By Owen Morgan
Swansea Harrier Joe Brier made his senior debut in a Great Britain vest at the European Indoor Championships in Glasgow on Sunday night.
Brier, who represented Britain at the World Junior Championships in Finland last year, ran the second leg of the men’s 4×400 relay in the penultimate event at a packed Emirates Arena.
Taking the baton from first leg runner Cameron Chambers, the Welshman overcame a near tumble early on to keep Great Britain in the medal mix before handing over to Thomas Sommers.
With Belgium and Spain out in front of the head of the race, Alex Haydock Wilson started the final leg at a blistering pace, but tired late on to bring Great Britain home in fifth place behind winners Belgium.
“It felt amazing to put on a vest in front of a home crowd,” said Brier. “Cameron put in a great leg so I knew if I hung on for that position, I would set up the boys well.”
They may not have won a medal tonight but the @BritAthletics men’s 4x400m team had two 19yr olds & two U23s in the team! Average age 20.5 The future is exciting!!! Be proud young guns 👊🏼 pic.twitter.com/yghvVqzDh9
— Matt Elias (@mattelias400h) March 3, 2019
On the first day of the championships, Brier’s Welsh team-mate Melissa Courtney smashed her own Welsh 3,000m record as she won bronze behind team-mate Laura Muir.
Meanwhile, Brier’s training partner Owen Smith, of Cardiff AC, reached the semi-finals of the individual men’s 400m.
Overall, Great Britain finished second in the medal table with a best ever medal haul at the event of four golds, six silvers and two bronze.