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Gevaert makes history for Belgium
 Gevaert celebrates becoming the first Belgian woman to claim European gold. GOTHENBURG, Sweden -- Kim Gevaert has won the 100 meters title in Gothenburg to become Belgium's first ever female European champion. The twice European indoor 60m champion led from the gun and was never troubled as she crossed the line in a time of 11.06 seconds. "I feel great, it's so wonderful to have it go as planned," said Gevaert. Russian duo Yekaterina Grigoryeva and Irina Khabarova took second and third in the same time of 11.22 seconds. Olympic champion Yuliya Nesterenko, who has been anonymous on the track this season, was sixth in 11.34. "Everything I dreamed about just came together. I've worked so hard this year. For the first time in a big championship I do a good 100 because so many times I mess up," said Gevaert, who won two silvers four years ago in Munich. "I knew I had to do a big start and that gave me the wings to just keep on going as I thought, 'They're coming, they're coming,' and I was so happy to be the first across the line," added the sprinter, who broke down with joy after the finish. Belgium had previously won only two gold medals at the European championships, in the 3,000m steeplechase in 1962 and the marathon in 1971. Gevaert, 28, said there had been a lot of expectation in Belgium on her bringing home the country's first European gold in 35 years. "You feel the pressure and you put pressure on yourself. I was thinking, 'Come on Kim, it's there and you can do it.'" The fastest European woman this season could add to Belgium's tally when she runs in the 200. The heats start on Thursday. Meanwhile, Russia dominated the third day of the championships, claiming three gold, three silver and two bronze medals to take their overall tally to 14. The pick of the bunch was a fantastic performance in the men's high jump by Andrey Silnov, the 21-year-old Russian champion producing a faultless display of jumping through to 2.36m. "Everything was in place today: my run-up, technique and speed," said Silnov. "I will continue to do everything to attack 2.40m." With Swedish hopes lying with Olympic champion Stefan Holm and Linus Thornbald, the 30,000 vocal spectators at the Ullevi Stadium were treated to a riveting competition that had them up and down like yo-yos. Tomas Janku of the Czech Republic eventually took silver from Holm on countback on 2.34m. Silnov's compatriot Tatyana Lebedeva left it late to win the women's triple jump, the two-time triple jump world champion and long jump Olympic gold medallist leaping a championship record of 15.15m in her sixth and final attempt. That was enough to snatch the gold by 10cm from Hrisopiyi Devetzi of Greece, who herself edged Anna Pyatykh, also of Russia, by 3cm. "This is great victory for me because it was achieved in a tough fight," said Lebedeva. "In the last round I was suddenly third, so I decided to risk it all in my last jump. "With this gold medal I now have the full collection after winning World championships and Olympic Games." The third Russian gold came from the little-known Yeygeniya Isakova, who pulled off a major surprise in the women's 400m hurdles. After spotting Fani Halkia of Greece -- the Olympic champion -- tiring in the final 20 meters, she motored through to the line to win gold in 53.93 seconds. Halkia held on for silver with Ukraine's Tetyana Tereshchuk-Antipova taking bronze in 54.55. "It was a tough race, but I trusted myself and my finish," said Isakova. It was also a memorable day for France, who claimed gold medals in the 1500m and 400m through Mehdi Baala and Marc Raquil respectively. Defending champion Baala won a cracker of a race, breaking at the bell past the Spanish trio of pacesetters and holding his stride through to the line in 3:39.02 ahead of Ivan Heshko of Ukraine and Spain's Juan Carlos Higuero. Baala's win means he becomes the first man since Briton Steve Cram in 1986 to retain the European title for that event. Raquil's win was equally as dramatic, a last-meter lunge for the line pushing him ahead of Russian Vladislav Frolov, who had led for most of the race. Raquil's compatriot Leslie Djhone took bronze. Norway's Andreas Thorkildsen dominated the men's javelin, recording a best throw of 88.78m in a consistent showing. That effort by the current Olympic champion and world silver medallist was more than two metres clear than Tero Pitkamaki of Finland. An elusive European title proved out of reach for Czech veteran Jan Zelezny, the 40-year-old triple Olympic and double world champion content with bronze (85.92m). "I feel tired but ahappy because some people did not believe in me and I showed them that despite my age I can still throw with the younger boys," said Zelezny. 
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