Obikwelu is Europe's sprint king with a rare double

By John Bagratuni Aug 10, 2006, 21:18 GMT

Portuguese Francis Obikwelu celebrates after winning the men\'s 200m final at the European Athletics Championships 2006 in Gothenburg, Thursday 10 August 2006. EPA/OLIVIER HOSLET

Gothenburg, Sweden - Francis Obikwelu of Portugal confirmed his status as Europe's number one sprinter when he completed the first continental championship double in 28 years on Thursday.

Obikwelu added the 200m title in 20.01 seconds to his 100m crown from Tuesday, the first man since Italy's Pietro Mennea in 1978 to win both sprints.

'I have been waiting for this gold medal for four years and now I am even double European champion,' said the delighted Obikwelu.

In other action, Vanya Stambolova lived up to her status as revelation of the year with Bulgaria's first ever women's 400m title, Olga Kotlyarova won the women's 800m in a Russian one-two and top favourite Perikles Iakovakis of Greece cruised to the men's 400m title.

The day started and ended with surprises, with unheralded Frenchman Yohan Diniz winning the 50km walk and Russian Darya Pishchalnikova winning the women's discus.

But Obikwelu was the man of the night with only the sixth European double in now 19 editions of the championships.

The 100m Olympic silver medallist led from start to finish, clocking a season-best 20.01 seconds despite cool and wet conditions.

The Ullevi crowd roared its approval when Johan Wissman came second for hosts Sweden in a national record 20.38 seconds, with Briton Marlon Devonish third in 20.54 seconds.

Obikwelu's time was incidently also a national record for Portugal because his personal best 19.84 seconds dates back to 1999 when he was still running for Nigeria.

'I am very excited to have won the gold. The whole stadium was cheering for Johan and this also helped me. The 200m gold medal is definitely more important and precious to me than the 100m,' he said after his first major 200m title.

Obikwelu also revealed that he will by request of the Portuguese federation accept the 100m title from 2002 after all in the wake of the doping-related disqualification of original winner Dwain Chambers of Britain.

Stambolova, 22, produced a strong finish to win the 400m 49.85 seconds. Tatyana Veshokurova of Russia took second in 50.15 seconds while compatriot and season-leader Olga Zaitseva faded to third in 50.28 seconds after leading into the home stretch.

'After I was running the fastest times in the first two rounds I was nearly sure I can win. Zaytseva started very fast she had a big margin, but I did not panic and went my pace. At the end I had enough power,' said the world indoor silver medallist Stambolova.

Russia did better in the 800m, with Kotlyarova making up a massive deficit on compatriot and season-leader Svetlana Klyuka on the home stretch to triumph in 1:57.38 to Klyuka's 1:57.48 minutes. Briton Rebecca Lyne came third in 1:58.45 minutes.

Pishchalnikova raised her personal best by one metre to 65.55m, leaving only second place for veteran German Franka Dietzsch, the top favourite and two-time world champion, with 64.35m. Nicoleta Grasu of Romania was third with 63.58m.

In the men's 400m hurdles, Iakovakis cruised to victory in 48.46 seconds, with Marek Plawgo of Poland second in 48.71 seconds and Rhys Williams of Britain third in 49.12.

'I came here as the favourite, I was the best and as I proved today I am the best,' said Iakovakis, whose only slight concern was that 'the last 100m wasn't as fast as I wanted.'

Earlier, defied a torrential thunderstorm in the late stages to win the first title on offer Thursday, the men's 50km walk in 3:41:39 hours, improving his personal best by almost four minutes.

Veteran Spaniard Jesus Angel Garcia, the 1993 world champion, came second in 3:42:48, Yuriy Andronov of Russia took third in 3:43.46, while long-time leader Trond Nymark faded to fourth and Russian top favourite Denis Nizhegorodov was disqualified before the 20km mark.

'The thunderstorm may have destabilised the others, but for me it was a welcome refreshment,' said Diniz, admitting that 'no one had me on the radar screen.'

The bad weather led to an early end of pole vault qualifying - with all 18 athletes left in the competition allowed into Saturday's final, including 2002 champion Alex Averbukh of Israel and German hope Tim Lobinger.

The adverse weather also delayed the long jump portion of the decathlon where defending champion and Olympic gold medallist Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic held an overnight lead with 4,420 points.

The championships continue Friday with six finals: the men's 1,500m, 3,000m steeplechase and hammer throw, and the women's 200m, 100m hurdles and high jump.