Hicks joins USC sprinter John, Florida shot putter Van Daalen in winning titles, with reigning NCAA heptathlon champion Lotta Enok of Oklahoma earning bronze for Estonia and Dutch athlete Maatoug of Duke taking third in women’s 5,000

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Charles Hicks won a pair of European Athletics Under-23 cross country titles representing Great Britain during his Stanford career.

Hicks, 21, wasted little time making an impact as a professional athlete representing Nike Bowerman Track Club, helping Great Britain earn both gold and bronze medals in the men’s 5,000-meter final Friday at the European Athletics U23 Championships at Leppavaara Stadium in Espoo, Finland.

DAVID HICKS DAY 1 PHOTOS | DAVID HICKS DAY 2 PHOTOS

Hicks prevailed in 13 minutes, 35.07 seconds and British teammate Will Barnicoat grabbed bronze in 13:45.24. Finland’s Eemil Helander secured silver in 13:40.25.

Hicks’ victory helped Great Britain achieve a sweep of both 5,000 gold medals, with Megan Keith capturing the women’s title Thursday in 15:34.33.

Spain’s Maria Forero achieved silver in 15:43.22, with Dutch athlete Amina Maatoug – representing Duke – grabbing bronze in 15:50.83.

Great Britain added victories Friday from USC standout Yemi John in the women’s 400 and Welsh record holder Jeremiah Azu in the men’s 100-meter dash.

John, the reigning World Under-20 gold medalist, ran a personal-best 51.04 seconds to edge Norway’s Henriette Jaeger (51.06). Keely Hodgkinson, last year’s World silver medalist in the 800 meters, earned 400 bronze in 51.76.

Azu clocked a wind-legal 10.05 seconds to triumph against Dutch competitor Raphael Bouju (10.17) and France’s Pablo Mateo (10.18).

Florida’s Alida Van Daalen, a Dutch standout, prevailed Thursday in the women’s shot put with a lifetime-best 60-1.25 (18.32m) in the sixth round.

British athlete Serena Vincent earned silver with a personal-best 55-6.50 (16.93m) and Finland’s Emilia Kangas took bronze at 54-11 (16.75m).

Finland’s Silja Kosonen, the World U20 record holder in the women’s hammer throw, produced the top performance in meet history with an opening-round effort of 241-10 (73.71m).

Charlotte Payne of Great Britain secured silver at 227-1 (69.22m), with Germany’s Aileen Kuhn achieving bronze at 224-1 (68.30m).

Spain’s Maria Vicente was victorious in the women’s triple jump final with a second-round performance of 46-7.50 (14.21m). Sweden’s Maja Askag captured silver at 45-1.75 (13.76m) and Finland’s Jessica Kahara was the bronze medalist at 44-7 (13.59m).

Saga Vanninen of Finland prevailed in the women’s heptathlon with 6,317 points, with Dutch athlete Sofie Dokter securing silver at 6,256 points. Oklahoma’s Pippi Lotta Enok, the reigning NCAA Division 1 champion representing Estonia, grabbed a bronze medal with 6,002 points.

Norway’s Havard Bentdal Ingvaldsen was the men’s 400 gold medalist in 45.13 seconds, with Switzerland’s Lionel Spitz taking silver in 45.27 and Hungary’s Attila Molnar placing third in 45.36.

Henrik Flatnes added another gold medal for Norway with his 26-1.50 (7.96m) performance. Germany’s Simon Batz edged Matyas Nemeth of Hungary by a 25-4 (7.72m) to 25-3.50 (7.71m) margin to earn the silver medal.

Spain’s Daniela Garcia won the women’s 800 title in 2:02.96, Finland’s Veera Mattila achieved silver in 2:03.14 and Greece’s Georgia-Maria Despollari earning a bronze in 2:04.14.

Dutch competitor N’Ketia Seedo emerged victorious in the women’s 100-meter dash in a wind-legal 11.22. Hungary’s Boglarka Takacs was second in 11.30 and Swiss athlete Melissa Gutschmidt was the bronze medalist in 11.33.