Emily Pidgeon (Gloucester AC), the defending 5000m champion, opened the Norwich Union Great Britain and Northern Ireland team’s medal account at the 19^th European Junior Championships in Hengelo, Netherlands, on Friday evening, 20 July.

Towards the sullen, humid end of a dramatic day interrupted for 1 hour 40 minutes by a fierce thunderstorm, Pidgeon took the 5000m bronze medal in 16:31.30.

It was not a twin for the gold she won two years ago in Kaunas, Lithuania. But it was probably a better run given that she had been struggling with a cold ever since landing in Hengelo on Monday evening.

“Today’s the first day this week that I have not had a headache,” said the 18-year-old, whose preparations were also interrupted by the A-level exams that will earn her a place at Loughborough University in the autumn.

She was with the leaders to halfway but said: “It was hard. It was hot and humid. We were praying for the rain to come back because it cools down the body temperature.

“I’m very, very pleased because I am not fully race fit. I’ve been getting there because I really wanted to do this. It was a good occasion. It was wonderful to run round with so many people cheering and I swear Britain had the biggest crowd of supporters; they were brilliant. I’m pleased I got a medal.”

Pidgeon’s time was 16:31.30 while the medals went to 19-year-olds Natalya Popkova (Russia) in 16:08.95 and Ingunn Opsal (Norway) in 16:14.59.

Pidgeon, who is coached by UK Athletics Senior Performance Manager for Endurance Alan Storey, also had praise for her 16-year-old team mate Charlotte Purdue (Aldershot, Farnham and District AC) who finished 10^th in 16:59.36 before dashing away from the track saying: “I’m going to be sick.”

“Charlie did well because she is only in the second day of her cold. She has got the full blow today.”

Ironically, by the time the medal ceremony was held, the cooling rain had returned.

Women’s shot final: Eden Francis (Leicester Coritanian), a former child model coached by her mum Glenys Morton, was angry and disappointed to finish fifth with 15.32m, half a metre down on her best.

“15.32m! I shouldn’t throw that at a Junior League never mind in a European Championships final,” she said after a series that went no throw, 14.93, 14.66, 14.60, 15.29 and 15.32.  She had thrown 15.57m in qualifying yesterday.

The title was retained by the World Junior Champion Melissa Boekelman (Netherlands) with 16.51m from Alena Kopets (Belarus), who threw a PB of 16.10m; Isabell Von Loga (Germany), bronze medallist with 15.74m; and Agnieszka Dudzinska (Poland), 15.35m.

Women’s 100m final: Anike Shand-Whittingham (Blackheath Harriers and Bromley AC), who was sixth-fastest in last night’s semi-finals, never fully settled into her briskest best in lane eight and finished sixth in 11.82 seconds. Ezinne Okparaebo won in a Norwegian Junior record of 11.45 seconds, 15-hundredths quicker than Shand-Whittingham’s PB.

The 17-year-old said of the biggest race of her life so far: “I wasn’t too put-off by the lane draw because you can still run fast from lane eight. I was glad to get out before the German girl in lane seven but I didn’t get my first foot down fast enough. Halfway down the track I noticed I was running too close to my inside line and the German girl was almost hitting my arm.

“I knew I was not in the medals. When I saw the time on the trackside clock, I was upset because if I had run a PB I would have got a medal. The time I ran was not that good. I was upset. I was glad to get to the final and wish I had done more with it.

“Now I know what it’s like. I’m thinking, ‘Don’t take any prisoners man!”

Men’s 100m final: Leevan Yearwood (Victoria Park Harriers and Tower Hamlets AC) carried the burden of favouritism – and the knowledge that he was expected to become the 10^th British winner of ‘the dash’ in the 19 editions of these championships – and suffered the pain of disqualification for causing a second false start.

The first false start was caused by Aggelos Aggelakis (Greece) in the lane next to Yearwood, who said of his agony: “I don’t know why I did it. I don’t usually anticipate the gun. I have never been disqualified before.

“I didn’t feel much pressure. I slightly twitched to go because I thought if I didn’t go, I might get a bad start.”

The gold medal went to Julian Reus (Germany) in 10.38 seconds, eight-hundredths slower than Yearwood’s best this season. The wind was a moderate +0.2 metres per second.

The second day of competition began with a shock for the Norwich Union Great Britain and Northern Ireland team. Their inspirational Men’s Team Captain Daniel Awde (Woodford Green with Essex Ladies) was forced to withdraw from the decathlon while lying fourth with 3939 points, within 69 points of a medal position.

He suffered a stomach bug overnight, climbed off his sickbed this morning and went to the track to warm-up for the sixth event, but quickly realised that he was drained of energy and sadly returned to the team hotel to go back to bed, in the care of the team’s medical staff.

“It’s the most disappointing thing that could happen to Dan,” said Team Leader Martin Rush, who had accompanied him to the stadium. “He had a great first day and was looking forward to challenging for a personal best points total today. He came down to the warm-up track this morning, ran a couple of strides and finished up on his knees.”

Here is how the other Norwich Union GB&NI athletes performed either side of a fierce thunderstorm on the second day and what they said about their competitions:

Women’s high jump qualifying: Vikki Hubbard (Grantham AC), pictured on the homepage, who came into athletics through sports:hall enjoyment, went through to the final, clinching her place by clearing 1.80m at the first attempt for equal third place in Group A and equal fourth overall. She had also cleared 1.69m and 1.74m with her first attempts before needing two trials at 1.77m.

Hubbard, who was seventh at the 2005 World Youth Championships and a finalist at the 2006 World Junior Championships, said: “The experience that I have already had helped me. It was a bit of a strong head wind on some of the jumps so I had to alter the run-ups. I can not wait until Sunday and come out and fly!”

Adele Lassu (Barnsley AC), the reigning England Athletics Under 20 Champion, had first time clearances at 1.69m and 1.74m but then went out, placed equal seventh in Group B and equal 14^th overall. She had two very close attempts at 1.77m, within 3cm of her PB, but clipped the bar off each time and was ranked equal seventh in her pool.

She said of her international debut: “I completely lost concentration at 1.77m. I don’t know why. I felt good in practice.”

Women’s 200m first round: Both Norwich Union GB&NI athletes sped into the semi-finals.