THIRD IN EUROPE!

For 99.99 per cent of athletes it would be a dream, but for Trackspeed1 wonderkid David Bolarinwa, a European Championship bronze medal was a let-down.

David ponders on what could have been, but will surely look back on
a European medal as a major stepping stone to greater things in the future.

The 100m final in a steaming Kadriorg Stadium Tallin, where the temperature was 36 degrees and still rising at 6pm, failed to live up to the 17-year-old's expectations, leaving him third in a race won by one of the fastest juniors of all time.

Frenchman Jimmy Vicaut won in a stunning 10.07, but the real agony for David was that fellow Brit Adam Gemili ran the race of his life to out-dip him on the line for silver.  Gemili clocked 10.41 and Bolarinwa 10.46.

"David was extremely disappointed," said coach John Powell, "and I can understand that.  He has run faster times earlier in the season, and we have to look to see what, if anything, needs changing in the future.  He was in superb form coming out here, and 10.46 does not represent what he is worth right now."

David will have very little time to lick his wounds though, with the semi-finals of the 200m tomorrow (Saturday at 2pm UK time), and the final two hours later.

"David is every inch capable of winning the 200m," said John, "as long as he snaps out of today's disappointment.  He is a massive talent, and it would be a travesty for him to leave a championships like this without proving just that."