Russell in no mood to share at European Championships

Hannah Russell had no intention of sharing the podium again as she surged to gold in the S8 100m backstroke at the Para-swimming European Championships in Dublin.

Russell, 22, was frustrated on Wednesday evening as German Elena Krawzow touched in at exactly the same time – 27.94 – to deny her sole gold in the 50m freestyle.

But an outstanding season’s best swim of 1:08.16 handed her very own slice of glory in the 100m backstroke – where the Surrey-born athlete reigns supreme after European wins in 2014 and 2016.

Russell is also the reigning Paralympic champion in the discipline and can claim two world titles to boot.

It was an outstanding session in the pool for Britain, who medalled in six of the seven final races they took part in.

Britain’s evening in the pool begun with a bang, with back-to-back bronzes in the opening two races.

Grace Harvey bagged bronze in the S6 100m backstroke, a swim of 1:30.17 secs placing the promising 19-year-old on the podium in her first-ever international outing.

Then Stephen Clegg, who broke his own British record in the morning’s heats, finished third in the Men’s 100m Backstroke S12.

The Scot has been in record-breaking mood throughout the Dublin meet, lowering his own S12 50m freestyle record twice in a day on Wednesday.

Compatriot Toni Shaw has been a revelation at her first European Championships, bronze in the 100m backstroke confirming the teenager’s potential to dominate S9 swimming in the future.

The 15-year-old from Aberdeen swam 1:15.38 secs, adding further bronze to butterfly silver on Wednesday and freestyle bronze on Tuesday.

Also 15, Zara Mullooly joined Shaw in adding to the haul as her personal best of 28.30 secs put the seal on silver in 50m freestyle S10.

In the final race of the evening Alice Tai announced her presence at the Championships with an utterly dominant victory in the 100m Backstroke S8, with Megan Richter also securing silver.