MUNICH, Aug 11: Colin Jackson and Alex Averbukh shared the spotlight on a day of history and emotion at the European Athletics Championships on Saturday.

Briton Jackson became the first athlete to win four consecutive European track titles with a stylish victory in the 110 metres hurdles final, while Averbukh handed Israel their first gold medal from a major championships in the city where 11 Israelis were killed during the 1972 Olympics.

The 35-year-old Jackson, eager to make up for his recent failure to win a third Commonwealth title in Manchester, clocked a winning time of 13.11 seconds for a place in the record books.

Jackson needed the fastest time by a European this season to shrug off a brave challenge from Stanislavs Olijars.

The Latvian remained in contention until the final hurdle before having to settle for silver in 13.22 seconds, while Poland’s Artur Kohutek took the bronze in 13.32.

The 27-year-old Averbukh won the men’s pole vault final as fought back tears as the Israeli anthem resounded around the stadium built for the 1972 Games, during which his compatriots were killed.

Ashia Hansen brought Britain’s tally from the Munich festival to five gold medals by winning a dramatic women’s triple jump final, leaping 15 metres on her last try to beat Finland’s Heli Koivula into second place.

Koivula had been leading the competition since a first jump of 14.83 metres, which was eventually good enough for silver, while Russian Yelena Oleynikova won the bronze by landing a final jump of 14.54 metres.

There was plenty of excitement as well in the women’s 5,000 metres final with Spain’s Marta Dominguez sprinting to the line to deny Ireland’s Sonia O’Sullivan a successful title defence.

Martinez won in 15 minutes 14.76 seconds with Sullivan having to be content with silver in 15:14.85 and Russian Yelena Zadorozhnaya taking bronze in 15:15.22.

Favourite Simon Vroemen had victory in sight in another exciting final in the 3,000 metres steeplechase before Spaniard Antonio Jimenez outsprinted him from the inside lane for a close victory in eight minutes 24.34 seconds.

Dutchman Vroemen had to settle for silver in 8:24.45 in an event dominated by the African runners on the world stage while Spain’s Luis Miguel Martin won the bronze in 8:24.72.

Russian Irina Korzhanenko, silver medallist four years ago, went one better this time in the women’s shot put with a leading throw of 20.64 metres.

Results of finals:

On Saturday:

Men’s 110 metres hurdles: 1. Colin Jackson (Britain) 13.11 seconds; 2. Stanislavs Olijars (Latvia) 13.22; 3. Artur Kohutek (Poland) 13.32; 4. Florian Schwarthoff (Germany) 13.37; 5. Mike Fenner (Germany) 13.39; 6. Devis Favaro (Italy) 13.59; 7. Robert Kronberg (Sweden) 13.63; 8. Zhivko Videnov (Bulgaria) 13.67.

Men’s 3,000 metres steeple chase: 1. Antonio Jimenez (Spain) eight minutes 24.34 seconds; 2. Simon Vroemen (Netherlands) 8:24.45; 3. Luis Miguel Martin (Spain) 8:24.72; 4. Bouabdallah Tahri (France) 8:26.86; 5. Eliseo Martin (Spain) 8:28.63; 6. Vadim Slobodenyuk (Ukraine) 8:30.16; 7. Martin Proll (Austria) 8:33.24; 8. Rafal Wojcik (Poland) 8:35.41; 9. Vincent Le Dauphin (France) 8:40.39; 10. Roman Usov (Russia) 8:42.62; 11. Luciano Di Pardo (Italy) 8:46.13; 12. G.Weidlinger (Austria) 9:00.82.

Men’s pole vault: 1. Alex Averbukh (Israel) 5.85 metres; 2. Lars Borgeling (Germany) 5.80; 3. Tim Lobinger (Germany) 5.80; 4. Patrik Kristiansson (Sweden) 5.80; 5. Stepan Janacek (Czech Republic) 5.75; 6 equal. Denis Yurchenko (Ukraine) 5.70, 6 equal. Adam Ptacek (Czech Republic) 5.70; 8. Vasiliy Gorshkov (Russia) 5.70; 9. Oscar Janson (Sweden) 5.60; 10. Giuseppe Gibilisco (Italy) 5.60; 11. Piotr Buciarski (Denmark) 5.50; 12. Pavel Gerasimov (Russia) 5.40.

Women’s marathon: 1. Maria Guida (Italy) two hours and 26.05 seconds; 2. Luminita Zaituc (Germany) 2:26.58; 3. Sonja Oberem (Germany) 2:28.45; 4. Jane Salumae (Estonia) 2:33.46; 5. Rosaria Console (Italy) 2:35.23; 6. Nadezhda Wijenberg (Netherlands) 2:36.06; 7. Maria Soderstrom-Lundberg (Sweden) 2:36.13; 8. Ulrike Maisch (Germany) 2:36.41; 9. Annamette Jensen (Denmark) 2:37.27; 10. Judit Foldingne Nagy (Hungary) 2:37.33; 11. Anna Pichrtova (Czech Republic) 2:37.39; 12. Giovanna Volpato (Italy) 2:38.15; 13. Irina Timofeyeva (Russia) 2:40.11; 14. Tatyana Zolotaryova (Russia) 2:41.29; 15. Dagmar Rabensteiner (Austria) 2:41.39; 16. Lydiya Vasilevskaya (Russia) 2:44.28; 17. Melanie Kraus (Germany) 2:44.56; 18. Susanne Johansson (Sweden) 2:47.11; 19. Fatima Silva (Portugal) 2:47.28; 20. Irina Safarova (Russia) 2:49.21; 21. Karin Schon (Sweden) 2:49.57; Marleen Renders (Belgium) did not finish; Nuta Olaru (Romania) did not finish; Alevtina Ivanova (Russia) did not finish; Valentina Delion (Macedonia) did not finish; Chantal Dallenbach (France) disqualified.

Women’s triple jump: 1. Ashia Hansen (Britain) 15.00 metres; 2. Heli Koivula (Finland) 14.83; 3. Yelena Oleynikova (Russia) 14.54; 4. Mihaela Gindila (Romania) 14.43; 5. Cristina Nicolau (Romania) 14.39; 6. Magdelin Martinez (Italy) 14.27; 7. Chrysopigi Devetzi (Greece) 14.15; 8. Anna Pyatykh (Russia) 14.08; 9. Olga Bolshova (Moldova) 14.03; 10. Barbara Lah (Italy) 14.02; 11. Carlota Castrejana (Spain) 13.82; 12. Irina Vasilyeva (Russia) 13.55.

Women’s shot put: 1. Irina Korzhanenko (Russia) 20.64 metres; 2. Vita Pavlysh (Ukraine) 20.02; 3. Svetlana Krivelyova (Russia) 19.56; 4. Astrid Kumbernuss (Germany) 19.22; 5. Nadezhda Ostapchuk (Belarus) 19.07; 6. Nadine Kleinert-Schmitt (Germany) 18.68; 7. Krystyna Zabawska (Poland) 18.63; 8. Assunta Legnante (Italy) 18.23; 9. Nadine Beckel (Germany) 18.18; 10. Lieja Tunks (Netherlands) 17.54; 11. Elena Hila (Romania) 17.41; 12. Kaliopi Ouzoni (Greece) 17.38; 13. Valentina Fedyushina (Austria) 17.11; 14. Cristiana Checchi (Italy) 15.81; 15. Sevda Kalkan (Turkey) 14.63.

Women’s 5,000 metres: 1. Marta Dominguez (Spain) 15 minutes 14.76 seconds; 2. Sonia O’Sullivan (Ireland) 15:14.85; 3. Yelena Zadorozhnaya (Russia) 15:15.22; 4. Olga Yegorova (Russia) 15:16.65; 5. Joanne Pavey (Britain) 15:18.70; 6. Mihaela Botezan (Romania) 15:19.12; 7. Elvan Abeylegasse (Turkey) 15:24.41; 8. Gunhild Haugen (Norway) 15:30.19; 9. Sonja Stolic (Yugoslavia) 15:33.42; 10. Melanie Schulz (Germany) 15:46.64; 11. Gloria Marconi (Italy) 15:47.63; 12. Ines Monteiro (Portugal) 15:55.79; 13. Silvia Weissteiner (Italy) 15:58.92; 14. Helena Javornik (Slovenia) 16:06.32; 15. Una English (Ireland) 16:19.36; 16. Krisztina Papp (Hungary) 16:20.23; 17. Liliya Volkova (Russia) 16:21.21; 18. Hayley Yelling (Britain) 16:26.41; 19. Maria McCambridge (Ireland) 17:00.15; Olivera Jevtic (Yugoslavia) did not finish; Marina Bastos (Portugal) did not finish; Maria Protopapa (Greece) did not finish; Chrysostomia Iakovou (Greece) did not start.—Reuters