Italian’s G.A.Fiamme Gialle retained the men’s European Champion Clubs Cup Senior Group A in Portugal on Sunday as they fended off a challenge from the host nation to seal the crown.
Fiamme had led overnight by 11 points from TJ Dukla Praha, of the Czech Republic, but Sport Lisboa e Benfica made a bid for victory and ended up finishing second.
The women’s event followed the pattern of the first day.
The top two after Saturday ended as the top two at the finish as Spain’s Valencia Terra i Mar beat Sporting Clube de Portugal.
Fiamme won only one event on Sunday in Vila Real de Santo Antonio but their overall individual positions were enough to keep hold of this title.
But what a brilliant performance that one victory was.
Fabrizio Donato will be determined to have another year to remember as he heads to the European Athletics Championships in Zurich in August as the defending triple jump champion.
And here, not only did he score valuable points for his team, but his winning effort from the opening round was 17.24m, which also sent him soaring to the top of the European Athletics rankings.
He will surely be delighted with his day’s work as his rivals from across Europe will now know he means business again.
Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers Nathan Fox was second with 16.41m and Jorge Gimeno, of Playas de Castellon, was third with 16.28m.
The win came at a good time for Fiamme on a day where Castellon made earlier inroads as Francisco Javier Lopez won the 110m hurdles in 14.06 and Frank Casanas triumphed in the discus with 60.19m.
Diogo Ferreira won the pole vault for Lisboa with 5.37m and Marco Fortes took the shot put with 20.43m before they won the last event, the 4x400m.
But as the Portuguese team crossed the line first in 3:11.23, Fiamme were second, just behind in 3:11.26, and the outcome of the title was all over.
FINAL RESULT MEN
1. G.A. Fiamme Gialle (ITA) 124.5 points
2. Sport Lisboa e Benfica (POR) 111.5
3. Playas de Castellon (ESP) 106
4. TJ Dukla Praha (CZE) 92
5. Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers (GBR) 88
6. Enka (TUR) 85
7. Maccabi Tel Aviv (ISR) 60
8. Entende FranconVille Cesame Val d’Oise (FRA) 48
As with the men’s competition, Valencia Terra i Mar left it late in the day to secure their only win on Sunday.
Yet it proved quite an occasion for Diana Martin as she landed a double at this European Champion Clubs Cup.
On Saturday Martin had won the 3000m steeplechase and now on Sunday she added the 5000m title to her victory list, but it was a close race.
As Martin won in 15:57.55, she held off Carla Solome Rocha, of Sporting Clube de Portugal, who was second in 15:58.79.
Martin’s teammates achieved a series of second places which banked vital points as the team won the event with 111 from Sporting Clube with 98.50.
As Tereza Kralova, of USK Praha, won the hammer with 69.96m, Valencia’s Berta Castells was second with 66.08m and then with Denisa Rosolova, also from the Czech club, winning the 100m hurdles in 13.59, Spain achieved six more points with Josephine Onyia was just behind her in second in 13.77.
Ivet Lalova completed the sprint double with a fine run in the 200m in 23.63 for Enka Spor Kulubu with Valencia’s Estela Garcia second in 24.13 and then as Sporting Clube won the 4x400m in 3:39.35, the Spaniards were more than three seconds behind in second in 3:42.46 but it was enough and they were the champions.
FINAL RESULT WOMEN
1. Valencia Terra i Mar (ESP) 111
2. Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR) 98.50
3. Enka Spor Kulubu (TUR) 90
4. USK Praha (CZE) 86.50
5. Edinburgh AC (GBR) 73
6. Sparta (DEN) 55
7. AK Spartak Dubnica (SVK) 43
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