Sky Scholar Olivia Breen frustrated after luckless 100m final at IPC European Championships
By Mark Ashenden
Last Updated: 24/03/17 12:02pm
Olivia Breen had to endure illness and windy conditions in a 100m final she will want to quickly forget at the IPC European Championships on Wednesday evening.
The Sky Academy Sports Scholar has her work cut out in Gresetto in Italy this week, with four events over five days.
After finishing sixth in the 200m on Sunday and pipped to long jump bronze the following day, the 19-year-old was desperate to make amends in her favourite sprint event, but luck was not on her side.
GB team-mate Sophie Hahn stormed to 100m gold in 12.87 seconds ahead of Margarita Goncharova, Anna Trener-Wierciak and Britain's Kadeena Cox, with Breen ending up in sixth.
The Paralympian's time of 13.82s was almost half a second slower than her personal best she set three weeks ago in Loughborough.
Breen said: "I'm obviously disappointed and time but I can take some positives. My start was good as was my transition phase but at 60m, I hit a headwind and because I was in lane one, I absorbed it more and fatigue really set in.
"I was also suffering from food poisoning from some fish I ate at lunchtime, which really didn't help."
It will be a hugely irritating experience for the Paralympic bronze medallist at London 2012 but she should take heart from a number of impressive performances over the last month as she builds up form and strength, with the Rio Games two months away.
Breen is likely to be back in action on Thursday as the championships wrap up in Italy, where she runs in the 4x100m relay.
WHAT'S COMING UP FOR OUR SCHOLARS
23-26 JUNE: Lucy Garner, National Road Cycling Champs, Stockton-on-Tees
24-26 JUNE: Holly Bradshaw, Jessica Judd at British Championships, Birmingham
25-26 JUNE: Quillan Isidore, British BMX Round 7 & 8, Burgess Park
