More British, French gold as Alshammar proves class

Britain and France – landing their second titles – joined Norway, Spain and Sweden in picking off gold medals on the second day of the European championships in Budapest yesterday.

British world number one Elizabeth Simmonds landed the 200m backstroke title, edging out compatriot Gemma Spofforth and Spain’s Duane Da Rocha Marce as British fans celebrated another win after Hannah Miley took Monday’s 400m individual medley.

Women’s 2007 world champion Therese Alshammar won the women’s 50m butterfly for Sweden, seeing off Denmark’s Jeanette Ottesen and Melanie Henique of France while Alexander Dale Oen bagged gold for Norway in the men’s 100m breaststroke, touching just ahead of Frenchman Hugues Duboscq and Italy’s Fabio Scozzoli.

Dale Oen’s time of 59.20sec was a championship record while Alshammer proved her ongoing class in winning in 25.63sec despite being almost twice the age of ­17-year-old rival Henique.

Her win bolstered a Swedish contingent whose own young bright hope, 16-year-old Sarah Sjoestroem, ran out of steam having just competed in the freestyle semis.

There was more teenage angst for naturalised Briton Ajulu-Bushell, the Kenyan-born 16-year-old coming last in her 100m breaststroke heat – though her main target is the Commonwealth Games later this year in Delhi.

There was a French one-two in the men’s 100m backstroke won by Camille Lacourt in a European record time of 52.11 while Jeremy Stravius took the silver ahead of Briton Liam Tancock.

Tancock initially did not even qualify for the final but was moved up a place after the withdrawal of Austria’s Markus Rogan, the 2004 Olympic silver medalist and reigning continental champion.

Lacourt’s showing gave France their second gold of the championships after teen star Yannick Agnel triumphed in Monday’s 400m freestyle.

Rafael Munoz, the Spanish world record holder, won gold in the men’s 50m butterfly in 23.17sec, seeing off Frederick Bousquet of France and Russia’s Yevgeny Korotyshkin.