Team captain Bianca Williams ran her fastest 200m time in five years as Great Britain finished fifth overall at the European Athletics Team Championships.

Williams, who returned to the sport in 2020 after becoming a mother, last ran quicker over the distance back in 2018.

Italy won the three-day competition, finishing ahead of Poland and Germany.

The British team amassed 341 points across the championships’ 37 events, 11 fewer than fourth-placed Spain. Champions Italy (426.50 points) ended 24 clear of the hosts.

Elsewhere for GB on Sunday, Scott Lincoln finished second in the men’s shot put with a 21.10m effort, while 23-year-old Bekah Walton recorded a huge two-metre personal best of 59.76m to finish third in the women’s javelin.

There was a fifth-placed finish for Jonathan Davies in the men’s 5,000m in 13 minutes 56.11secs, while a 6.41m leap secured sixth for Lucy Hadaway in the women’s long jump.

The European Athletics Team Championships was part of the ongoing European Games, which will see Team GB compete across 18 Olympic sports from 21 June to 2 July.

‘Becoming a mother gave me perspective’ – GB captain Williams

The experienced Williams was part of successful 4x100m relay quartets at both the 2018 European Championships and Commonwealth Games, and also also won individual 200m bronze at the 2014 Commonwealths in Glasgow.

On Friday she ran a 100m season-best 11.29s to place sixth in that event – which, like her 200m time, represented her best since 2018 (excluding wind-assisted performances).

Williams said her perspective on competing had changed since the birth of her son.

“Athletics comes with so many highs and so many lows. Looking back, it has been incredible and I have achieved so much,” said Williams.

“Before I had my son, athletics was the whole world. But now I have my son, it has given me a different perspective.

“If I have a bad race, it’s not the end of the world as I can go home, and I’m met by a happy boy who is happy to see me.

“If I run well, then that is fantastic. But I have learned now to not put pressure on myself. You’ve got to enjoy the experience.”

In July 2020, Williams and her partner Ricardo Dos Santos – a Portuguese sprinter – were stopped by police while driving through west London, with their three-month-old son in the car.

Footage of the incident, in which the couple were handcuffed and searched, was widely shared on social media and, following an investigation, five Metropolitan Police officers would face a gross-misconduct hearing.

On her return to the sport, Williams said she did not want to be remembered for the high-profile incident and was instead keen to be known as the athlete “that achieved so much and continued to run great times after becoming a mother”.

Speaking after her 200m on Sunday, she said: “It wasn’t the best race I’ve done this season; it was actually really messy but it just shows I have got more to come.”

“I am really happy to have captained such a great team.”