BBC SPORT | Athletics | British men win European Cup

European Cup results

Great Britain's men's team won the European Cup for the fifth time on Sunday after a storming display on the second day.

Day one: Chambers stars for Britain

They finished off in style in Annecy, in France, with individual 400m winner Daniel Caines anchoring the 4x400m team to victory in the final event to grab Britain's fourth win of the day.

And there was more good news with the British women, who were in the relegation positions for most of their competition, also winning the 4x400m relay to secure their status.

For the men, veteran world record holders Colin Jackson and Jonathan Edwards both won their events and Marlon Devonish chipped in with victory in the 200m.

Jonathan Edwards leaps to victory
Edwards was not happy with the hot conditions
Jackson shrugged off a warning for a false start to win the first event, the 110m hurdles, in 13.15 seconds, his quickest time for two years.

His victory saw Britain move ahead of overnight leaders and home favourites France, but the hosts went back in front when Bouabdellah Tahri ran away with the 3,000m steeplechase.

At one point the French were five points clear, but Edwards' victory in the triple jump trimmed the gap and Devonish kept the pressure on with a fine victory.

Steve Backley's second place in the javelin saw Britain go into the relay with a three-point lead over Germany, with France a point further back.

Overall victory was all but guaranteed, but Caines ensured that Britain rounded things off in style as he came home two metres clear of the field.

Brave fight back

In the women's competition the British team looked in big trouble with three-quarters of the event gone.

Helen Pattinson, Diane Allahgreen and Tara Kryzwicki all finished fourth in their events to keep Britain in sight of safety.

And Jo Pavey then finished a superb second, behind controversial Russian Olga Yegorova, in the 5,000m to give them a real shot at safety.

It still required a good performance by the 4x400m relay squad and they responded in style, finishing second in the race and then taking victory when the Russians were disqualified.

Russia won their sixth victory in a row in the women's competition.

Britain and Germany take the men's places in the World Cup in Madrid in September, with Russia and Germany progressing to the women's competition.

European Cup results:

Men
Britain 111pts
Germany 107
France 105
Russia 94
Italy 89.5
Poland 85
Ukraine 63.5
Finland 60

Women
Russia 122.5
Germany 103
France 89
Romania 88
Britain 84.5
Poland 77.5
Ukraine 72.7
Italy 72


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