Russia contributed two of these breakthroughs thanks to Yekaterina Koneva  with 14.98 metres in the triple jump and Denis Kudryavtsev, who clocked 48.66sec in winning the 400 metres hurdles.

Poland’s hammer thrower Pawel Fajdek also joined the Championship record-breaking team with an effort of 81.64m.

There were Championship bests in the men’s 4x100m, where Britain clocked 38.21, and the women’s 4x100m, where Ukraine won in 42.50.

Silke Spiegelburg of Germany also troubled the record books, equalling the Championship record in the pole vault with 4.75m.

Russia’s lead might have been more, but Germany successfully appealed against disqualification in the concluding men’s 4x100m relay, where they eventually finished fourth behind Britain. 

Britain stand in fourth place on 166.5, behind third-place France with 175.5.

Meanwhile, Sweden, with 102 points, Finland, with 89, and Norway, bottom with 60, are in the relegation spots.

Christophe Lemaitre of France won the 100m in 10.26, ahead of Britain’s Richard Kilty in 10.35, although Kilty contributed to the triumphant sprint relay conclusion for his nation.

France were second with 38.34.

But France earned other track victories in the men’s 5,000m thanks to Mourad Amdouni’s 14min 04.63sec, the women’s 800m through Renelle Lamote in 2:00.18 and the women’s 400m thanks to Floria Guei in 51.55.

The women’s 100m  was won by Britain’s Asha Philip in 11.27, with Nataliya Pohrebnyak of Ukraine second in 11.29.

Aleksandr Menkov was another popular home winner in the long jump with 8.26m, as was Valentin Smirnov, who clocked 3:52.03 in the 1500m, holding off Poland’s redoubtable Marcin Lewandowski.

Germany’s Christina Obergfoll, the world javelin champion, who had had a disappointing performance in last week’s International Association of Athletics Federations Diamond League in Oslo, partially renewed her competitive edge with victory in 61.69.m

Related stories
November 2012: Braunschweig and Cheboksary to host 2014 and 2015 European Athletics Team Championships