Incoming Freshman Zeller Wins European U20 Hurdles Championship
7/22/2019 9:34:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
BORAS, Sweden -- Incoming University of Michigan track and field freshman Joshua Zeller claimed gold for Great Britain on Saturday (June 20) at the 2019 European U20 Championships.
Zeller won the title in the men's 110-meter hurdles, not clipping a single barrier en route to a 13.39 (-1.7m/s) final clocking.
"I went over that line, and I knew I crossed it first so all I was thinking was everything I worked for this year, I've just put it out there on the track and shown that I can do it," he told European Athletics post-race. "Obviously, throughout the season, you think about these things but for it to actually happen, it's amazing. After that race, I was just so ecstatic to actually have done what I`ve been thinking of for the last few months."
It's been a golden night for the Brits in Boras!@jzells01 wins the third gold medal of the evening on the track in the 110m hurdles in 13.39 against a 1.7 m/s headwind! #Boras2019 pic.twitter.com/99ArXkFv61
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) July 20, 2019
Runner-up to Zeller in the final was the Netherlands' Mark Heiden in 13.58, with the Frenchman Paul Chabauty third in 13.64.
Zeller's performance validated his pre-championships standing as Europe's fastest 110-meter hurdler under the age of 20. He entered with a best of 13.26 to his credit, also making him the fifth-fastest in European history.
The man from Workingham, Berkshire, in England was undefeated on the weekend, winning his first-round heat in 13.60 and his semifinal in 13.41.
