th.
0:43:50 > 0:43:54To be fair, they will have to keep moving through. Although I can see
0:43:54 > 0:43:58she is already doing that. This could be a closer fair this year. We
0:43:58 > 0:44:02do so well in this junior women's event normally, great history
0:44:02 > 0:44:06individually. As well as the team race. It would be a surprise if we
0:44:06 > 0:44:12didn't do well in the team race. They are heading out on the last of
0:44:12 > 0:44:18the big laps. Still just the four of them.
0:44:20 > 0:44:26Seven second gap and then the others going through. We are watching for
0:44:26 > 0:44:31the positions, that team race. The Dutch are doing well. Also in the
0:44:31 > 0:44:34top ten for them. They will be looking for their third counter. It
0:44:34 > 0:44:39could well be tied in terms of the team competitions. Britain with such
0:44:39 > 0:44:43a good record in this. They will be looking for individual glory but
0:44:43 > 0:44:47they will want a team gold medal. Harriet Knowles-Jones for the first
0:44:47 > 0:44:52time trying to break up this group and take this. She is having to work
0:44:52 > 0:44:56hard, to break it up. The two medallists from the European
0:44:56 > 0:44:585,000-metre championships last summer chasing her. For the first
0:44:58 > 0:45:04time a real gap appearing. Great Britain are leading. Last lap in
0:45:04 > 0:45:08terms of the team race. The Netherlands not able to find a third
0:45:08 > 0:45:11counter, they are in sixth place. A reasonable amount of breathing space
0:45:11 > 0:45:17for the British team. Working hard but needs to keep going on this last
0:45:17 > 0:45:21lap, positions can change quite significantly. But the good news is
0:45:21 > 0:45:25at the front, Harriet Knowles-Jones with a five, six-metre lead that is
0:45:25 > 0:45:30growing all of the time. There is no response from those behind. She has
0:45:30 > 0:45:37only got about maybe a little over 800 metres running left.
0:45:37 > 0:45:41They turn into the finishing straight. That is where you see the
0:45:41 > 0:45:46gantry ahead and Juno -- and you know that you have done everything
0:45:46 > 0:45:50you need to do and that is a significant victory for Harriet
0:45:50 > 0:45:58Knowles-Jones. Surprise me that she has got ahead of both of the two
0:45:58 > 0:46:00track specialists. So Harriet Knowles-Jones with a lot of British
0:46:00 > 0:46:06support, even though we're out in Slovakia. Plenty of people make an
0:46:06 > 0:46:10app -- annual pilgrimage to these championships partly because Britain
0:46:10 > 0:46:15gets so much success. The under 20 women's race won by Harriet
0:46:15 > 0:46:17Knowles-Jones. The first time she can call herself the European
0:46:17 > 0:46:23cross-country championship -- champion. Well done to Harriet
0:46:23 > 0:46:29Knowles-Jones. In a tight sprinter get the silver medal, and she has
0:46:29 > 0:46:39been rewarded with a silver for Can for Hungary. And we will watch for
0:46:39 > 0:46:45the next British athletes -- Toth from Hungary. It will probably be
0:46:45 > 0:46:52Karl Cook -- Cari Hughes. Mhlanga then. Three counters, and that is
0:46:52 > 0:46:55enough, so we can pretty much confirmed that Harriet Knowles-Jones
0:46:55 > 0:46:59is the individual gold-medallist and Great Britain will win the team race
0:46:59 > 0:47:05as well. A gold for Harriet Knowles-Jones, the European
0:47:05 > 0:47:09cross-country champion. The third time of asking. Three individual
0:47:09 > 0:47:15medals in her three years in the junior ranks. Toth with a good
0:47:15 > 0:47:20silver medal ahead of the German. And all of the British team packing
0:47:20 > 0:47:25in well with four in the top 12. Confirming their position as
0:47:25 > 0:47:34champions again in the under 20s. Confirmation of the team race with
0:47:34 > 0:47:37Great Britain winning comfortably with a good silver for Italy and
0:47:37 > 0:47:41Spain finishing ahead of the Netherlands who could not quite find
0:47:41 > 0:47:44a good third counter to get themselves amongst the medals. So
0:47:44 > 0:47:53once again Great Britain, and not the first time we have taken both
0:47:53 > 0:47:53medals.
0:47:55 > 0:47:59I knew it was my last junior international so I knew I wanted
0:47:59 > 0:48:04that win and I'm so pleased. I did not know how far I came in I just
0:48:04 > 0:48:07went straight for it and I don't know where the rest of them came in.
0:48:07 > 0:48:13I am so chuffed. Second and third two Reeva tape and to have the
0:48:13 > 0:48:16national anthem played, that is so exciting -- to break the tape.
0:48:19 > 0:48:24A very special moment for one of our top junior athletes finishing her
0:48:24 > 0:48:29junior career on a high. The highest position she can attain, winning a
0:48:29 > 0:48:40gold medal for Britain and Northern Ireland.
0:48:42 > 0:48:44ANTHEM PLAYS.
0:49:12 > 0:49:16So the men will be next, the under 20 men. And probably one of the big
0:49:16 > 0:49:23names in the sport, in Europe, anyway, to look out for, the
0:49:23 > 0:49:26defending champion, Jacobin Ingebrigsten, from a famous
0:49:26 > 0:49:37Ingebrigsten family from Norway. They have four laps, six K. Jake
0:49:37 > 0:49:44Heyward had a great run there. Richardson. And Matt Willis. So the
0:49:44 > 0:49:52junior men get underway. Six kilometres. For long laps, and you
0:49:52 > 0:50:04don't have to worry about the short one. A big sprint. Some people think
0:50:04 > 0:50:10that he might have a chance of picking up a medal here, Rusu.
0:50:10 > 0:50:11that he might have a chance of picking up a medal here, Rusu. Will
0:50:11 > 0:50:17be interesting to see the tactics from Ingebrigsten. You do not have
0:50:17 > 0:50:20do absolutely sprint and you can see that they are settling down a little
0:50:20 > 0:50:26bit already. Ingebrigsten just waiting and waiting as we see the
0:50:26 > 0:50:31rest of the field are starting to struggle to stay with them. Gonzalez
0:50:31 > 0:50:35of Spain are joining the top group. He is the one trying to hang onto
0:50:35 > 0:50:45them. Ben Dijkstra is struggling a little. Suddenly the pace has picked
0:50:45 > 0:50:50up, and that big group is completely blown apart, so it is down to just
0:50:50 > 0:50:54five at the moment. Ingebrigsten is the defending champion. It is the
0:50:54 > 0:51:02two Frenchmen who are setting the pace. Barbarossa of Turkey there.
0:51:02 > 0:51:05Gonzalez working hard there.This is crunch time. Five people for three
0:51:05 > 0:51:11medals. He will be giving it everything at this stage. And it is
0:51:11 > 0:51:15great to see the Spanish guys have stuck together. And they would have
0:51:15 > 0:51:22been hoping to start at this rate. So it is Matthew Willis as the first
0:51:22 > 0:51:27British counter and it's a great run if he manages that. Hopefully Ben
0:51:27 > 0:51:30can be inspired by having him in front to make an start to work
0:51:30 > 0:51:34together. And the Turkish guy is going for it. Must be getting near
0:51:34 > 0:51:37to the finish because that is an aggressive move.A little bit early
0:51:37 > 0:51:42for me. He is probably thinking it is smart because he went outkicked
0:51:42 > 0:51:49them. He still has a long run here. Still another turn to make then into
0:51:49 > 0:51:56the home straight. He is the Balkan cross-country champion but
0:51:56 > 0:52:03Ingebrigsten still looks pretty calm. And Gilavert has gone into the
0:52:03 > 0:52:07bronze position. They are the last turn. Ingebrigsten has surely got
0:52:07 > 0:52:14enough here, the defending champion. He eases his weight and Barbaros has
0:52:14 > 0:52:22done enough to take the silver. But it is a Ingebrigsten of Norway who
0:52:22 > 0:52:28defends the title successfully with a big sprint finish. Barbaros with
0:52:28 > 0:52:35the silver and Gilavert taking the bronze ahead of his teammate. And
0:52:35 > 0:52:40just crossing the line and Ben Dijkstra is behind. And it will be
0:52:40 > 0:52:46an anxious wait for the British contingent to see if that is going
0:52:46 > 0:52:51to be good enough to win a team medal for them. And I thought that,
0:52:51 > 0:52:55it looked pretty comfortable for Ingebrigsten but may be harder work
0:52:55 > 0:53:02than he expected. He had to wait and wait and Barbaros, just a second
0:53:02 > 0:53:06maybe gave him some doubts but he looked comfortable when he eased
0:53:06 > 0:53:11past.It is hard work when you are having everything to you --
0:53:11 > 0:53:16everything to lose and the pressure is on you. Anything other than a win
0:53:16 > 0:53:19would be an upset, but those guys did take it to him and I'm sure it
0:53:19 > 0:53:26wasn't easy.In terms of the British team, Matt Willis, 14th and Ben
0:53:26 > 0:53:30Dijkstra was 17. Spain have definitely won the team race.
0:53:33 > 0:53:37The gold medal goes to Ingebrigsten, defending his title, which he won
0:53:37 > 0:53:43easily last year. A bit moral battle this year. Barbaros just to seconds
0:53:43 > 0:53:48behind. Matt Willis was the first of the British athletes in 14th head of
0:53:48 > 0:53:52Ben Dijkstra, who faded when the pace got going. The third counter
0:53:52 > 0:53:57was Will Richardson in 25th. Scott Beattie just behind him. And Jake
0:53:57 > 0:53:59Heyward in 30th.
0:54:02 > 0:54:06Those are the results of the team race and the last lap put paid to
0:54:06 > 0:54:09the British chances as they finished in sixth. Spain take the gold medal
0:54:09 > 0:54:18ahead of France and it was pretty tight. Turkey coming through and
0:54:18 > 0:54:26there is written in sixth place. The Mixed Relay is about to get
0:54:26 > 0:54:35underway. 11 teams.On your marks. The first-ever mixed relay at the
0:54:35 > 0:54:37European cross-country championships. Teams of four with
0:54:37 > 0:54:40women going first then they alternate. Lilly Courtney going on
0:54:40 > 0:54:47the leg for Britain.Roughly 1500 metres on each leg. Charlie Grice
0:54:47 > 0:54:53was meant to be in the team but he had to pull out in the week and Tom
0:54:53 > 0:54:58Marshall stepped in, so it will be Sarah McDonald with Tom Marshall and
0:54:58 > 0:55:02Cameron Boyek may have every chance of winning the race. Strong teams
0:55:02 > 0:55:05from the Czech Republic in particular, and Germany will hope to
0:55:05 > 0:55:11go well and Turkey am sure. Millie Courtney deciding she will not hang
0:55:11 > 0:55:15around. And given the shape she was in all of this year and she still is
0:55:15 > 0:55:19at the moment that is the right thing to do.This is a great run
0:55:19 > 0:55:24from Millie. Great strength. This sort of hard effort will suit and
0:55:24 > 0:55:28you might as well put the pain the others. They are thinking, really,
0:55:28 > 0:55:33you want to go that hard? She would be ale to hold it into the finish
0:55:33 > 0:55:39with that strength.Millie Courtney is trying to hang on as Spain take
0:55:39 > 0:55:46the initiative. Parreira of Spain doing a good job as they come
0:55:46 > 0:55:51towards the end of the first lap and head towards the changeover. Millie
0:55:51 > 0:55:55Courtney is trying to hang on and keep Britain in the race. They want
0:55:55 > 0:55:59to win the gold, never mind a medal. These three teams have pulled clear
0:55:59 > 0:56:03on the first lap and the clock is ticking towards five minutes. They
0:56:03 > 0:56:18have an extra bit to run from the start line. That 1500 metre best for
0:56:18 > 0:56:22Vrzlova means she's doing a good job for her team. Courtney is doing well
0:56:22 > 0:56:25and she cannot get to root -- detach. We thought the Czech
0:56:25 > 0:56:38Republic would be going well. It might be Holusa on the next leg and
0:56:38 > 0:56:46then want next. -- Sasinek next. Hopefully they can latch on and it's
0:56:46 > 0:56:52a really strong run from the Czech Republic to open up the gap.At the
0:56:52 > 0:56:55front, Germany I had a bit, then Czech Republic, Spain and Great
0:56:55 > 0:56:59Britain. You would have been surprised if we said this is how it
0:56:59 > 0:57:04would going to end up at the start. The Czech Republic with a strong
0:57:04 > 0:57:12team they have a lucid come the last leg. Cameron Boyek has had a good
0:57:12 > 0:57:20season so far, indoors as well. He needs to be a bit patient. He's got
0:57:20 > 0:57:24back involved, and he needs to get settled and if he feels good in the
0:57:24 > 0:57:31last couple of hundred metres maybe push on.This is an important leg
0:57:31 > 0:57:35for the Czech team. Perhaps their weakest member of the team but it's
0:57:35 > 0:57:39put the minute great position to the starting leg. And you wonder. Did he
0:57:39 > 0:57:45relax and let the others were card? Why not use that first 400 save your
0:57:45 > 0:57:50legs and then you can run hard for the last three quarters. And we have
0:57:50 > 0:57:59a good race in this leg.The good news is a gap is appearing to Spain,
0:57:59 > 0:58:04so the great British and Czech Republic, we thought they were the
0:58:04 > 0:58:09best teams on paper and Cameron Boyek is doing a good job of putting
0:58:09 > 0:58:13Sasinek under pressure. You can see him grabbing for the wristband that
0:58:13 > 0:58:18they need to hangover. -- handover. It will be Sarah McDonald now
0:58:18 > 0:58:24running for Great Britain, and she has company with the Czech Republic,
0:58:24 > 0:58:30then a small gap to Spain. Well done to the two of them with both of them
0:58:30 > 0:58:35pleased with their run.A fabulous run from Cameron. Times is ever
0:58:35 > 0:58:40perfectly. He put Sarah in such a great position for this third leg --
0:58:40 > 0:58:47he times it perfectly.Sarah doing as best she can to try and put as
0:58:47 > 0:58:57much distance between herself and the others, but Mackie is rallying.
0:58:57 > 0:59:04Sarah has to finish this well.You have got to get going because Holusa
0:59:04 > 0:59:08has a deadly finish and you want to make him work as hard as possible.
0:59:08 > 0:59:20If you leave it, he will be right on it. What a tremendous effort.Sarah
0:59:20 > 0:59:23McDonald getting the wristband ready, trying to hand it to
0:59:23 > 0:59:28McDonald, who had to step in for Charlie Grice. Great Britain in the
0:59:28 > 0:59:42lead. Holusa takes off in hot pursuit. Very dangerous in the
0:59:42 > 0:59:45latter stages. It will be interesting to see the shape he is
0:59:45 > 0:59:50in because he has not raced since the summer and that is a significant
0:59:50 > 0:59:54gap and Tom Marshall has done the right thing. You have to get out
0:59:54 > 0:59:59there and increase the gap if you can and try to get Holusa worrying
0:59:59 > 1:00:04about second place, not thinking about first. It is a judgement. You
1:00:04 > 1:00:10have to put the others under pressure.It is almost breaking him
1:00:10 > 1:00:14mentally. If you are in the shoes of Holusa, you think it is a big gap
1:00:14 > 1:00:18and you want them to spend as much as possible not even believing it is
1:00:18 > 1:00:23possible. They have to be doubting themselves. Is that a gap I can even
1:00:23 > 1:00:30dream of closing?There is going to be a big sprint finish, so Tom needs
1:00:30 > 1:00:34to be aware of that, even in a short race, you can make up quite a big
1:00:34 > 1:00:40deficit and I promise you that Holusa has not even started. He is
1:00:40 > 1:00:44sitting and waiting. The Spaniard is pushing things on. He has one more
1:00:44 > 1:00:54look behind and it's the last hundred and 50 metres. It looks as
1:00:54 > 1:00:59though Great Britain are heading for a gold medal, and let off by Melissa
1:00:59 > 1:01:05Courtney. Cameron Boyek with a good performance in the second leg and
1:01:05 > 1:01:17then Sarah McDonald gave them the lead. He finishes like a train, as
1:01:17 > 1:01:21we expect takes the silver for the Czech but it's great -- gold for
1:01:21 > 1:01:25Great Britain and the celebrations begin. They are the first ever Mixed
1:01:25 > 1:01:31Relay cross-country champions of Europe.A fantastic run from Tom
1:01:31 > 1:01:34Marshall. He had to be nervous stepping into the shoes Charlie
1:01:34 > 1:01:38Grice is very accomplished and he has acquitted himself really well.
1:01:38 > 1:01:43They all have and I guess, Mixed Relay, that should happen every
1:01:43 > 1:01:49year. Just because we are going to do fabulous at it.The final result,
1:01:49 > 1:01:58and the winning time is 18. 24. Holusa almost catching Tom Marshall
1:01:58 > 1:02:03but all the hard work had been done before that.The gold-medallists and
1:02:03 > 1:02:06European Championships in the Mixed Relay, Great Britain and Northern
1:02:06 > 1:02:13Ireland?A very happy British quartet on top of the rostrum for
1:02:13 > 1:02:16the Mixed Relay. Cameron Boyek and Tom Marshall ran very well but they
1:02:16 > 1:02:21were set up nicely by Sarah McDonald and Millie Courtney. Two Welsh
1:02:21 > 1:02:26members and two from the north-east of England. A perfect Great Britain
1:02:26 > 1:02:28and Northern Ireland team. And for most people I think they will have
1:02:28 > 1:02:32enjoyed watching that, a good addition to the European Cross
1:02:32 > 1:02:36country Championships, certainly from a British perspective because
1:02:36 > 1:02:39it's another gold medal for us. These championships are always
1:02:39 > 1:02:45hugely successful for the British team and 2017 was no different.
1:02:45 > 1:02:46Individually, the standout performance was from Harriet
1:02:46 > 1:02:51Knowles-Jones, rounding off her junior career with a coveted gold
1:02:51 > 1:02:55medal. Jessica Judd and Andy Butchart continued their excellent
1:02:55 > 1:02:58seasons. Team gold in the event is testament to the dominance in Europe
1:02:58 > 1:03:02and bronze for the senior men and under 23 is with good solid
1:03:02 > 1:03:06performances with the only slight negative being the injury to Gary
1:03:06 > 1:03:12Griffiths. -- Griffiths. Hopefully he remains on track for the
1:03:12 > 1:03:16Commonwealth Games next year. The new Mixed Relay provided GB with
1:03:16 > 1:03:21another gold medal and no doubt we will welcome the additional event in
1:03:21 > 1:03:24future years. That brings another great year of athletics to a
1:03:24 > 1:03:29clothes. Don't worry, plenty more to look forward to in 2018, including
1:03:29 > 1:03:40all of this. Goodbye.