Georgia Hunter Bell was the overwhelming favorite for 1500m gold at the European Indoor Championships, with odds so strong that a £50 bet on her would have yielded just £1 in profit. She was seen as a certainty for victory. However, with just 100m remaining, her hopes crumbled.
At that point, the Olympic 1500m bronze medallist was in the lead and appeared to be in control. But when the moment came to accelerate, she faltered, her legs giving out unexpectedly. It was later revealed that an ear infection had affected her performance.
Agathe Guillemot of France surged past her to claim gold in 4:07.23, followed by Salomé Afonso of Portugal. In a final twist, her British teammate Revée Walcott-Nolan edged her out for bronze in a photo finish, both clocking 4:08.45.
“In the last stage, my legs just completely locked,” Hunter Bell admitted. “I had an illness, an ear infection. I can’t really hear out of one ear. Training has been up and down. I thought I would still be fine, but I just didn’t have it. I’m really gutted.”
The outcome was particularly surprising given her previous performances. When she secured bronze in Paris with a time of 3:52, Guillemot had finished seven seconds behind in ninth place, while Afonso and Walcott-Nolan had not even reached the final.
Despite the setback, the 31-year-old is determined to use the experience as motivation for the rest of the year, beginning with the World Indoor Championships in China in two weeks. “I will have to go away and reset,” she said. “Last year, when I came fourth at the world indoors, it really fueled me for the summer. So when I’m done being sad about this, maybe I can take some positives from it. But tonight, I’m allowing myself to be sad.”
For Walcott-Nolan, securing bronze was a breakthrough moment. “My legs were absolutely going,” she said. “But I kept thinking, ‘Georgia is stronger and quicker than I am. If I just hold on as tight as I can, I’ll be happy with that.’ That mindset got me the medal.”
More British medal opportunities remain over the weekend, with George Mills being a strong contender in the 3,000m. The 25-year-old has spent the winter training intensely in Dullstroom, South Africa, covering 120 miles per week in a disciplined routine.
When asked about any indulgences, Mills shrugged. “I’m a simple guy. I love to train, spend time with friends and teammates when I can. That’s a good life,” he said.
His strict approach extends to sleep. “Recovery happens when you sleep,” he noted. “I try to nap most afternoons and get a solid night’s sleep. I use blue-light glasses, earplugs, an eye mask everything to optimize rest.”
His disciplined lifestyle is reflected in his diet as well. While speaking to the media, he ate plain boiled chicken and rice. “Flavour doesn’t make you fast,” he remarked.
To win gold, Mills will need to overcome double Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who dominated the 1500m final. However, Mills remains hopeful. “Obviously, he’s a phenomenal athlete. But in this sport, no one is invincible,” he said.
Mills finished second to Ingebrigtsen at the European Championships last year, and the experience has only fueled his ambition. “I got a taste of a medal in Rome,” he said. “Now I want to be competing for medals at every major championship.”
Elsewhere, Amber Anning, the favorite in the women’s 400m, faced disappointment after being disqualified despite winning her heat. The 24-year-old, who finished fifth at the Olympics, initially appeared to have progressed comfortably with a time of 51.01. However, she was left in tears after television footage revealed she had stepped on the line multiple times.
