ABBIE DONNELLY became the first British woman to win a marathon medal at the European Athletics Championships after she clinched bronze on the final day of the competition in Birmingham.

The 29-year-old crossed in a time of two hours, 27 minutes and 33 seconds in front of a home crowd who roared her over the finish line.

Finland’s Alisa Vaini, who smashed the championship record in an impressive 2hrs 22mins 26secs and almost five minutes quicker than Hungary’s Lili Anna Vindics-Toth who grabbed silver.

Donnelly was the latest Great Britain athlete to bring home a medal, while also studying for a PhD in Victorian imperialism at Loughborough University which is due in just six weeks’ time.

After adding bronze to her European cross country third place in 2023, Donnelly said: “I really hoped [I could get a medal today], but it was an optimistic goal.

“I had a bit of hamstring trouble in April so my block has been a bit different to normal, which probably isn’t a bad thing.

“It got tough with about three laps to go because you know the hills by that point and know where the hard points are so it was a proper rollercoaster.

“They [crowd] literally did get me to the end. I think I had a bit of an out of body experience, I was just being screamed at which I love.

“These two events did not come in a well-timed place in the year so I might give myself tomorrow and then I’ve got a lot of writing left to do.”

Natasha Wilson was the next Briton home in fifth with a time of 2:27:54, while Rose Harvey, who went to university in Birmingham, came 14th. The trio, alongside Louise Small and Clara Evans-Graham, won gold in the team event.

Harvey said: “I knew it was going to be tough. It was nice to come back and felt like these championships was meant to be, as I didn’t know I was meant to be running in it last year so I’m glad I made it.”

In the men’s marathon, Mahamed Mahamed led the British men’s team home in seventh place with a time of 2:09:43 in a race which was won by Germany’s Amanal Petros, who also produced a championship record of two hours, nine minutes and 11 seconds.

Italy’s Pietro Riva claimed silver with Gashau Ayale of Israel in third.

Mahamed hoped he could have won a medal in Birmingham and admitted he could have done more.

The 28-year-old said: “I finished seventh, but believed I could’ve done more. I just didn’t have the kick, but I was pushing from the front in the beginning but I will take it.

“I’m still learning. I’m trying to progress and develop, it’s early in my career.”