Sophie Becker produces season's best to squeeze into 400m semi-finals

Finishing third in the opening heat in a season’s best 52.28, the 29-year-old held her form very well down the home straight to hold off Melanie Roland of Switzerland to her immediate right.

Ireland’s Sophie Becker celebrates after the race. Pic: Morgan Treacy/Inpho

Rising to the occasion. Rising to the standard. Sophie Becker produced her fastest time of the year to squeeze into the 400m semi-finals on the third day of European Championship action.

Across nearly all sprint heats in Birmingham, it is the 12 fastest qualifiers advancing to join the 12 seeded athletes in the semis.