Kallur, Friedrich & Britons impress in Glasgow International

European sprint hurdles champion Susanna Kallur sent a devastating message to her rivals around the world this afternoon as she opened her 2008 season at the Glasgow Indoor International with her sixth consecutive in a world leading time.

"This is my sixth time opening my season here and it's absolutely great," said the delighted Swede who crossed the line in 7.81, just 0.01s outside her lifetime best.

Kallur appears to love running in Britain for as well as her six victories in Glasgow, the 26-year-old snapped up the European indoor title in Birmingham last March. This was her best ever start to a season.

"I love the atmosphere here," she said. "I was very surprised by the time. 7.81 is my second best time and absolutely my best opener to a season ever, so it's a fantastic way to start."

Kallur's powerful hurdling left USA's Lolo Jones floundering in second place, more than 0.2s behind and got the crowd on its feet early in the meeting.

But she was far from the only European athlete to show good form. Indeed, it was a good day for European athletics all round as Britain beat USA in the five-way match by a point thanks to seven victories, and two German jumpers lit up the compact Kelvin Hall arena.

The Britons first. Their win in the match (against USA, Germany, Sweden and a Commonwealth select side) came in dramatic style thanks to two sparkling 60m victories for Craig Pickering and Jeanette Kwakye in the final two events of the day.

Pickering, in particular, looked impressive as he blasted away from fellow Brits Simeon Williamson, running for the Commonwealth, and his training partner Ryan Scott, to cross the line in 6.57, the quickest in the world so far.

The 21-year-old European indoor silver medallist, made his name at this meeting last year when he beat Jaosn Gardener, a former world indoor champion. Pickering's performance sent a message to his world rivals about his intentions for the rest of the indoor season.

"It's great to be in this sort of form already in an Olympic year," he said. "But my focus now is on the World Indoor Championships."

USA's Darvis Patton, twice a world relay champion, was left languishing in fourth place by Pickering's speed, while Kwakye also took some notable scalps as she won the women's 60m in 7.23, leaving Jamaica's Olympic relay champion Aleen Bailey back in fourth.

There was big-name conquest for Richard Buck too. The 21-year-old, a European junior relay champion from 2005, overhauled the reigning world indoor champion Alleyne Francique to win the men's 400m in 47.76.

And British women dominated their middle distance events as Jenny Meadows in the 800m, Lisa Dobriskey in the 1500m and Katrina Wootton in the 3000m all ran from the front to secure victories. Meadows, in particular, looked strong as she clocked 2:02.89, a time only Russia's Yelena Sobolyeva has bettered this year.

The other British victory went to Chris Tomlinson in the long jump, with 7.86m, but the Scottish crowd's great hope, Alan Scott, failed to live up to his newly acquired "world leader" reputation when he was disqualifed from the 60m hurdles for false starts. USA's David Oliver won in 7.60.

It was a good day for heptathlete Jessica Ennis though. The Briton who finished fourth at the World Championships in Osaka last summer, produced no fewer than four personal bests in her two events.

First she equalled her PB in a tough race against the hurdles specialists, clocking 8.18 to finish fifth. Then she jumped 6.28, 6.30 and 6.33 to finish second in the long jump.

"I'm a bit ahead of where I was last year," said Ennis afterwards. "It has been a good day for me with PBs. I am feeling good in myself for the rest of the year."

Germany's Bianca Kappler was an impressive winner of the long jump with 6.37m, although her teammate Ariane Friedrich was by far the pick of the day's field eventers.

The 2003 European junior champion, Friedrich came to Glasgow aiming to clear 1.95m but surprised everyone, including herself, by leaping 2.00m, one centimetre above her previous best and the best in the world this year.

"It's just a dream for every high jumper to clear 2.00m and now my dream has come true here in Glasgow," said the delighted 24-year-old, who beat Sweden's 2005 world bronze medallist Emma Green by 7cm.

"My goal for the season was 1.95m, so now . . . we will see," she said. "As for the World Indoors – of course!"

Germany's other field event victory went to Alexander Straub in the pole vault. Straub beat USA's world champion Brad Walker, who had to retire with an injured heel, plus the British pair Steve Lewis and Scott Simpson, and Sweden's Alhaji Jeng.

Johan Wissman was Europe's only other winner. Like Kallur, the European silver medallist showed powerful early season form to win the 200m in 21.18, a time only Roman Smirnov has beaten this year.

"We are all looking to the Olympics," said the Swede.

For his teammate Kallur, the road to Beijing may already look just a little bit clearer.