CREATE TABLE table_11723 ("Year" FLOAT, "Competition" CLOB, "Venue" CLOB, "Position" CLOB, "Event" CLOB)

Before 1979, what position was the European Indoor Championships?
SELECT "Position" FROM table_11723 WHERE "Competition" = 'european indoor championships' AND "Year" < '1979'
SELECT "Position" FROM "table_11723" WHERE "Competition" = 'european indoor championships' AND "Year" < '1979'