European Athletics (EAA) – News – Britain ready to lay down gauntlet to Russia in Stockholm this weekend

Great Britain’s head coach Charles van Commenee and British team captain David Greene believe that they can have the Russians looking over their shoulder at the SPAR European Team Championships in Stockholm this weekend.

Last year, Russia scored 379.5 points across the two days in the Norwegian city of Bergen, winning from Great Britain by a massive 62.5 points.

Nevertheless, Britain – whose men’s team were winners of the former European Cup on several occasions – impressed when moving up a spot from third place at the inaugural Championships in 2009.

"Clearly last year Russia was way ahead of the rest. It looks at the moment that we have a stronger team than last year so I'm pretty confident we will narrow that gap but whether we can actually bridge it remains to be seen,” said van Commenee.

"When we travel out we should always try to win it. Having said that France is definitely on the way up on the global platform, and so is Germany, so it's a very interesting competition and we have a chance," he added.

Van Commenee remains quietly satisfied about the improvement in his athletes in the run-up to next year’s Olympic Games, which will have the hugely motivating factor of being held on home soil in London.

"We are heading in the right direction. We've had quite a few interesting performances already this early season, with Greg Rutherford, Dai Greene, Jenny Meadows, Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis.

"So it's quite good, but it would be too soon if the Games were played this year. We do need those 14 months to build the team stronger and I know from experience you can do amazing things in 12 months," commented van Commenee.

The 2010 European Athletics Championships 400m hurdles gold medallist David ‘Dai’ Greene is equally bullish about British prospects in the Swedish capital.

“I have the growing feeling that every year these Championships take on a greater importance for British athletes and the UK Athletics coaches. We also seem to be getting stronger every year,” said Greene, who will be chasing a hat trick of Championship victories after winning in 2009 and 2010.

“I’m not going to give my [British] vest away at an event like this and I’m going to go out and compete as well as I can for my country. Obviously, Russia are always going to be strong and there is France – they’ve had a great couple of championships in the last 12 months at the Europeans indoors and outdoors – and Germany to look for as well but I think we’ll be in there fighting,” added the man who has been Europe’s undisputed number one 400m hurdler since the start of 2010.

European Athletics (EAA) – News –