British trio Martyn Rooney, Michael Bingham and Conrad Williams reached the 400m semi-finals on day one of the European Athletics Championships.

Bingham won his heat in 45.49 seconds while Rooney clocked 45.72 in finishing second behind Belgium’s Kevin Borlee, despite having to run from lane eight.

Williams looked less comfortable in finishing third in his heat in 46.35.

Britain’s Perri Shakes-Drayton and Eilidh Child reached the semi-finals of the women’s 400m hurdles.

First and second respectively in the under-23 championships last year, both finished second in their heats on a hot morning in the Olympic stadium in Barcelona, with the temperature already approaching 30C.

Shakes-Drayton recorded a time of 55.35 while Child made light of being stuck out in lane eight to clock 55.82.