Athletics: Women Show the Way As Men Falter in Florence

A British women's team led by Paula Radcliffe appeared to be heading for promotion back into the European Cup Super League after a fine opening day in Portugal.

But they could pass the men going in the opposite direction. They enter the final day in Florence bottom of the eight competing countries and needing a miracle to avoid relegation for the first time since 1965 after another woeful session in the Luigi Ridolfi stadium, where even a victory for the 4x100m relay team failed to lift spirits.

Radcliffe led from the start and was an easy winner of the 3,000 metres in 8minutes 50.18seconds at the Group B competition despite a hip injury sustained when she had tripped in her last race.

It helped leave Britain leading overnight and another victory from Radcliffe today in the 5,000m should ensure the team bounce straight back up after relegation last year. 'We are doing really well,' the Bedford runner said.

The women had been given the perfect start when Liz Fairs, a 27-year-old from Trafford, won the 400m hurdles in the opening event.

She stormed away to win in 56.65sec despite originally being overlooked by the selectors before they changed their minds.

Other British winners were Donna Fraser, who won the 400m in 52.35sec, and Janine Whitlock, winner of the pole vault with 4.30m.

Even the loss of double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes from the 800m with a minor achilles injury did not derail Britain as her replacement Jessica Simpson, a 20-year-old from Newquay, finished second.

In contrast, the men, who had began calamitously on Friday when they ended the evening bottom, continued to make a mockery of the country's fine heritage in this competition. They even failed to win the 100m for the second consecutive year - unprecedented in the past 16 years.

Mark Lewis-Francis looked set to make up for being disqualified in the corresponding event last year but after leading for most of the race was passed in the final few strides by France's Ronald Pognon, who won in 10.06sec.

'Everyone knows he's a great athlete, but to beat me is a big shock,' said the Birmingham runner, whose frustration was added to by the fact his 10.10sec, which would have been a season's best, was ruled out because the wind was marginally over the legal limit.

Lewis-Francis did later return to anchor the relay team to victory in 38.67sec after they overcame a poor second changeover between Marlon Devonish and Christian Malcolm.

It left Britain still bottom with 38 points, 13 short of sixth-placed Russia in the safety zone.

Relegation would be a calamitous start to the new regime of UK Athletics performance director Dave Collins and he will need to employ all his psychological skills to inspire a recovery.

He has been unfortunate so many athletes like Chris Rawlinson and Carl Myerscough underperformed.

Rawlinson, who has three victories in this competition, finished sixth in the 400m hurdles having failed to recover fully from a hernia operation last month.

Myerscough, a winner last year, finished only fifth in the shot put.

Britain's problems were compounded in the long jump by Nathan Morgan, who had a series of fouls before registering a valid mark with his final effort. But at 7.30metres it was still only good enough for last place.