Britain had never won a women’s marathon medal at this event — and you need to go back to 1974 for the last time they troubled the podium in the men’s competition.
But Abbie Donnelly took bronze, Wilson came home in fifth and Evans-Graham 34th, with their combined times ranking Britain ahead of Italy and Spain in the team competition.
Finland’s Alisa Vainio smashed the long-standing championship record with a superb display of front-running around a tight and undulating city-centre loop course.
Wilson, 33, was firmly established as part of a chasing pack but, as it fractured in the closing stages, admitted there was nothing left as the individual medallists sprinted clear.
“It would have been nice to get an individual medal, but Abby got that bronze, so at least it was one of us,” she said.
“We had team goals as well and we’ve never won a European medal in the women’s marathon before, so that’s really special.
“Last night the team staff were saying, ‘Make sure you pack your podium gear,’ and that felt quite surreal in itself. We were all together as a team last night and it was a really nice environment.
“It was nice to work together in those early stages and then it was just about going as fast as we could because the team result was based on time rather than position. I’m really happy with that.
“I was just thinking, ‘Hold on as long as I can and be ready to cover every move.’ Obviously, I would have liked an individual medal, but I put myself in the right position the whole time. I just didn’t quite have it on the day, but I’m really happy with how I raced.
“The hills were tough. I did feel it in my quads and hamstrings because of the uphill and then the downhill. It was quite hard to get into a rhythm, but we practise that in training, so I was prepared for it.”
Wilson was the top British finisher at the 2020 London Marathon, but her time was narrowly outside the mark required to secure Olympic selection for Tokyo.
That experience only makes her want more.
“Making major championships is a big motivator and this was especially important because it’s on home soil,” she added.
“Winning medals for your country is what you dream of and hopefully I’ll get more chances to race at events like this.”
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