British Masters team taking Europe by storm

Taking home a grand total of 132 gold medals, 102 silver medals and 77 bronze medals, the European Masters Athletics Championships in Madeira was definitely one to remember for Great Britain!

With age groups ranging from V35 to V90, the European Masters Athletics Championships is the perfect demonstration that athletics is for people of all ages.

Topping the medal table

The outstanding haul didn't only top the country medal table for this championships, but also beat tallies from any previous World and European Championships!

Heading up the medal count for the whole championships was Dacorum's Sarah Roberts (V75), taking home a sensational eight gold medals and four silver medals across the championships. Taking on an array of distances from 200m to 10,000m and the 4x400m relay, Sarah certainly asserted her dominance over the field of not only the V75 category, but the championships as a whole.

Closely behind with eight gold medals too was V40 athlete, Ellie Stevens (Birchfield Harriers). Opening her season very early at the World Masters Championships back in March, Ellie has held fine form across the middle and long distance events claiming gold in all events from 800m to the half marathon - indeed beating many of the men. These performances were truly outstanding for a W40; 32 mins for a 10k and a 1:18 half marathon is elite running for any age. 

In the women's field, V85 athlete Evaun Williams (Enfield & Haringey) topped the medal rankings taking home six golds across the throws events. Ending the track and field season on a high, Evaun threw consistently across the hammer, discus, javelin and shot put. She won with ease in the javelin, throwing 18.77m to better the athletes in the lower age categories too.

Cambridge Harrier and V90 athlete, Warwick Dixon, showed age is but a number as he backed up his English Schools' AA victory from the 1950s with a new UK record in the hammer of 20.34m and a bronze medal.

Both sitting with five golds each, John Wright (Northern Masters) V65, and Paul Mingay (Colchester Harriers/Eastern Masters, Richard Pickering) V65 each dominated the sprints and long distances respectively.

Fresh off her England senior medal and international representation at the Manchester International, Rebecca Perry (City of York, Craig Pounder) V35 came home with two medals, 100m gold and heptathlon bronze behind Doncaster's Jo Rowland who took home the title with 5120 points. Rebecca recently appeared on the England Athletics podcast in preparation for the European Championships.

Full results

A huge congratulations to all of the athletes across each of the age categories who competed in Madeira. It was a truly historic championships, and we look forward to welcoming more masters athletes to our English road running teams over the coming months.