Perri Shakes-Drayton leads GB gold rush at European Under-23s

LLOYD Gumbs and Perri Shakes-Drayton both grabbed 400m hurdles gold at the European Under-23 Championships as GB captured seven medals on Saturday in Kaunas.

GOLDEN GIRL: Perri Shakes-Drayton romps to 400m hurdles gold at the European Under-23 Championships with a new lifetime best performance

Gumbs, forced to run from lane eight, clocked a lifetime best of 49.62 seconds - breaking the 50-second barrier for the first time - on his way to victory.

While Shakes-Drayton led a British 1-2 ahead of Eilidh Child, who took silver, in 55.26 secs - another personal best for the 20-year-old.

"I'm happy with how this weekend's gone because I had a really bad belly ache at the start of the week and I wasn't sure I wanted to be here - I'm so happy," said Shakes-Drayton.

Child added: "I hate getting beaten, but it was a good race. I thought I was going to catch her on the line but I ran out of track."

Meanwhile, Toby Sandeman added European under-23 gold to his Aviva UK Athletics Championship gold, won in Birmingham last weekend.

The 21-year-old clocked a lifetime best of 20.37 secs on the way to victory, while 19-year-old Richard Kilty came home seventh.

"I'm so delighted," said Sandeman. "The competition was very, very tough today and I'm just so glad I came through and took victory.

"I knew I had to run fast because the German has been running so well, but I was focused on beating him and I ran well and I'm so, so happy."

And the medal rush continued in the 110m hurdles as Gianni Frankis and Callum Priestley captured silver and bronze respectively.

And in the field, GB women's team captain Sarah Holt picked up bronze in the hammer - the same colour medal she picked up in Birmingham last weekend. - with a best throw of 60.30m.