European Championships: Martyn Rooney retains 400m title as Jazmin Sawyers claims long jump silver

Martyn Rooney justified the late decision to allow him to compete at the European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam by successfully retaining his 400m title on Friday night (8 July). Due to UK Sport funding being almost entirely focused on Olympic performance, the 29-year-old was told that he would not be able to defend the gold medal he won in Zurich two years ago and should turn his attentions to preparations for Rio de Janeiro.

However, Rooney, a two-time medalist in the 4x400m relay who failed to seal an automatic Olympic berth at the British Championships last month after finishing third, was later granted permission to compete and performed perfectly to claim victory ahead of Pavel Maslak and Liemarvin Bonevacia in a time of 45.29 seconds. He is the first man to win consecutive 400m European titles since Roger Black in 1990.

Elsewhere for British athletes on day three of competition in the Dutch capital, Jazmin Sawyers claimed second place in the women's long jump final. The 2014 Commonwealth Games silver medalist was aided by a +2.8 wind and jumped 6.86m in the third round. Serbia's Ivana Spanovic won gold with a leap of 6.94m and Malaika Mihambo edged Ksenija Balta to take bronze.

Trowbridge sprinter Danny Talbot was eventually awarded bronze in the men's 200m final after initial race winner and 100m champion Churandy Martina was retrospectively disqualified for veering out of his lane.

Anyika Onuora and Christine Ohuruogu crossed the line third and fourth respectively in the women's 400m. Asha Philip finished 0.02secs adrift of bronze in the 100m showpiece, a race that was won by Dafne Schippers. Britain are currently second in the medal table, behind Turkey with three golds, one silver and three bronzes. Saturday night's events include the women's 800m final and the men's 1,500m.