Devonish sizzles in heats

Marlon Devonish set a season's best in the heats of the 200 metres at the European Championships in Gothenburg as he looks to emulate the bronze medal he claimed four years ago.

The 30-year-old Olympic 4x100m relay gold medallist was drawn in the strongest heat but made a solid start as he posted the fastest time in the six rounds of 20.53seconds, his pace pulling him comfortably clear clear of Sebastian Ernst and Eddy De Lepine.

The German number one and the Frenchman also posted their summer's fastest marks of 20.67secs and 20.70secs.

Devonish's teammates Rikki Fifton and Tim Abeyie were third and fourth respectively in their heats with times of 21.02secs and 21.03secs, with both making progress.

The British trio will be joined by Ireland's Paul Brizzel, fourth in a season's best of 20.84secs in Devonish's race, and Paul Hession, runner-up in his with a mark of 20.81sec.

Neither British champion Jermaine May, after a brief spell in the lead, nor Adam Bowden, qualified for the 3,000m steeplechase final.

Mays' heat was won by the favourite, European record holder Simon Vroeman of the Netherlands in eight minutes 29.62 seconds, as Mays finished ninth in a time of 8mins 41.70secs.

In a much faster race, Bowden placed 10th in 8mins 35.79secs with Spain's Antonio David Jiminez winning in 8mins 24.12secs.

Kate Dennison was unlucky to lose out on a pole vault final slot, losing on countback to two of her opponents at a height of 4.30m. Ellie Spain crashed out clearing only four metres.

Gold medal hope Jo Pavey was saved the ordeal of a 5,000 metres heat when the small number of entries for the event saw it cancelled.