European Championships: Scott makes mark with top-five finish while Benson is buoyed by early return from injury

YORKSHIRE'S Marc Scott underlined his status as one of Great Britain's best long-distance runners at the European Championships as the Northallerton athlete finished fifth in the 5,000m.
Yorkshire's Marc Scott. PIC: David Davies/PA WireYorkshire's Marc Scott. PIC: David Davies/PA Wire
Yorkshire's Marc Scott. PIC: David Davies/PA Wire

The British team has enjoyed plenty of long-distance success in recent years with the supremacy of Sir Mo Farah, but now is time for a new generation and 24-year-old Scott is at the forefront.

Competing alongside fellow Brits Ben Connor and Chris Thompson in Berlin’s Olympiastadion, Scott recorded a season’s best time of 13:23.14 to finish just outside of the medals.

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Scott surged forwards from tenth at the 3,500m to pick off competitors for a strong finish, with Norway’s prodigal son Jakob Ingebrigtsen, 17, claiming gold.

Triathlete Gordon Benson, from Halifax, made an early return from injury - as a late call-up for the European Championships. PIC: James HardistyTriathlete Gordon Benson, from Halifax, made an early return from injury - as a late call-up for the European Championships. PIC: James Hardisty
Triathlete Gordon Benson, from Halifax, made an early return from injury - as a late call-up for the European Championships. PIC: James Hardisty

“I think I could have won a medal on the right day I just fell a little short today,” said Scott, the NCAA champion of 2017. “I’ve just had a hard block of training so eased up to freshen the legs and I’m pleased with the run.

“A little short of the goal I set in mind but I’m satisfied, put it that way.”

Thompson ran a swift pace early on but eventually finished ninth while Connor set a new personal best for 11th.

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Richmond & Zetland AC runner Scott, who studied with a five-year scholarship at the University of Tulsa, will look to build on the result and could be in action at the World Championships in Doha next year.

Elsewhere in Berlin, Dina Asher-Smith completed a sprint double with her excellent 200m run, Shara Proctor took bronze in the women’s long jump and Britain’s men’s 4x400m relay took silver, while the women took bronze.

Gordon Benson may have only arrived on the day of his race but the Halifax triathlete claims competing in the European Championships on home soil was a special feeling.

The 24-year-old only travelled to Strathclyde Country Park from Leeds on Saturday morning to replace Barclay Izzard in the mixed team relay in Glasgow.

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Benson, who was meant to be out for the whole of the season with a shoulder injury, completed his leg of the race in 18:21 as Britain finished 12th overall.

To come back into triathlon sooner than expected was a huge positive for Benson and he hopes it can help him going into 2019.

He said: “I’ve been injured all season so I’m just happy to be here racing really and help move the team up a little bit. I wasn’t meant to be racing until next season so the fact I’m racing in August, I’m just happy to be on the start line.

“It’s good to come and represent the team as well. It’s always nice to come and put on the suit for Great Britain. It was a home European Championships that I was set to miss out on so it’s brilliant that I got the chance to compete.

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“It was great fun out there. The crowd have been amazing and I was looking forward to getting out there.

“The crowd are shouting the whole way around for you. Every time you went into the grandstand bit the volume went up a notch so that was great to hear.”