'Over the moon' – Dobson takes 400m European silver, Caudery earns pole vault bronze

Britain’s Charlie Dobson set a personal best as he finished with a silver medal in the men’s 400 metre at the European Athletics Championships.

Alexander Doom was the winner at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome with a time of 44.15.

Dobson fell behind his Belgian opponent in the final metres to miss out on a gold medal in 44.38, while Liemarvin Bonevacia of the Netherlands finished third in 44.88.

It was Dobson’s first major individual medal and means he will go to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as a contender to finish on the podium.

“I’m over the moon, I couldn’t be happier with that,” Dobson said. “I think I executed the race perfectly, exactly how me and my coach wanted to.

“Unfortunately it wasn’t the gold but I’m more than happy to take the silver, especially with a PB like that.”

Molly Caudery added to Britain’s medal tally – which now amounts to nine – by finishing third in the women’s pole vault.

The 24-year-old is the reigning indoor world champion but could not improve on a second-time clearance at 4.73m.

Switzerland’s Angelica Moser clinched the gold medal as the only athlete over 4.78m, while Greece’s Aikaterini Stefanidi was the silver medallist.

“It was a really great competition,” Caudery said. “I think the fact I’m a little disappointed, isn’t a bad thing. I just got a bronze medal at the European Championships.

“If I had told myself that a year ago, I would’ve been absolutely over the moon but I think I have a new expectation of myself. It was so close but I’m still so happy.”

There is the potential for another British medal on Tuesday through Daryll Neita, who booked a place in the women’s 200m final with 22.51 in the semi-finals.

“I’m feeling confident about tomorrow’s final,” said Neita. “It would mean so much to me.

“I came here two years ago, competed in the 100m and got the bronze and I really felt like I was capable of doing better. This time I really want to execute and do what I know I can do.”

Elsewhere, Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek won the women’s 400m in 48.98 after edging past Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke on the final stretch.

Adeleke set a national record of 49.07 to take the silver medal, while Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands was the bronze medallist in 50.08. Britain’s Laviai Nielsen was sixth.

Timothe Mumenthaler of Switzerland won the men’s 200m in 20.28, with his compatriot William Reais coming third. Filippo Tortu finished in between the Swiss pair.