In a weekly round-up, European Athletics looks at a big issue in the sport, sets the scene for the week ahead and reviews the past few days.
I am a natural leader but I might scream, says Great Britain captain Shakes-Drayton
It is the start of one of the proudest times of her life – the week that Perri Shakes-Drayton will captain her country.
But the young star from East London has an important request if Great Britain win the European Athletics Team Championships in Gateshead on Sunday evening: 'Don't throw me in the steeplechase water'.
Tradition has it in this competition that the winning skipper is picked up by their teammates and carried across to just before the home turn and dunked in as part of the celebration. 'Oh, no!' said Shakes-Drayton. 'My hair. I don't want that. It will ruin my hair. I'll scream.'
She was laughing as she answered the question because that is in her nature and it is why Peter Eriksson, the head coach of British athletics, has nominated her to lead the squad for one of the biggest events on the track and field calendar.
Shakes-Drayton has a personality rich with enthusiasm and a determination to succeed, as she has proved over the last year. She failed to make the final of the 400m hurdles at the Olympic Games in London and then returned, unbowed, with even greater desire, to win two gold medals at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Göteborg in March.
Behind the smiles and the jokes, there lies a woman of steel, the perfect person to captain a side on a weekend when the individual part of athletics is replaced with the need to score points for a team.
One of the other key roles that Shakes-Drayton will face on Friday night, just hours before Britain take on the other 11 nations in what should be a fabulous competition, is the 'captain's speech'.
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THE WEEK JUST GONE
Among so many great performances, two sprinters found themselves on the end of the highs and lows that their explosive events can bring. On Monday in Prague, at the Josef Odlozil Memorial, James Dasaolu shot to the top of the Great Britain 100m rankings when he broke the meeting record in winning his heat in 10.08. He could not have been happier, but then turn the clock forward to Thursday night in Oslo, and Dutchman Churandy Martina could not have more unhappier. He was in lane, with Usain Bolt to his inside, for the 200m at the Diamond League. It was one of the biggest occasions of his career but Martina burst from the blocks too early and was disqualified and his night ended before it had even begun.
THE WEEK AHEAD
One of the best on the calendar with the four divisions of the European Athletics Team Championships, one of the most exciting competitions of them all because athletes, so used to being insular in both their training and their competition, know it is not just their own welfare at stake. It is all about the most points they can achieve for their team, and over the weekend the prospect of chasing the overall title, promotion...or relegation. It can be the most nail-biting of any athletics event.
EUROPEAN LEADERS – 100m
Men
1. Jimmy Vicaut (FRA) 10.02, Rome
2. James Dasaolu (GBR) 10.08, Prague
3. Jaysuma Saidy Ndure (NOR) 10.13, Rome
Women
1. Ivet Lalova (BUL) 11.04, Oslo
2. Mariya Ryemyen (UKR) 11.06, Yalta
3. Olesya Povh (UKR) 11.14, Yalta
BIRTHDAYS:
18.06.13 - Christina Vukicevic (NOR) – Former European under-23 100m hurdles champion and an European indoor medallist turns 26.
19.06.13 – Moa Hjelmer (SWE) – European 400m outdoor champ
17th June 2013 03:04