ATHLETICS/EUROPEAN INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS: She ran for gold, almost took silver, then landed with bronze. Yet Karen Shinkins could still afford to smile after yesterday's medal-winning run over 400 metres at the European Indoor Championships in Vienna.

After years of letdowns and disappointment, Shinkins finally delivered on the major stage. The European title was her ultimate target, but on the day the powerful Russian, Natalya Antyukh, was simply unbeatable, while the young German, Claudia Marx, surprised even herself by sneaking silver on the finish line.

Shinkins will at least come away knowing she gave her best. Under heavy pressure all weekend she still ran with the sort of class that has defined her elevation throughout the season, and can clearly build on this to reach even greater heights.

Just an inch separated silver and bronze, with the German clocking 52.15 seconds over the 52.17 by Shinkins. Antyukh's winning time was 51.65 seconds.

But coming into the final straight it appeared certain that Shinkins would still bag the silver. The only slight regret then lay in the colour of her medal.

"I totally felt I was holding on for the silver," she said. "I just did not realise that Claudia was closing up so fast. But I'm so proud of what I've done here, that goes without saying.

"When it was so close though for a different coloured medal then you'll always be a little disappointed. Still this is the best disappointment I've ever had. I mean, it's a bronze medal disappointment."

It was a race, too, where all six finalists had an eye on a medal. Four of the top-six in the current world rankings were on the start line, led by Antyukh, and then Shinkins with her 51.58 Irish record of last month.

From the gun, though, it was Catherine Murphy of Britain who figured gold was hers to strike. She took out the first of the two laps in 23.78 seconds, chased by Antyukh, while Shinkins had to fend off another Russian, Yuliya Pechonkina, to hold third spot.

Antyukh then charged ahead down the back straight and Murphy was clearly tiring coming around the last bend.

Shinkins swept past into final straight, but Marx and the third Russian, Natalya Ivanova, were closing fast: in the case of Marx, too fast.

"I wasn't worried to see Murphy go out from the gun," explained Shinkins, still only 25 and developing her talent in Atlanta under coach Paul Doyle.

"I've often come into major championships and just not handled them the way I should. Here I handled it all the way to the final.

"I'm starting to believe now that I'm world class, and building my confidence. I know now I can go out and compete with the best and come away with medals, which is why we all do this sport in the first place."

The 400 metres on both counts brought out some of the best in the Irish at these championships. Tomás Coman may have fallen a little short of making the men's final, but he twice lowered the Irish record, taking it to 46.34 when finishing fourth in Saturday's semi-final.

That left Coman just two-hundredths of a second outside a final place and, at 22, he, like Shinkins, will be building towards the outdoor championships in August.

David McCarthy (18), also performed with some class despite making his senior debut, and bowed out in the other semi-final when taking fifth in 46.86.

James Nolan went into Saturday's 1,500 final looking to repeat or better the silver medal run of two years ago, but a tactical final saw him caught for pace in the end, and he finished sixth. Portugal's world indoor champion Rui Silva won gold in 3.49.93 - a time regularly bettered by schoolboys.

"I thought I had a bronze medal in my back pocket around the last lap," said Nolan. "But the last 100 metres was a bit of a nightmare, and the speed I normally have was just missing."

First to pass Nolan was unknown Britain Michael East, who took bronze, with Nolan slipping to sixth in 3.50.84. Less than a second separated the top six.

The championships concluded with two dramatic 800 metre finals - where both red-hot favourites were beaten into second.

Home star Stephenie Graf had to concede gold to Jolanda Ceplak of Slovenia, who produced a world record 1.55.82. Switzerland's world champion, Andre Bucher, lost out to Pawel Czapiewski of Poland, in a championship best of 1.44.78.