British sprinter Jodie Williams ends seven-year itch as she wins her first medal since 2014

Jodie Williams, the forgotten prospect of British sprinting, claimed her first medal in seven years last night at the European Indoor Championships in Poland.

The 27-year-old, once known as Money Legs because of a prodigious talent that yielded 151 straight wins as a junior, had seen her senior career derailed by a combination of injuries and confidence issues.

But in bursting from fourth to third on the straight, she captured bronze in the 400m, finishing behind Femke Bol and Justyna Swiety-Ersetic.

British sprinter Jodie Williams won her first medal in seven years with a bronze in the 400m

The 27-year-old was formerly known as ‘Money Legs’ due to her strong success at junior level

She said: ‘It’s been full of ups and downs, 2014 was the last time I was on an international podium – it has been a journey. It has been one full of near misses and if onlys, so I am really glad I have proved myself.’

Williams’s bronze was matched by an underwhelming medal of the same colour for pole vaulter Holly Bradshaw. Ranked third in the world, Bradshaw was favourite but failed three times at 4.70m – 15cm short of her 2021 best.

Holly Archer emerged from the pushing and shoving of the women’s 1500m final with a shock silver. She was initially disqualified but won an appeal.

Williams finished behind the Netherlands’ Femke Bol and Poland’s Justyna Swiety-Ersetic

Andrew Pozzi, the favourite for Sunday’s 60m hurdles final, stormed through his heat, clocking a quick 7.52sec despite a heavy hit on the penultimate barrier.

Pozzi said: ‘It was a really good time. I had a great reaction from the blocks which I’ve been missing from the indoor season. I’m really happy with the form I am in.’

In the women’s 60m hurdles, sisters Cindy Sember and Tiffany Porter qualified for Sunday’s semi-finals. Porter, a former world bronze medallist outdoors, has stood out at the championships by competing in a mask.

Keely Hodgkinson and Jamie Webb qualified for the respective 800m finals, for which the latter will be favourite.