European championships 'could be devalued'

Barcelona: Staging the European championships every two years will be a mistake and could devalue the event, the head coach of British athletics said Tuesday.

"It's like everything in life, if you get too much it's detrimental," Charles van Commenee told a news conference on the eve of this year's European championships.

"I like my water but if I drink too much, I drown. If I eat too much I'm going to get fat."

The European championships have largely been staged every four years since their debut in 1934.

But a change in the schedule was proposed during the European Athletics Congress in 2007, when 47 of 50 member federations accepted the integration of a second championships into the four-year competition programme.

It means that in 2012 the European event will take place in Helsinki, Finland, between June 27 and July 1. The London Olympics begin on July 27.

The British track athletes who qualify for the Olympics will not be expected to compete in Helsinki.

"In Britain we always have the trials and they are in conflict with the Euros in 2012," Dutchman van Commenee said.

Field events

"If we have a European champs in between and I select athletes in the track events for the Euros they will be dead and buried before the [Olympic] Games start.

"You will not see athletes who will qualify for the Olympics in Helsinki in track events. That may be very different for the field events because you don't have to throw three or four rounds. A decision will be made later but I will look into it. For some individuals it may fit in, but for others it will not." The European championships in 2012 will not include the marathon or race walk events.

But for van Commenee, such a concession does not excuse the overall decision to take the European championships every two years.

"It becomes less valuable. I'm not a big fan of it. Nobody will remember the European champion two years ago or two years. It has to be special."

Russia get first gold

Russian teenager Stanislav Yemelyanov took the first gold medal of this week's European championships with victory in the men's 20-km walk yesterday.

Yemelyanov finished in one hour, 20 minutes and 10 seconds with Italy's Alex Schwazer, Olympic champion in the 50-km walk, 28 seconds behind. Portugal's Joao Vieira finished third to repeat his bronze medal of four years ago.

"I tried to catch up with Yemelyanov but he was in top shape today. Now I hope to recover in time for the 50-km walk," said Schwazer, who is also entered in Friday's longer event.

The 19-year-old Yemelyanov was ahead at the eight-kilometre mark.