Gold and silver haul for Child at European Indoors
University of Bath-based hurdler Eilidh Child will return to the city from the European Indoor Championships in Sweden with two medals – and without clearing a single jump.
The Scot, who is coached by Malcolm Arnold – British Athletics’ Lead Hurdles Coach, runs the 400m hurdles in the outdoor season but has been enjoying an impressive flat season indoors during the winter.
She looked good in qualifying through the heats and semis of the 400m at the European Indoors in Gothenburg and then took silver in yesterday’s (Sunday) final behind GB team-mate Perri Shakes-Drayton.
Child, who set a PB and a Scottish record of 51.45 seconds, said: “I’m over the moon, I knew it would be hard but I was lucky to get a good lane draw after yesterday’s qualification. It was a PB and I can’t ask for any more than that, especially after back-to-back races, so I’m delighted.
“It just shows from the pair of us that the flat speed is there so it’s just a case of getting the hurdling right and we’ll both drop some really good times this season.”
The pair then teamed up to help the GB team win gold in the women’s 4x400m relay, with Child running the opening leg and handing over to Shana Cox, who passed the baton to Christine Ohuruogu, with Shakes-Drayton storming home to take gold in a championship record 3:27.56.
Child, a London 2012 Olympian, said: “The adrenalin kept us going and no-one wanted to let each other down – we wanted to do well and come home with the gold.”
