Belgrave's Phillips Idowu was named athlete of the match after his tremendous triple jump victory at the Spar European Cup in Annecy, France, on Sunday.

Competing in ideal warm, sunny and windless weather, in stark contrast to the gales that were battering Britain, Idowu confirmed his top world ranking to win with 17.46m and help Britain lift the men's cup.

His winning jump was the best triple jump performance seen in the event for 11 years.

Idowu, 29, managed to get his act together after an opening jump of less than 16m after getting his rhythm wrong.

"I had to make sure I got a decent jump in to secure the points," said Idowu, whose hair was dyed red for the occasion.

"Once I'd done my bit for the country it was all about having fun and entertaining the crowd. I wanted a little bit more but a win is a win and I'm still on top of the world.

"I reckon I can even put down another metre," added Idowu, well aware that fulfilling his ambition would put him well beyond the current world record of 18.29m, held since 1995 by fellow Brit Jonathan Edwards.

Teddington-based Mo Farah gained a gutsy win in the 5,000m. He took off with five laps to go to win in 13:44.07.

Former European cross country champion and current 5,000m silver medallist Farah then announced he was leaving for altitude training in nearby St Moritz to continue his preparations for the Beijing Olympics.

"I hadn't planned to do anything until the last four laps. Things are going quite well," he said modestly.

Andy Baddeley, a student and part-time lecturer at St Mary's, Twickenham, continued his impressive form in the 3,000m.

After keeping up with the leading pack throughout the seven-and-a-half lap race he then used a surge of power to move through from fourth in the final 60m to win in 8:01.28 seconds.

John Fisher Old Boy Martyn Rooney lived up to his status of Europe's fastest one-lap runner this season when he came back from third place to win the 400m in 45.33.

"My main aim was to win. I always made sure I had a bit in the tank and in the end I came through and won it," said Rooney.

With Britain already certain of lifting the cup, Rooney then ran a superb anchor leg for the 4x400m relay team in the final event of the meeting.

He swept through from fifth place and in the final stages came close to catching the winning French team.

In the end there were just inches in it as Rooney easily clocked the fastest leg for the event in 44.2.

Teddington-based Kate Reed, who came in as a replacement for fellow Teddington-based athlete Jo Pavey, finished a fine runner-up in the women's 5,000m in 15:40.73.

After all her recent injury problems, Herne Hill's Jade Johnson seems to be hitting peak form at just the right time and now only needs to finish in the top two at next month's trials to clinch her place for the Beijing Olympics.

Bitterly disappointed at just failing to make the Osaka World Championships squad last year, she achieved the Olympic A standard in finishing runner-up in the long jump with a personal best of 6.81m.