On the very first day of the continental championship in athletics, the Russian team got a gold medal, moreover, of historical significance. In the 10,000-meter run, 24-year-old debutant Inga Abitova came to the finish line first. Twenty-five laps of the Ullevi stadium, a native of the Samara region, ran according to a schedule that exceeded her personal record - 30 minutes 31 seconds and 42 hundredths. Since Elena Romanova won a similar race in Split in 1990, not a single representative of our country has managed to become the best on the continent in this discipline.
As expected, the Dutch Lorna Kiplagat, European champion in cross-country, initially led the race. Three Russians tried to keep up with her, but they did not prudently pry ahead. Six laps before the finish, Elvan Abeilegessi's strength ran out - a Turkish of Ethiopian descent retired. But she was considered almost the main contender for the "gold". The denouement came half a kilometer to the finish line. In the last round, Inga Abitova made a daring jerk. The kiplagat failed to maintain the pace - she spent too much effort in the first half of the race. Susanna Vigene from Norway tried to catch up with Abitova, but was forced to be content with second place. The Russian bronze medal was won by Russian woman Lidia Grigoryeva, who also improved her personal time to 30.32.72. And in general, twelve of the twenty participants improved their personal record - the race was a success.
Another “gold” of the first day of competition - in the shot put - in a bitter struggle won Ralph Bartels from Germany. After the fifth attempt, he took only fourth place, but with the last push he sent a shell at 21 meters 13 centimeters, surpassing the Belarusian Andrei Mikhnevich only 2 centimeters. Russian Pavel Sofin - in fifth place with an excellent result of 20 meters 55 centimeters.
European Athletics Championships, Gothenburg.
10,000 meters women
1. I. Abitova (ROS) - 30.31.42
2. S. Vigene (NRA) - 30.32.36
3. L. Grigoryeva (ROS) - 30.32.72
4. G. Bogomolova (ROS) - 30.35.90
5. L. Kiplagat (NID) - 30.37.26
6. E. Prokopchuk (LAT) - 30.38.78
7. M. Dominguez (ISP) - 30.51.69
8. S. Mokenhaupt (GER) - 31.40.28
9. I. Mikitenko (GER) - 31.44.82
10. N. De Foz (BEL) - 31.45.94
Shot put, men
1. R. Bartels (GER) - 21.13 m
2. A. Mikhnevich (BEL) - 21.11
3. J. Olsen (DAN) - 21.09
4. R. Smith (NID) - 20.90
5. P. Sof'in (ROS) - 20.55
12. A. Luboslavsky (ROS) - 19.44