Abbie Donnelly became the first British woman to win a marathon medal at the European Championships as she claimed bronze in Birmingham on Sunday. Great Britain also claimed a team gold, beating Italy and Spain to the top of the podium as Natasha Wilson finished fifth and Rose Harvey 14th. Donnelly's performance is the best by a female British marathon runner at a European Championships since Kath Binns placed ninth in 1982. In two hours 27 minutes 33 seconds, the Lincolnshire runner finished behind Hungary's Lili Anna Vindics-Toth, while Finnish favourite Alisa Vainio took gold in 2:22:26, cutting the championship record by nearly three minutes. Great Britain's women's team marathon gold is the nation's seventh overall at the championships, leaving them one shy of leaders Italy going into the final evening of action.
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"It means everything to do this here in Birmingham," said Donnelly, formerly a cross country runner. "I've never done a home champs before so to have the crowd shout 'Abbie Donnelly' was an incredible experience." With Vainio striking out alone early in the race, team-mates Donnelly and Wilson had each other for company in the chasing pack for much of the race, which the bronze medallist said was a "massive" help. It was Vindics-Toth who made the decisive break, though, before Donnelly followed, holding on through an uphill climb to the finish line and crossing 12 seconds after the Hungarian. "I can't believe it to be honest," said Donnelly, 29. "That was an amazing experience and a relief to get round the course, it was so hilly. "I think it was a case of being really cautious at the start, especially the first half, knowing those hills would slowly catch up with you. Even the downhills as well, I think my quads have gone!" Donnelly won two team golds at European Cross Country Championships before moving to the roads and winning a team gold in the half marathon at her first European Championships in Rome in 2024. "It's so exciting, we were talking about it yesterday about how we'd love to get a gold," Donnelly said. "I'm so proud of the whole team, they all ran amazingly. "I love the people in this sport. I love the friends I've made. I love the feeling once you've finished the race. "The whole atmosphere of running, it's such a friendly group. It's such a privilege to be part of the team."
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