TORUN, Poland — The Netherland star Nadine Visser improved her own world-leading time to win the women’s 60m hurdles title at the 2021 European Indoor Championships in Torun on Sunday. The men’s 60m hurdles crown went to France’s Wilhem Belocian, who edged defending World Indoor champion Andrew Pozzi of Great Britain.
Visser Dominated Women’s 60m Hurdles Rivals
The women’s sprint hurdles was expected to be one of the highlighted events on the final day of competition, but Dutch star Visser made it look easy as she posted a new world-leading time and personal best of 7.77 seconds to also improved her own national record.
“I had confidence that I could do this,” she said. “I was already in shape before the champs but I am really happy to do it in the final. The pressure of the final helps me.”
How To Watch Day 4 2021 European Indoor Championships
Visser got an early jump on the rest of the field at the start and then cleanly navigated over the five barriers to claim the victory and defended her European Indoor Championships title by a very wide margin.
Great Britain athletes grabbed a pair of medals in the final, after sisters Cindy Sember and sister Tiffany Porter finished second and third respectively.
Sember clocked 7.89 seconds for the silver medal with the bronze medal going to Porter in 7.92. Finland’s Nooralotta Neziri was just edged out for a medal after she finished fourth in 7.93.
Close Finish In Men’s 60m Hurdles
Meanwhile, Belocian and Pozzi featured in a very close battle in the men’s 60m hurdles before the Frenchman snatched the victory from the Brit star on the line.
Belocian’s superb run saw him clocking a personal best and European leading time of 7.43 seconds to seal the victory and edged Pozzi, who equaled his personal best with a second-place finishing time of 7.43.
“I am very happy,” said Belocian, who improved his previous best from 7.45 seconds in Madrid on 24 Feb. “My first title on senior level means a lot to me. And to run a PB in the finals of the European Championships is great.
“This title means so much to me, because I struggled a lot with injuries in the past. I can’t tell you how the race went, I just knew that I owned the race. The goal for this summer are the Olympics. Becoming Olympic Champion is the dream of each athlete, but the goal is really to get on the podium. Now I take some rest and enjoy this title.”
Pozzi won this event at the European Indoor Championships in 2017.
“I wanted the gold, so yes, I am disappointed, but it was still an equal PB, which shows I’m in great shape,” Pozzi said.
Bronze on the day went to Paolo Dal Molin of Italy in a time of 7.56 seconds.
