By Sarah Holt BBC Sport in Birmingham

Douglas and Idowu show off their European Indoors medals

British triple jumpers Phillips Idowu and Nathan Douglas predict they will spur each other on to further medals.

Idowu, 28, took gold ahead of Douglas, 24, with a world-leading leap of 17.56m in a high-quality final at the European Indoors on Saturday.

Douglas said: "When we are both jumping at our best, who knows what is going to happen? Hopefully we will be competing for many years to come."

Idowu added: "It's great having someone like Nathan at that level in the UK."

Douglas had led the competition with a first-round leap of 17.08m only for Idowu to respond immediately with a massive mark of 17.56m.

In an effort to reel in Idowu, Douglas landed four more jumps over 17m, including a new indoor personal best of 17.47m, in what he rates as one of his best lifetime performances.

"It was a great series of jumps for me," said Douglas, who was competing in front of his home crowd in Birmingham.

"Phillips put it out there and I was chasing. We spur each other on and because both of us are British, it makes the competition even more special."

Since Britain's world record-holder, Jonathan Edwards, retired in 2003, Douglas and Idowu have gradually emerged from his shadow.

I'm looking at the world rankings and seeing who is number one and taking that person's spot Phillips Idowu

Progress was slow - Douglas failed to get through qualifying for the 2004 Olympics while Idowu had to live down the ignominy of four no-jumps in the final.

Both had their 2005 season scuppered by injuries, but in March 2006, Idowu claimed the Commonwealth crown and in August Douglas took a surprise European outdoor silver.

Now, with both injury-free and hitting form at the same time, Idowu and Douglas look set to rekindle the kind of friendly rivalry Idowu used to play out with Edwards.

And Edwards, commentating from the stands in Birmingham, believes that level of domestic competition will push them on even further.

"When two athletes are vying for medals and the British number one spot, it adds extra spice to any competition," said Edwards, who enjoyed a battle royale with Idowu for the 2002 Commonwealth title.

"It makes competition much more intense - I certainly found that with Phillips.

Edwards (right) got the better of Idowu at the 2002 Commonwealths

"The difference is that Phillips hasn't established himself yet in the way that I had when he came through - though I think that he still can.

"Nathan has beaten Phillips on a number of occasions so it is much more equal between them and could go either way this summer.

"The good news for Britain is that both can hold their heads high and go forward with high hopes at the World Championships."

During the competition in Birmingham, a preoccupied Idowu prowled up and down the infield or sat with his back to Douglas.

The Londoner cast his mind far beyond British bragging rights long ago and is now focused on what he can achieve on the world stage for himself.

"I've had my years of always hearing 'Chase Jonathan, chase Jonathan'," said Idowu.

We could just as easily come seventh or eighth - that is just how tough triple jump is at the minute Nathan Douglas

"Once Jonathan retired, it was a case of always chasing (Swede) Christian Olsson but I don't want to be in that position with Jonathan, Christian or Nathan of using other people to boost my performance.

"I have to go out there and do it myself. I'm looking at the world rankings and seeing who is number one and taking that person's spot."

If Idowu finds time to look at the world indoor rankings during his planned week off, he will see himself top of the tree, ahead of Douglas with Olsson, who did not defend his European Indoor title because of a thigh injury, third.

Idowu and Douglas have already begun speculating on their chances of repeating that one-two-three at this summer's World Championships in Osaka.

"Me and Phillips were saying that we know we have world-class jumps within us," said Douglas.

"But if everyone performs at their best then we could just as easily come seventh or eighth - that is just how tough triple jump is at the minute."