CHAMPIONS D’Europe! 🇫🇷 Mixed relay race replay | Brussels 2023

After three silver medals, France finally win mixed relay gold at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships! Re-live their triumph in full again!

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Mix Rel was first introduced I think it was at the world under 18 championships several years ago in Kell Columbia was one of the best races and it was exactly for that reason that one of the teams that had a female on anchor was so far

Out in front and it was very close between her and the man running her down and it was such unpredictability and hard to gauge and essentially chaos until the final meters it was amazing and I think this is a much more fun way to organize the race cuz it it becomes a

Bit of a chess match played out over a six number Cross Country course and if there was risk of fallers in the previous races I would say that has gone up higher here because you’re talking about 1500 met athletes ripping around the cross country course and as I

Mentioned the Long Lap the 1500 met lap that these athletes are running is a lot more narrow and a lot trickier I would say a lot of tight turns on this so at least would want to watch it as they go around those turns 12 teams in this then

First held in 2017 this is the sixth edition Great Britain have won this title three times from the uh six from the five previous editions as they head out here the men of course has separated themselves from the women Eight Men Four Women chasing hard the Dutchman the Dutch athlete

Leading off is Kevin VII just looking at his uh his card he’s Kenyan born he was Foster and then adopted by a Dutch woman he at the moment in that or vest he’s a 344 1500 met run 147 800 met performer how will he cope with this mud for Great Britain

On this opening leg it’s Josh Lake coached by Chris and Sonny McGeorge up in lra the real heartbeat of British coaching and middle distance running the sports University there has produced International athletes for many many decades Josh Lake going well at the moment also going well as the Spanish

Performer their lead off man abdan El kyami he’s a 337 performer at 1500 M looking quite smooth in that Spanish red Kit not a lot to sell to uh separate these men at the moment there’s just one athlete off the back as things [Applause] stand it’s the andoran lead off man Carlos Gomez

Lano but he’s really asking the questions here is Kevin vit big responsibility isn’t it when you’ve got one slippery slidy fast aggressive lap is your responsibility for the team yeah very hard for these athletes as well to gauge their effort because a lot of these athletes let’s face it would not

Set foot near a cross country race to run 10K or 8K or whatever it might be at their national championships but when you give them 1500 M they’ be like yeah fancy that I’ll have a bit of that one lap rip it let rip um but it is very

Hard you can easily go too hard too soon and it’s still early days here just pass halfway in this leg so you really do have to measure your effort carefully the second leg athletes waiting patiently in front of our commentary position here they’re just a minute or

So away from taking over the Netherlands leading through the figure of Kevin VII he was a second in the short course race in tbug couple of weeks back but he’s beginning to open up a gap here now and this is brilliant running from Viet

He’s a like I said a 147 800 met fell but he’s using plenty of strength here to ease away from these other seven men Belgium in second place good running this from uh zad ala he’s a 344 performer second in the Belgian short course cross country just last

Month Great Britain’s Josh L working really hard to go with this in third place the tallest of this field listen to the crowd the atmosphere is absolutely rocking here in lak park in the Belgian Capital as we see the latter part of this first leg in the mixed

Reine what a Sprint from the Belgian athlete here zad ala eases into the lead every meter counts you can see those arms are pumping he has kicked it into overdrive there in that last 150 as he sees the atlet no baton changes here just a tap of the hands and off they go

And he is opening up the distance and the British atlet really coming through there well Joshua Le has measured his effort to Perfection there put them right in contention it is mostly women on this second leg but expect to see France who had a woman on their opening

Leg come through because in this second leg they have Antoine sard it’ll be closing down the Gap and this will be coming back together again we’ve had five additions at a mixed relay to dat at the European cross country championships three of them have been won by Great Britain Spain’s W one and

Of course so memorable leg by Gia sabatini got up for gold in the shadow of the winning post but there’s three teams out front locked together up front it is Belgium Britain and the Netherlands so Vander El Alisa Vander El of Belgium their record older at 1500

Met the 25y old driving up the hill there in second place for Great Britain Beth moley British University’s champion at 1500 met uh last year and cross country representing lury University she’s in second place and then third place is the Dutch athlete I think yes

It is the polls took over in third but they’ve lost a bit of ground now they’re backing forth at the moment it’s Yeta van campen she’s a 410 1500 meter runner in third place for the Netherlands with she’s 98 for 3,000 she might struggle to go with this leading pair and just

Update you on some of the obviously two races unfolding at once here but in the race between the women I would say back in that second pack of the opening leg Gaia sabatini handed over with the exact same time 301 split as Francis barones CL Merl and hungary’s Liliana V dit talk

So little to choose between those other teams right now as they hand over to their male Runners on leg two they will be closing down on these leaders fast Beth moley then coached by Bill Foster great Runner himself back in the days back in the 80s he’s another lra

Based coach and at the moment trying desperately to break the Belgium second leg athlete here Alisa vanderelst vanderelst who is 402 1500 me run and she’s world class at 1500 close to that at 800 with the best of 2011 so moley here has got to keep pummeling away it’s

Not only about opening up a gap or trying to beat the athlete that’s with you but it’s maximizing your few minutes in the spotlight trying to get a big gap on those behind so if somebody else can live with you you’ve got to accept that but you might yet be open opening a

Bigger gap on those further back and I think she’s doing that because the Dutch in third place and now quite isolated through van campen and the polls l losing a bit of ground through their second leg run pinska yeah and I think in a race like this 4X 1500 M at cross

Country and muddy cross country you almost want a 3,000 M steeple Chaser more than a 1500 cuz it is like a 2 2 and 1/2k test and the people who tend to throw an 800 met runner on a leg there it tends to backfire quite badly because

This is a whole different test to what it is on the track as you see the men are going to be closing that Gap there that is I think it is slovenia’s Rock marel there closing in on some of the women Well there’s a gap there now this has been great running from Beth moley of Great Britain the 22-year- old I know coach bill foser will be screaming away as she gradually stretches this lead for the British Squad Poland back and forth Belgium they’ll be getting every bit of support

That could be possibly expected she’s a semi-finalist in the Olympic Games back in Tokyo is Alise vand derel she’s got plenty of experience the Dutch athlete in third place van campen yes Yeta van campen is a 410 1500 meter Runner won the Dutch short course cross country back in 2021 and earlier

On this year and the French with one of their men on this leag France using antoan Sena he’s closing all the time he certainly is we would expect I think all teams have at the halfway stage will have used one man and one woman but that’s going to change up a lot because

Some of the teams are going to have another woman at this leg some have men most just looking at the start list seem to have gone for a man on anchor but not all of them so there is sen of France seventh of the last two European under 23 Cross

Country championships he’s a 340 1500 fell 757 for 3,000 indoors he’s a great middle distance Runner and he will be closing all the time but when you’re playing a race card like this which effectiv you’re doing with the male Runners against women you’ve got to make it count certainly incard is doing just

That he is up to third he may well close in there’s just a couple hundred meters left in this Lake he may well close in on Beth Morley who’s run a really really strong leg for Britain there but we at this halfway point we will get for the first time a really

Good indication of where the overall lay the land is but one man and one woman to come for all the teams we’ll see who’s actually out front and clearly it looks like Britain at halfway stage are on their way perhaps to a fourth title brilliant run this from moley she will

Hand over to well it looks like she’s handing over to uh Adam fog they changed their decision fog was due to be on the final leg we have only seen two legs haven’t we I’m just getting confused here we were told fog would be on the final leg but I think Great Britain

Wanting to really maximize the advantage they’ve got because breth moley has given them a really decent lead there as they came in for that second can change over and fog here now will pour it on he’s a good athlete fog 746 for 3,000 he’s a 355 Miler 335 for 1500 M his

Australian agent has been staying with me this last week I know was very very excited about his prospects here this in fact for Adam fogs his first ever British vest and that is what he’s fired up about but what a run from Beth moley to give Great Britain a big lead but is

It an unassailable lead we shall see I’ve seen better changeovers in my day Tim but that’s what you get when you get distance Runners doing baton exchanges without a baton I guess here in cross country but as we see yes Britain have set their stall out of course one of the

Innovations this year is teams can change it right up until gun time the order and Britain have decided we’re going to try and put this thing to bed at the three quarters mark But equalizing the genders I guess at the halfway point we can still see that Britain already have a huge advantage

Over the other teams they look to be well on their way and they will have a huge Advantage after this third leg and it can Kisa manga hang on well it’s an interesting one isn’t it because on the final leag Great Britain have gone for a woman their second woman and other teams

The majority of teams are going to have a f a male runner on the final leg and they will have a Target but will they be will the Gap be so huge they’ll almost have lost sight over the British final leg run as you said it will be Kaiser

7 20177 European Junior champion at 800 as the chasing teams come through but fog will be opening up many many meters with every minute that clicks by yeah Moran Coster there just closing down on Charlotte van h of Belgium the Netherlands going well into those kind of Podium positions challenging but I think

That Britain’s kaisa manga will not see another atlete as she runs that final leg if she does it will be in the final 100 m at most 200 M because Adam fog is turning fast here on this course as he runs up that incline as I said this

Course doesn’t have any real gut punch of a hill but it’s got a lot of drags a lot of undulations and as you go up there in that not so great ground it can get quite tough fog has got to work hard here the Temptation is to cruise because

He’s so far out in front but every meter matters they played their trump card here the Brits going with a male runner on the third leg most other teams have gone with a female there’s the Belgian Third Leg Runner that’s Charlotte Vanessa and she is losing ground all the

Time to fog here but he has got to work really really hard he’s got to imagine himself battling against other fellas not Cruise make every second count open up the Gap because the final Le is going to be absolutely fascinating it may well be that the Gap will be so big behind

The Brits they won’t be caught but who knows because fog here has got a big gap but they Wom women are chasing hard and on the final leg there will be men for most teams fog looking strong he’s having a really good run second in the Liverpool short cross cross country a

Couple of weeks ago he was fifth in the UK 1500 meter championships last year was so close to making the team for Budapest the Netherlands and France in second and third yeah Morin Coster you predicted it Tim that she would have a strong leg and she is certainly doing

That going from fourth up to Second Mar Zoni there as well great to see her back in the Italian Colors she was a world under 18 medalist several years ago had her injury problem since but she could yet contribute to another Italian medal here gold last year can to get back on

The podium they will need a big final leg no doubt from Petro aresi Orin Coster there leaning forward that uphill inkline as you tend to do just shorten the stride try and take the burden off the legs maybe put it on the heart and the lungs and Adam fog is certainly

Showing a lot of hurt here as he turns into the home straight about 100 met left to run and Ka Sanga will be waiting for the final leg that surface really cutting up now with every race it’s getting thicker and thicker the mud as fog comes in he’ll hand over to

Manga she on the final leg fog having done a great job on leg three now what is that Gap there’s Malanga the athlete coached by Andy hobal 159 800 met Runner this 412 for 1500 M took European Junior Gold back in 2017 at 800 here is the battle for

Second place and that Gap is massive car I car I think that’s up maybe it’s big enough because this is many many seconds I mean Great Britain have come through with what time what was their time at the change over yeah it’s not popping up on our screen but beware as well that

France have Alexis M on this final leg who is a master time and again he’s shown it in this mixed Rel he knows how to get this right there he is in this Center here shot waiting I will be stunned if he doesn’t get them up to the

Silver medal position as he tends to do a look out too for the athletes closing from behind as you said it’s mostly men on these final legs rahand duras on the final leg for the Netherlands heads out against the French final leg Runner that

Is as you said Alexis M PR M excuse me I’ve been pronouncing it wrong it’s a 334 fella against a woman who’s run 159 for Great Britain up ah header and that’s the target but the target is so far it’s I mean it’s well over a minute

Look at that uh it’s a huge gap between Great Britain and the chasing teams is it surmountable I can’t see this been closed in I think the only fear for the Brits here was that if Kisa manga went off too fast you know sometimes when you

Have that lead you can panic and really fire off that first 200 meters and I think it would take some form of sabotage really self- Sabotage by manga to give up this lead unless one of the male anchors in in behind produces something heroic for the Netherlands or

France we’ve seen it before many times in the mix three there will we see it again but at the moment it looks like Britain and kaisa Manga look to be well on their way to goal but again like you said probably a better 800 meter Runner

Than a 1500 meter Runner but with that 412 that’s more than good enough that sort of strength if she’s in anything close to that form and just measures her effort correctly here over this 1500 me leg but there are the men and they will have looked to their right and seen

Where the gold medal is now that they’re in the battle and no surprises Alexi ni is up to the silver medal position checks around him ruing ver Hayden there spotting him well can it be the battle for silver or could they close in for gold manga then working hard

Cruising will she be getting information from the sidelines anybody from her team or Team Management yelling at her how big the Gap is it looks a big big comfortable Gap to me at the moment this the battle for the silver medals at the moment Netherlands against France and at

The moment the Dutch final leg Runner Bram andrias is doing a great job he is a 336 fellow he’s going to be no push over here twice Dutch champion at 1500 met but uh kaisa manga the 23y old who’s coached by Andy hobdell has won six out

Of six Park runs those Saturday morning 5K jogs around Parks all over Great Britain this year that’s no great surprise maybe it’s a bit of decent preparation for this though as this is the battle for the silver medal between these two and I wonder if that is perhaps compromising their focus upon

Chasing for goal perhaps I don’t think you want to be the guinea pig or the the PAC set or the rabbit here and going after Brits for the gold and maybe given up that silver medal but you can see it is narrowing substantially now that lead

And for the first time kaisa manga looks to be in deep distress and it is a downhill run to the finish and you have to watch your footing here it’s Lumpy it’s uneven there’s dry patches there’s muddy patches Kista manga has to focus like she’s never focused before for this

Next minute to hang on for gold for Britain because the master of this event m is on the charge Manga look really to be suffering there I don’t know if she got a yell or a shout from somebody saying come on dig deep but maybe she

Got a glance maybe she had a look over her shoulder at the fact that the Dutch and French athletes behind her both male are closing fast she’s got a little distance to go just yet not far is she going to hang on the bricks played their race card on leg three with

Adam fog opening up a massive gap for their CET but manga now surely is safe or is she we can’t see the Gap at the moment she’s breathing hard and there is the battle behind as they’ve got a Target now it makes such a difference if

You’ve got a visible Target to Chase and they are coming back at her closing with every stride manga now with how far to go it’ be great to get some indication on the cour side as Mangano is being chased down by the Dutchman brah anderas and the Frenchman Alexis mil surely she

Can hang on oh can she The crowd’s Roaring her on a more difficult section here the m is deep p in this final section as manga trying to hang on for Great Britain takes the long line round the outside and I’m not sure she’s going to make it here they come the

Netherlands in second France in third the British played their Ace card and it’s come unstuck in the final few meters manga not with the strength here today she’s given absolutely everything but you called it right Carl because melee has produced the speed there for the French and they will win the mixed

Relay here in Brussels brilliant running from melee on the final leg there perfect judgment gold for France silver for the Netherlands and bronze for Great Britain manga there was nothing more she could do she gave 101% it created fascinating Jeopardy over the final couple of minutes for the

French come out on top and don’t you know it from these pictures and that’s why it’s better to mix up the order in my humble opinion because Carnage can ensue I was pretty much hanging the gold medal around the bridge necks there with a Lap to go apologies to anyone our friends across

The water but yeah she gave absolutely everything did manga like looked probably with about 500 M to run like she was out on her f but then I think whether it was a shout or whatever is maybe she just woke herself up a bit she really dug in up that hill gave it

Absolutely everything and even when she could hear the men and see the men coming she dug in again and lifted her Pace but no response to the wicked finishing speed of the master of the mixed reler Alexis M very very tough for manga there to be given that

Responsibility dare I say it in that sort of situation don’t put an 800 met runner on the final leg when you need be able to dig incredibly deep and show enormous strength in the final few hundred meters it was a great game of Jeopardy as you said a game of chess you

Call it right Cal and uh it was so nearly something that paid off for the Brits but they take the bronze they get onto the rostrom the French celebrating in style and the Dutch not too disappointed either a broken Clark is right twice a day

Team who are we talking about you and me me me myself Irish self there France Netherlands Great Britain 1 2 three in the mixed relay and four races to come so much more to look forward to the women’s and Men’s Under 23 races and then the senior women’s and

Men races yet to come here in lak park in the Netherlands if you just joined in the Bel Belgium if you’ve joined us in the last few minutes you’re watching the 29th Spa European Athletics cross country championships and we’re about half almost halfway through the racing program France taking gold in the mixed

Gate Two Men and two women running a 1500 met lap each with the Netherlands in silver and Great Britain in third chance to catch breath that race got underway a few minutes late next race is the under 23 women that’s do off at 13:35 which of course everybody will

Listening listening will know was about 3 minutes ago so we are little behind schedule at the moment but that’s forgivable I think in these very trying conditions for all the officials and uh administrators and big shout out and thanks to all the volunteers helping out around the course because put on

Something like this is not a straight forward logistical challenge by the way speaking of logistical challenges do you want one in the summer it’s not very big how how about popping down to Rome for those European championships tickets are on sale for those Europeans in the Roman Capital they have been the Olympic

Stadium those European championships between the 7th and 12th of June and if you want tickets go to Roma