European U23 Championships: Adam Gemili wins 100m gold

Adam Gemili

Great Britain's Adam Gemili clocked 10.20 seconds to win gold in the 100m at the European Athletics Under-23 Championships in Finland.

The Blackheath and Bromley Harriers athlete beat fellow Briton Deji Tobais, who ran 10.29, with Hensley Paulina (10.48) of the Netherlands in third.

Gemili, 19, will attempt to follow up the victory with success in the 200m.

"This is the main championships of the year for me so to win gold is a brilliant feeling," he said.

Gemili's time, though, was outside the 'A' qualifying standard of 10.15 for the senior World Championships in Moscow next month, leaving him relying on the discretion of the selectors.

His best legal time of the year is 10.18, but he ran 10.05 to win gold in the 2012 World Junior Championships.

"The time is a little disappointing because I didn't execute my race as well as I could, but I'm happy with a gold medal.

"My start was what let me down, I was behind at the start and I had to just stay calm and execute the rest of my race and I did that and luckily came through.

"With how I've been training I think I should have a quicker time in me this season but to win gold was the main thing, it's more about the performance than the time and I'm happy."

Gemili finished third in his 100m semi-final at the 2012 Olympics, after switching to athletics from football.

Elsewhere, Britain's Jodie Williams (11.42) won silver in the women's 100m behind Dutch winner Dafne Schippers (11.13).

It came a year after Williams' dreams of competing at the London Olympics were ended by injury at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium.

"I'm really pleased considering the year I had last year," the 19-year-old said.

"It was this exact weekend that I ended up in a heap at the end of the track and didn't even finish the race. So to come back here and get a medal is great."