Swirling rain may have engulfed the men’s 400m hurdles final, but the Letzigrund Stadium generated  a level of heat and noise not previously witnessed this week as Kariem Hussein delivered the host nation’s first gold – indeed, i...

It was predicted to be the race of the championships, a head-to-head clash between the world’s two best athletes, two runners of Ethiopian extraction battling to bring gold to their adopted countries. And it didn’t disappoint.

It is going to be like old times at the Letzigrund Stadium on Sunday when Sandra Eriksson of Finland and Sweden’s Charlotta Fougberg slug it out over the barriers in the 3000m steeplechase final.

As he took in the achievement of becoming the first man to win three European 50km race walk titles, and setting an extraordinary world record of 3:32.33 in doing so, France’s Yohann Diniz was already savouring another glorious prospect.

Yohann Diniz walked his way into history here today as he set a world record of 3:32.33 in becoming the first man to win three European Athletics Championships 50km race walk golds – something he has done with successive victories.

Two titanic tussles top Friday’s bill at the Letzigrund Stadium on day four of the European Athletics Championships in Zurich.