David Greene of Great Britain won the men's 400m hurdles with a European leading and personal best time of 48.13 on Saturday.

Briton David Greene destroyed the field with a European leading time and personal best of 48.13. Silver went to fellow-Welshman Rhys Williams in a personal best 48.96 while bronze was won by Ukrainian Stanislav Melnikov who also set new figures of 49.09.

The British one-two is the first time the same country has filled the first two places at the European championships since 1954 when Soviet athletes, Anatoliy Yulin and Yuriy Lituyev, took gold and silver in Bern.

“It felt pressurised being the favourite tonight but the pressure helped me focus and go faster,” said Greene. “I did not have any particular objective today other than to win the gold medal.”

Compatriot Williams said: “I am not happy with the silver medal because my only objective was the gold. Four years ago I got the bronze, now the silver but I want the gold in the next European championships. Greene is beatable and I will be back.”

Melnikov also felt he should have done better: “I am disappointed. At a high level you should clock sub-49sec. I still need to improve if I want to compete amongst the world's elite. Greene was too strong tonight.”

At the third hurdle, Melnikov had taken a slight lead over the two Britons and Williams rose ahead of Greene, but by the fifth Greene had made serious headway and by the sixth was nosing ominously ahead.

Coming into the straight, Greene had a clear advantage, pressed the accelerator and just went away a la David Hemery in 1968 in his own bubble of excellence. Behind him Williams was digging in to secure silver, but in truth he was never threatened.

Melnikov, meanwhile, had not wilted when he was passed by the Britons, but held on for a deserved bronze. He was rewarded for his tenacity with not only a medal but a personal best 49.09. It was a race to savour.

In fifth place was the defending champion, Periklis Iakovakis of Greece, 31, setting a season's best of 49.38.