EMACS Madeira October 2025 Day 10

A reminder of the European Masters Athletics Championships in Madeira 2025. Steve Smythe was present in Madeira, both as a competitor and as chronicler. Here is the tenth of his reports from the Championships, a chance to look back at some highlights. These words have also been published in Athletics Weekly. BMAF is grateful for the chance to repeat them here.

The pictures of Pat Logan , Craig Cox and Kat Sutton , M35 4x100m winning team,
Wole Odele handing to 4×100 M60 team-mate Vincent Elie, and Double sprint champion Lisa Boland anchoring the W40 relay team are by Jonty Mitchell

On the penultimate day of competition Britain’s relay runners had plenty of success in the 4x100m relays and mixed 4x400m with 10 golds.

The team started off with gold in the W75 4x100m event led off by triple W85 champion Kathleen Stewart (competing 10 years out of age group) plus three other gold medallists Sally Hine, Sarah Roberts and Emily McMahon and they timed 71.56 to Germany’s 88.55.

The W70 event was closer as Doreen Craig, 800m and 1500m champion Anna Garnier, Anne Nelson and double sprint champion Helen Godsell saw Britain run 65.02 to Sweden’s 66.64.

Germany (63.21) narrowly won the W65s as Angela Kelly, Hilary West, Jeanette Ashton and Claire St John Coleman combined for second in 63.31 just ahead of the Dutch’s 63.44.

It was also close in the W60 with Germany edging it in 57.38 from the British team of Mel Garland, Julie Hicken, Eni Font Freide and triple jump champion Jo Willoughby who ran 57.48.

Britain though returned to gold standard in the W55s.

Juliet Sidney, Diane Wright, Stefanie Dornbusch and double sprint champion Christine Harrison-Bloomfield ran 53.84 to Germany’s 55.55.

It was Sweden’s turn in the W50 category as they narrowly won in 51.10.

Britain were again second as shot champion Paula Williams, Yvette Henry, 300m hurdles winner Sarah Loades and 400m winner Tracey Ashworth ran 51.25.

Britain were also silver medallists in the W45 courtesy of Anita Saunders, Janelle Quinn, Lourdes Bradley and Louisa Vallins ran 52.45 to Germany’s 51.64.

There were 10 teams in the W40s which necessitated two races

Netherlands won in 49.85 from Britain’s 50.21. Britain’s team was Catherine Peck, Lucinda Cash-Gibson, Naana Adusei and Lisa Boland.

Britain gained their fourth women’s gold in the W35s as Allison Wilder, Krystle Balogun, Katy Lord and Stacey Downie ran 49.21 well clear of France.

The first men’s relay – the M75s – was won by Germany in 57.85 with Britain fifth in 64.17 but it should be noted the team were all over 80s and Alan Forse, James Smith, Mel James and Victor Novell set a British M80 record.

Britain’s M70 team though did strike gold as Wally Franklyn, Adrian Essex, long jump champion Robert Stevenson and triple sprint champion Steve Peters ran 54.36 to defeat Germany’s 54.74.

[Editor’s note] This race exemplifies much of what has been said in the WhatsApp chat for the team. The team had challenges to overcome and tackled them with determination. Wally, competing at his first event since a knee replacement, myself on leg 2 recently finished radiotherapy, and Bobby on leg 3 managed capable if not brilliant performances. Steve was handed a 4 metre deficit which he brilliantly made up.

After their domination in the individual events it was no surprise the M65 team also dominated as Pat Logan, triple sprint champ John Wright, Ricardo Huskisson and Andy Hunter combined for a world record 49.22 well ahead of Germany’s 52.49.

Britain (with a team of Wole Odele, Vincent Elie, Ron Hunter and Neil Vondy) won their M60 heat in 49.85 but that only took bronze as Germany (48.35) and Italy (49.57) were quicker in the second heat.

Britain also took bronze in the M55s through David Shortridge, John Munroe, Michael Osunsami and Leeroy Golding as their 51.39 trailed France’s 48.88.

It was also third in the M50s with hurdles and long jump champion Joe Appiah, Trevor Hodgson, Joshua Wood and Mike Coogan running a quick 46.16 but finishing well behind Italy (44.64) and France.

Britain ran a fast 44.32 in the M45s to win gold again as Marvin Edwards, hurdles champion Mensah Elliott, Oliver Pool and Alan Robertson left Ireland (45.22) almost a second in arrears.

Poland won the M40s in a slower 45.26 with Britain fifth in 46.98.

The fastest relay though came last as Britain sped to a 43.17 clocking a second up on France (44.18) with a team of Damaine Benjamin, Byron Robinson, Nicholas Atwell and Duayne Bovell.

Britain didn’t contest the mixed V75 plus 4×400 relay won by Germany and a team of Cooke, Roberts, Ian Willoughby and Godsell finished second in 5:06.70 in the V70s to Germany’s 4:57.21.

Sweden won the V65 relay in 4:35.66 with Britain’s team of Stephen Kemp, Jeanette Ashton, Steve Taylor and Louise Jeffries third in 5:09.67.

Britain’s V60 team of Vincent Elie, 400m champion Virginia Mitchell, Wole Odele and steeplechase champion Lisa Thomas won easily in 4:04.77 from Ireland’s 4:20.32.
The event is admittedly rarely contested but it should be ratified as a inaugural world record.

Odele and Elie both medalled earlier in the 4×100.

Spain took the honours in the V55 event in 3:56.45 with Britain seventh in 4:34.49.

Sweden won the V50s in a fast 3:44.59 with Britain second in 3:47.46 fielding a team of individual European champions in Scott, Loades, newly crowned 800m winner Charlie Thurston and Ashworth.

Italy won the V45s in 3:49.72 with Britain seventh in 4:08.91.
Sweden came out on top in the V40s in 3:39.33 with Britain fifth in 3:49.65.

However again Britain saved the best for last as they sped to V35 golds courtesy of Lewis Robson, Krystie Balogun, Craig Cox and Kay Sutton and they timed 3:36.07 to Poland’s 3:39.65 and again Britain’s time is expected to be ratified as an Inaugural world record.

Pics
2681 Pat Logan celebrates M65 medal (Jonty Mitchell)
Craig Cox hands to Kat Sutton in V35 Mixed 4×400 (Jonty Mitchell)
M35 4x100m winning team (Jonty Mitchell)
Wole Odele hands to 4×100 M60 team-mate Vincent Elie (Jonty Mitchell)
Double sprint champion Lisa Boland anchors W40 relay team (Jonty Mitchell)
V60 winning team mixed 4×400
(Last one uncredited)