Esenwein wins Javelin in high quality European Athletics Premium Meeting in Luzern 30. June 07

Germany's Peter Esenwein produced the European performance of the meeting at the European Athletics Premium Meeting the Spitzenleichtathletik in Luzern last night.

The 39-year-old German, pictured right, won a high quality Javelin contest with a season's best performance of 82.78m although the event was weakened by the late withdrawal of World Champion Andrus Värnik due to injury.

Britain's Andrew Steele produced the shock result of the meeting when he clocked 45.85 to win the 400m over current World Indoor champion Alleyne Francique of Grenada.

22-year-old Steele, who is currently lying second on the European lists with a 45.32 has made major strides this season and has now assured himself of selection for the British team for Osaka.

Italian steeplechaser, Elena Romagnolo, who set a new Italian record at the European Cup 1st League in Milan last week backed up that performance with another run of the highest quality, finishing second in 9:45.94 ahead of Britain's Helen Clitheroe who set a PB and is hoping to make an impact over the barriers after much success over 1500m and 3000m.

Britain's Abbie Westley continues to grow in stature with a comfortable victory in the women's 1500m in 4:09.38 but Olympic 800m champion Nils Schuman showed he has plenty of work to do to get back to his former self when he trailed home fifth in the men's 800m in 1:50.79.

Ukrainian World champion Yury Krimarenko won a below par High Jump with a modest 2.21m while in the men's 200m there was a notable breakthrough by Alex Nelson, who burst to the top of the European Junior rankings with a breakthrough of 20.82 and Russian Anastasia Svedova took second in the women's Pole Vault with 4.50m on count back.

european-athletics.org