Kerrs end Britain's 15-year wait for European Championship medal

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Posted: Friday 23rd January 2009 | 21:51

ICE dancers Sinead and John Kerr have become the first Brits to claim a European Championship medal in 15 years with bronze in Helsinki.

Kerrs claim bronze at European Championships in Helsinki
BRONZE BAGGED: Sinead and John Kerr claim bronze at the European Championships (Getty Images)

The Scottish duo were third after the Compulsory Dance, as well as the Original Dance and they remained calm under pressure to finish the Free Dance in third place.

They become the first Brits on the podium since 1994, when Torvill and Dean won gold in Copenhagen.

The siblings notched up a Free Dance score of 92.60 points with their ‘journey from perdition' to give them an overall total of 185.20 - just 1.74 short of their personal best.

The Kerrs are developing a habit of winning medals this season, having claimed gold at the Finlandia Trophy and two bronzes on the ISU Grand Grand Prix circuit.

But until now, a medal at a major competition had eluded them with fifth place their previous highest at the European Championships in 2007.

Russian champions Jana Khoklova and Sergei Novitski sealed victory, having led from the front in all three segments, ending with a total score of 196.91 - a new season's best.

And six-time Italian champions Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali claimed silver with a Free Dance score of 91.11, to give them 186.17 points overall.

Meanwhile, the other British pairing of Christina Chitwood and Mark Hanretty, produced a solid if unspectacular showing in the Free Dance to gain 66.67 points and finish the competition in 18th place in their debut European Championship appearance.