Athletics: Gateshead's European Cup

IN ANOTHER triumph for British athletics following a golden weekend on track and field, Gateshead has been awarded the European Cup in 2000, it was confirmed in Budapest yesterday.

The event, that Britain's men won in St Petersburg in June, had originally been due to take place in the French Caribbean island of Martinique.

But the European Athletic Association switched the venue to avoid forcing athletes to travel a long distance in Olympic year. Next year's competition will now be in Paris with Florence the hosts in 2001.

The International Stadium in Gateshead first staged the one-man per event competition in 1989 when Britain's men won for the first time.

Meanwhile, newly crowned European 200 metres champion Doug Walker could be denied a hero's return to Scotland. Walker was hoping to compete for Britain in Glasgow next weekend, but is having treatment on a niggling knee injury.