Jo Pavey, 40, wins European Championship 10,000m

Forty-year-old Jo Pavey became the oldest woman ever to claim gold at a European Championships when she won a thrilling 10,000m and got Team GB's campaign in Zurich off to the perfect start.

Pavey, a mother of two who only gave birth to her younger child Emily 11 months ago, ran the perfect tactical race to match the gold won by her old friend Paula Radcliffe in Munich 12 years ago.

When 's Clemence Calvin - 16 years her junior and almost 20 seconds faster this season - went to the front with two laps to go Pavey tucked in behind.

Then, at the bell, the Briton surged into the lead, held Calvin at bay on the back straight and kicked hard again as she came off the top bend to race to her first ever major title.

She becomes the oldest female gold medallist in the championships' history, and having won Commonwealth 5,000m bronze 10 days ago seals a wonderful summer at an age when most athletes are long retired.

Pavey told BBC Sport: "I just can't believe it. I was finding it quite a long way - I was thinking, is this the right event?

"I'm really thrilled. I tried to do a controlled last lap, but when I got to the home straight I thought, just give it all you've got, so you don't regret anything."

The time - 32 minutes 22.39 seconds - was irrelevant, Calvin hanging on for silver and her compatriot Laila Traby taking bronze.

British team captain Goldie Sayers had given a speech on the eve of the championships asking her team-mates a simple question: "How would you perform if this was the last time you would ever compete"Graphic image of, from left to right, Alex Albon, George Russell, Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, Fernando Alonso and Oliver Bearman. It is on a blue background with 'Fan Q&A' below the drivers " loading="lazy" src="https://image.staticox.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fichef.bbci.co.uk%2Face%2Fstandard%2F480%2Fsprodpb%2F7ff9%2Flive%2Fd42302e0-34b3-11f0-8519-3b5a01ebe413.jpg" width="385" height="216" class="ssrcss-11yxrdo-Image edrdn950"/>