Athletics: Relay team provides Britain's only gold

GOTHENBURG - Britain captured their only gold medal of the European athletics championships courtesy of their men's sprint relay team.

Dwain Chambers, Darren Campbell, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis-Francis won the 4x100m relay final in 38.91s on the last day of competition.

Britain's celebrations, however, were marred by the fact that Campbell refused to join his teammates on their lap of honour.

Campbell, who is expected to retire at the end of the season, would not say what he was upset about.

Poland took the silver medal in 39.05s, with France winning bronze in 39.07s.

Britain have dominated the men's sprint relay in recent championships and won gold at the 2004 Olympics.

They were stripped of the title at the previous Europeans in Munich four years ago because of a doping offence by Chambers.

"It's good to get it back and it's good to make up what we lost by my foolishness," said Chambers, who served a two-year ban.

The men's 4x400 was won by France in 3m 01.10s. Britain had to be content with the silver in 3m 01.63s and Poland won bronze in 3m 01.73s.

Russia, as expected, won the two women's relays, putting the final touch to an impressive week to top the final medals table with 34 medals, 12 of them gold.

- REUTERS