Keely Hodgkinson breaks down in tears as she dedicates European 800m indoor crown to coach who died just days ago
KEELY HODGKINSON broke down in tears as she dedicated her second European 800m indoor crown to her late coach.
And long jumper Jazmin Sawyers made it a golden evening for Great Britain on the final day of the continental championships in Istanbul.
Hodgkinson, who turned 21 last Friday, produced an exhibition run as she won gold in 1:58.66 – the only woman in the field to run under two minutes.
Post-race, the Leigh star let all the emotion out as she explained the private turmoil behind the scenes.
She said: “I haven’t had time to process it but my old coach, Joe Galvin, passed away a few days ago. Really unexpected.
“This one is definitely for him. He had a lot of belief in a 10-year-old me. That medal is for him.
“I hope I have made him really proud. His wife Margaret, I know she will be proud of me as well.
“I wanted to make the others in the race work for it. I’m really happy to defend my title.
“I want to keep building on this, performing and bringing back medals. I’m living the dream.”
Team captain Sawyers, 28, was overjoyed as she clinched the women’s long jump with a British record leap of 7m.
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This is the first title of her career and she said: “This feels like it has been a long time coming. I have never won anything before. I’m in shock.
“I felt like the seven-metre jump had been in me. I have been waiting for this forever. But you start to think: Will it come? But I’m so delighted it has happened.”
Britain finished third in the medal table – with three golds and six medals in total – behind leaders Norway and second place Holland.
Meanwhile, flying Scotswoman Eilish McColgan has been California Dreaming after setting a British 10,000m record.
Ahead of an appearance at next month’s London Marathon, the Dundee star ran 30 minutes and 00.86 seconds in the US in her first track race of the year.
The performance at the Sound Running Ten event in San Juan Capistrano surpassed Paula Radcliffe’s time of 30:01.09 set in Munich in August 2002.
McColgan, 32, who has been training at altitude in Colorado, raced with a black strapping on her left knee.
The Commonwealth 10,000m champion said: “I’m absolutely buzzing.
“Two years ago I ran a big PB here so it’s nice to be back with the crowds.
“I knew I was in really good shape but to have it all come together on the day doesn’t always happen.”
Brit Emile Cairess broke the European 10-mile record with a display of 45:57 at an event in Barrowford, Lancashire. This overtook Richard Nerurkar’s long-standing mark of 46:02 set in 1993.