Joseph Scanes gave the United Kingdom the perfect start to the European Athletics U18 Championships in Rieti by claiming the men’s 3000m title in the first final of the competition. Producing a composed and tactically outstanding performance, the 17-year-old British athlete timed his race to perfection before delivering a decisive finishing sprint to secure the first gold medal of the championships. His victory also sends the British team to the top of the medal table after the opening day of competition.
A perfectly executed race to claim the first European title in Rieti
Joseph Scanes arrived in Rieti as one of the leading contenders for the European U18 title. Ranked third on this season’s European U18 list, he travelled to Italy having run four seconds slower than French athlete Meziane Benhammou, who entered the championships as the fastest athlete in the field, and around ten seconds behind fellow British runner Michael Clark, who was not contesting the 3000m. On paper, Scanes was therefore not considered the favourite, but championship racing is rarely decided by personal bests alone, and the British youngster proved that race management can be every bit as important as outright speed.
From the opening stages, Benhammou immediately moved to the front and dictated the pace under the intense Italian heat. Scanes, however, remained committed to his race plan. Sitting comfortably around fifth place throughout the early laps, he resisted the temptation to respond to every surge and instead stayed within touching distance of the leading group while the French athlete gradually expended more and more energy setting the tempo. With approximately 600 metres remaining, Scanes decided it was time to make his move. The British runner surged to the front and immediately injected fresh pace into the race. Germany’s Maximilian Rath briefly edged ahead with around 200 metres to go, but Scanes still had plenty left in reserve. Finding another gear on the home straight, he produced one final acceleration inside the last 80 metres to regain the lead and cross the finish line first in a personal best of 8:09.19. By contrast, Benhammou paid the price for his aggressive early tactics. Having led for much of the race and looked well placed to challenge for the title, the French athlete began to fade during the closing lap before being overtaken in the battle for bronze, eventually finishing fourth just outside the medals.
Speaking afterwards, Scanes admitted that this championship had been his main target for the past two years, making the victory all the more rewarding. Perhaps even more significant for the remainder of the championships was one particular point he raised after the race. The new European champion revealed that he shares his room with several other British middle and long-distance runners. Returning to the team hotel wearing the first gold medal of the championships, he said, helps “set the tone” for the rest of the week. That mentality should not be underestimated in a major championship environment. Success is often contagious, and watching a teammate stand on top of the podium can provide an enormous confidence boost throughout an entire squad. Momentum can quickly spread across a team, particularly among athletes competing in similar events, and the British camp will hope Scanes’ victory inspires more strong performances over the coming days.
The gold medal also sees Joseph Scanes become only the second British athlete to win the European U18 men’s 3000m title, following Thomas Keen’s triumph at the 2018 edition of the championships.
Away from the opening gold medal, day one also proved highly encouraging for the United Kingdom across the track and field. Charlie Chambers and Magnus Riddell both safely progressed to the 800m semi-finals after impressive performances in their heats. Over 400m, Lucas Cameron, Noa Chodokufa and Darcy Coslett each won their respective opening-round races to book their places in the semi-finals in convincing fashion.
There was further success in the sprint events as Divine Iheme, Celine Obinna-Alo and Shivelle Marshall all secured qualification for the 100m semi-finals, keeping British hopes alive ahead of the second day of competition. The field events also produced several positive results for the British team. Samuel James and Eli Adams both advanced to the men’s high jump final, while team captain Moyo Stumpenhusen and Chu Ononogbu qualified for the men’s discus final. Sophie Robertson also booked her place in the women’s hammer final, with Emilia Adese progressing to the women’s shot put final.
Thanks to Joseph Scanes’ memorable victory, the United Kingdom ends the opening day of the European U18 Championships at the top of the medal table with one gold medal, ahead of Germany, who have collected two medals but are still searching for their first title. It represents the ideal start for the British team, who will now look to build on that momentum and add further medals as the championships continue in Rieti.
