Clitheroe leads the way in Paris

Team captain Helen Clitheroe led by example with gold in the 3,000 metres as Britain ended the European Indoor Championships with eight medals, twice as many than in Turin two years ago.

Jenny Meadows won silver in the 800m and returned to the track an hour later to anchor the 4x400m relay team to another, while Dwain Chambers and the men's 4x400m team also claimed silver on the final day of competition in Paris.

But perhaps the most significant result came from 17-year-old sprinter Jodie Williams, who was just 0.01 seconds away from a medal in the 60m on her senior debut.

At the other end of the age spectrum, the 37-year-old Clitheroe claimed her first major title after holding off a determined challenge from Russia's Olesya Syreva to win by just three hundredths of a second.

Barring injury, Williams will certainly compete in London but even exceeding expectations here will not persuade the A-level student to change her mind and compete at the World Championships in Daegu this year.

"It's made me more sure that I am not ready for worlds yet," Williams insisted after finishing fourth in 7.21s, equalling the personal best she set in the semi-finals. "It's frustrating to be so close to a medal but I was just happy to be in that race."

Chambers was also 0.01s away from defending his 60m title as Portugal's Francis Obikwelu, at 32 the same age as Chambers, claimed a surprise win.

In the women's 800m, Meadows led from the start and it looked as though her tactics would pay off until Russia's Yevgeniya Zinurova edged ahead just metres from the line. Meadows finished 0.31s behind with team-mate Marilyn Okoro fading to fifth.

But the 29-year-old could be proud of her performance in the 4x400m relay as she ran a superb final leg to hold off France and ensure silver for herself and fellow 800m specialist Marilyn Okoro, Kelly Sotherton and Lee McConnell.

The only disappointment for Britain on the final day came in the men's 800m, where Andrew Osagie finished fourth after looking well placed for a medal.