Mondo Duplantis, Femke Bol, Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Katarina Johnson-Thompson are among the many huge names competing within the Italian capital from June 7-12
After staging its new off-road operating championships within the alpine city of Annecy in current days, European Athletics is again right down to earth, actually, this week with European Athletics Championships in Rome. The flagship occasion runs from Friday June 7 to Wednesday June 12 and can see a few of the greatest monitor and discipline athletes on the continent battling for medals.
The occasion is returning to its birthplace because it was first staged in Turin in 1934. Later, in 1974, the championships had been staged in Rome with a memorable few days of athletics that may rejoice its fiftieth anniversary in September.
Fifty years in the past the Stadio Olimpico hosted the championships and the identical enviornment levels the 2024 assembly. Since switching from a four-yearly occasion to a biennial assembly in 2012 and now being staged in Olympic yr, there was a hazard the European Championships would start to lose its lustre.
Olympic medal contenders are tempted to offer it a miss with the intention to save themselves for the Olympics. Or they may merely use it as a warm-up occasion for the Olympics. As well as, the European Championships might doubtlessly be dominated by athletes who’re merely unlikely to make their nationwide Olympic groups.
That is removed from the case in Rome in coming days, although. Definitely, some big-name athletes are giving it a miss. From Britain alone there will likely be no Josh Kerr, Jake Wightman or Laura Muir. However the variety of prime stars who’re desirous to compete for European titles is encouraging and thrilling.
In complete there are 9 world champions from Budapest final yr who’re planning to compete in Rome. They’re Femke Bol (400m hurdles), Yaroslava Mahuchikh (excessive bounce), Katarina Johnson-Thompson (heptathlon), Jakob Ingebrigtsen (1500/5000m), Karsten Warholm (400m hurdles), Gianmarco Tamberi (excessive bounce), Armand Duplantis (pole vault), Miltiadis Tentoglou (lengthy bounce) and Daniel Stahl (discus).
Greater than 30 particular person champions from the final European Championships in Munich two years in the past are additionally set to compete. These embody Sandra Elkasevic (née Perkovic) of Croatia, who’s looking for a report seventh successive European title within the discus.
All of which is nice information for those who think about Birmingham is staging the 2026 European Championships, with no Olympics that yr as a distraction both.
A powerful British workforce consists of Johnson-Thompson, Keely Hodgkinson and Dina Asher-Smith and they are going to be aiming to problem the 20 medals (with six golds) that they received in Munich two years in the past. As typically occurs, although, there have been some late withdrawals with Matt Hudson-Smith and Zharnel Hughes giving it a miss.
All eyes will likely be on the Italian host nation, too. Their squad is significantly greater than Britain’s for starters and options reigning European champions Lamont Marcell Jacobs (100m), Gianmarco Tamberi (excessive bounce) and Yeman Crippa (10,000m) who has additionally entered the half marathon in Rome.
Final time in Munich, Germany topped the medals desk and 4 of their 5 of their champions from 2022 are as a result of be in Rome to defend their titles. They’re: Gina Luckenkemper (100m), Richard Ringer (marathon), Julian Weber (javelin), Niklas Kaul (decathlon).
Marcell Jacobs (Getty)
MEN
Sprints and hurdles
Olympic and European 100m champion Marcell Jacobs of Italy is likely one of the poster athletes of the championships however the European record-holder’s kind has been hit or miss recently with a season’s better of 10.03 when he was fourth on the Bislett Video games in Oslo final week. Britain’s Jeremiah Azu leads the rankings this yr – with team-mate Romell Glaved ranked No.3 – however Azu completed final in Oslo with cramp. Regardless of the withdrawal of Zharnel Hughes this will likely be one of many must-watch occasions of the championships.
The 400m, too, appears like being an exhilarating occasion because it options world indoor champion Alexander Doom of Belgium and rising British star Charlie Dobson. Sadly Matt Hudson-Smith has determined to not go for a 3rd Euro title, nevertheless.
Within the 200m, there will likely be a brand new champion within the absence of Hughes however be careful for Frenchmen Pablo Matteo and Ryan Zeze. The 110m hurdles, in the meantime, appears pretty open with Michael Obasuyi of Belgium main the rankings and Andy Pozzi ranked No.3. The 400m hurdles, nevertheless, is definitely a shoo-in for Karsten Warholm of Norway.
Karsten Warholm (Getty)
Endurance
Six years after capturing a 1500m and 5000m double as a 17-year-old, Jakob Ingebrigtsen is attempting to do it once more in Rome. Within the 1500m he faces Neil Gourley of Britain, Niels Laros of the Netherlands and, if he can type his entry issues out, Azeddine Habz of France. Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman are, nevertheless, saving themselves for the Olympics.
The 5000m sees the Norwegian up in opposition to Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo, Britain’s George Mills, Dominic Lobalu of Switzerland and Adel Mechaal of Spain, whereas Ingebrigtsen’s fellow Norwegian Narve Nordas can be entered for each 1500m and 5000m. Can Jack Buckner’s 1986 championships report of 13:10.15 lastly fall?
Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Getty)
The 800m appears broad open with Britain’s Elliot Giles up in opposition to Italian Catalin Teuceceanu and Frenchmen Yannis Meziane and Gabriel Tual. The championship report of 1:43.84 continues to be held by Olaf Beyer, too, when the East German beat Steve Ovett and Seb Coe in Prague in 1978.
Within the 10,000m, Patrick Dever tackles 25 laps once more just some weeks after his Evening of the ten,000m PBs effort. He faces Yeman Crippa of Italy, Jimmy Gressier of France, Andreas Almgren of Sweden, Isaac Kimeli of Belgium and Thierry Ndikumwenaya of Spain.
Within the half-marathon there are not any Brits however 2022 marathon winner Richard Ringer of Germany and his team-mate Amanal Petros will face Crippa, Carlos Mayo of Spain, Samuel Barata of Portugal and Sondre Moen of Norway amongst others. The 3000m steeplechase fields are led by Daniel Arce of Spain and Djilali Bedrani of France.
Within the 20km stroll, Paul McGrath leads the 2024 rankings together with Spanish team-mate Diego Garcia, though defending champion Alvaro Martin, additionally of Spain, is lacking.
Mondo Duplantis (Getty)
Jumps
Barring any main mishaps, Mondo Duplantis will certainly breeze to his third European pole vault title on the age of 24. Likewise, Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece goes for lengthy bounce crown No.3 after successful in 2018 and 2022. He’ll face Italian teenager Mattia Furlani, who will likely be roared by his dwelling crowd, although, plus Filip Pravdica of Croatia and Simon Ehammer of Switzerland.
Gianmarco Tamberi will likely be flying the Italian hopes within the excessive bounce in opposition to rivals akin to Jan Stefela of the Czech Republic and Ukrainian duo Oleh Doroshchuk and Vladyslav Lavskyy. Within the triple bounce, Pedro Pichardo of Portugal defends his title with Jordan Díaz of Spain amongst his challengers.
Mykolas Alekna (Getty)
Throws
The shot put is one other nice occasion for the host nation with the No.1 European this yr, Leonardo Fabbri, main the way in which together with Zane Weir. Scott Lincoln of Britain goes into this occasion in PB form too and will likely be striving to change into the primary British medallist on this occasion since Geoff Capes in Rome 50 years in the past.
Mykolas Alekna is the person to beat within the discus following his world report earlier this yr. He faces Daniel Stahl of Sweden and Kristjan Ceh of Slovenia amongst others however the younger Lithuanian will likely be a agency favorite.
Within the hammer, Mykhaylo Kokhan of Ukraine is the one thrower over 80 metres this yr however be careful for Wojciech Nowicki, the reigning European and Olympic champion from Poland. As for the javelin, German hopes will likely be robust with defending champion Julian Weber and rankings No.1 Max Dehning dealing with athletes like Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic.
Niklas Kaul (Getty)
Mixed occasions
Two years in the past Niklas Kaul was mendacity in seventh place with two occasions to go within the decathlon however pulled out a terrific victory in entrance of his dwelling crowd in Munich. In Rome he defends his title however he faces world record-holder and two-time world champion Kevin Mayer of France. Johannes Erm of Estonia, in the meantime, leads the 2024 rankings with 8462.
GB & NI males’s workforce: 100m: Jeremiah Azu; Romell Glave. 200m: Jona Efoloko; Jeriel Quainoo. 400m: Charlie Dobson; Alex Haydock-Wilson. 800m: Callum Dodds; Elliot Giles; Thomas Randolph. 1500m: Adam Fogg; Neil Gourley. 5000m: George Mills; Jack Rowe; James West. 10,000m: Patrick Dever; Rory Leonard; Zak Mahamed. 20km stroll: Callum Wilkinson. 110m hurdles: Andrew Pozzi; Tade Ojora. 400m hurdles: Alastair Chalmers. 3000m steeplechase: Mark Pearce; Zak Seddon. Lengthy Bounce: Jacob Fincham-Dukes. Discus: Lawrence Okoye. Hammer: Jake Norris. Shot Put: Scott Lincoln. 4x100m: Jeremiah Azu; Jona Efoloko; Romell Glave; Richard Kilty; Jeriel Quainoo. 4x400m: Charlie Carvell; Lewis Davey; Toby Harries; Haydock-Wilson; Michael Ohioze
Daryll Neita and Dina Asher-Smith (Getty)
WOMEN
Sprints and hurdles
Gina Luckenkemper defends her 100m title however she’s going to face powerful opposition from Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith and Amy Hunt. Look out as nicely for current Italian record-breaker Zaynab Dosso and quick beginning Ewa Swoboda of Poland.
Daryll Neita was initially going to double up however now she runs in simply the 200m the place she faces Mujinga Kambundji of Switzerland, Henriette Jaeger of Norway and Boglarka Takacs of Hungary amongst others. Within the 400m, the one girl underneath 50 seconds this yr is Natalia Kaczmarek of Poland. Femke Bol isn’t defending her 400m flat title however her Dutch coaching parter Lieke Klaver has a great probability. Be careful too for Eire’s Rhasidat Adeleke.
Cyrena Samba-Mayela ran a French 100m hurdles report of 12.52 final month and comes into the championships in nice kind. Opposition consists of Ditaji Kambundji of Switzerland, defending champion Pia Skrzyszowska of Poland and Britain’s Cindy Sember.
Like the boys’s 400m hurdles, the ladies’s occasion has a stand-out favorite within the form of Bol.
Keely Hodgkinson (Getty)
Endurance
Hosts Italy might get off to a successful begin within the 20km race stroll on Friday when Olympic champion Antonella Palmisano goes for gold.
Keely Hodgkinson defends her title within the 800m and in present kind ought to deal with the European opposition with ease. Fellow Brits Erin Wallace and Alex Bell even have nice probabilities of a podium place.
There are nice British medal possibilities within the 1500m, too, with Katie Snowden and Georgia Bell main the rankings in 2024 from Eire’s Ciara Mageean. Jemma Reekie steps up from 800m and can clearly be an element within the metric mile. Anticipate a great ambiance too if Italian Nadia Battocletti will get within the combine.
Konstanze Klosterhalfen won’t defend her 5000m crown from Munich 2022, which leaves the way in which open for somebody like Marta Garcia of Spain, Maureen Koster of Netherlands, Karoline Grovdal of Norway and Britain’s enhancing Hannah Nuttall to make their mark.
At 10,000m, in-form Megan Keith takes on the returning fellow Brit Eilish McColgan plus Klara Lukan of Slovenia and probably Nadia Battocletti of Italy. Within the 3000m steeplechase, look out for Gesa Felicitas Krause of Germany and Alice Finot of France.
Half-marathon entries embody Grovdal, Lonah Salpeter of Israel and Joan Chelimo Melly of Romania with a promising British workforce led by Calli Hauger-Thackery.
Molly Caudery (Getty)
Jumps
Molly Caudery received the world indoor pole vault title in March. So can she now seize the European title in Rome? Her current 4.84m out of doors clearance suggests it’s attainable. Rivals embody Wilma Murto of finland, Angelica Moser of Switzerland and Tina Sutej of Slovenia, Olympic medallist Holly Bradshaw of Britain additionally makes a return to championship competitors.
Yaroslava Mahuchikh defends her excessive bounce crown and the Ukrainian will face Angelina Matter of Serbia, Christina Honsel of Germany, Morgan Lake of Britain and Elena Vallortigara of Italy amongst others.
There are extra Italian hopes within the lengthy bounce as Larissa Iapichino, the daughter of former world champion and British born Fiona Might, however Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo can be competing together with in-form fellow German Mikaelle Assani, plus Agate De Sousa of Portugal.
Within the triple bounce, Tugba Danismaz of Turkey and Ana Peleteiro-Compaore of Spain paved the way.
Sandra Perkovic (Mark Shearman)
Throws
Jessica Schilder of the Netherlands defends her title within the shot put and can face Yemisi Ogunleye of Germany, Fanny Roos of Sweden and Jessica Inchude of Portugal.
Sandra Perkovic received the 2022 discus title and now competing underneath her married title of Elkasevic she goes for gold once more for Croatia and is up in opposition to Marike Steinacker of Germany, Irina Rodrigues of Portugal and Ieva Gumbs of Lithuania.
Within the javelin, Elina Tzengko, nonetheless solely 21, defends her crown and he or she will likely be up in opposition to Victoria Hudson of Austria, Yulenmis Aguilar of Spain and Adriana Vilagos of Serbia. The hammer sees Zalina Marghieva of Moldova begin favorite with Bianca Ghelber of Romania defending her title.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Nafi Thiam (Getty)
Mixed occasions
Nafi Thiam of Belgium has received the final two European heptathlon titles and he or she goes head-to-head right here with world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson of Britain. However be careful as nicely for two-time world indoor pentathlon champion Noor Vidts, rising star Saga Vanninen of Finland and Switzerland’s Annik Kalin. Probably the most notable absentee is Anouk Vetter of the Netherlands, who just lately received in Gotzis.
GB & NI ladies’s workforce: 100m: Dina Asher-Smith; Amy Hunt; 200m: Daryll Neita. 400m: Laviai Nielsen; Victoria Ohuruogu. 800m: Alex Bell; Keely Hodgkinson; Erin Wallace. 1500m: Georgia Bell; Jemma Reekie; Katie Snowden. 5000m: Izzy Fry; Amy-Eloise Neale; Hannah Nuttall. 10,000m: Megan Keith; Eilish McColgan; Jessica Warner-Judd. 100m hurdles: Cindy Sember. 400m hurdles: Jessie Knight; Lina Nielsen. 3000m steeplechase: Lizzie Fowl. Pole Vault: Holly Bradshaw; Molly Caudery. Excessive Bounce: Morgan Lake. Hammer: Charlotte Payne; Anna Buy. Heptathlon: Katarina Johnson-Thompson; Jade O’Dowda. 4x100m: Asher-Smith; Desiree Henry; Amy Hunt; Neita; Aleeya Sibbons, Asha Phillip. Blended 4x400m: (Along with athletes chosen for males’s 4x400m): Hannah Kelly; Emily Newnham. Half Marathon: Abbie Donnelly; Clara Evans; Calli Hauger-Thackery; Lauren McNeil
Jemma Reekie (Getty)
Tv information
After hanging a last-minute deal to broadcast the occasion, the BBC is now exhibiting the motion reside on iPlayer and its web site.
Timetable – finals solely
Native occasions listed (UK is one hour behind Italy)
Friday June 7
09:40 – W 100m hurdles Heptathlon
11:35 – W Excessive Bounce Heptathlon
18:35 – W 20km Race Stroll Remaining
18:40 – W Shot Put Heptathlon
21:00 – M Discus Remaining
21:33 – W Shot Put Remaining
21:45 – W 200m Heptathlon
22:20 – 4 x 400m Blended Finals
22:40 – W 5000m Remaining
Saturday June 8
12:10 – W Lengthy Bounce Heptathlon
18:00 – M 20km Race Stroll Remaining
18:05 – W Javelin Heptathlon
20:06 – M Lengthy Bounce Remaining
21:02 – M Shot put Remaining
21:37 – W Discus Remaining
21:47 – W 800m Heptathlon
22:08 – W 100m hurdles Remaining
22:18 2– M 110m hurdles Remaining
22:28 – M 5000m Remaining
22:53 – M 100m Remaining
Sunday June 9
09:00 – M Half Marathon
09:30 – W Half Marathon
20:30 – W Excessive Bounce Remaining
21:11 – M Hammer Remaining
21:21 – W Triple Bounce Remaining
21:35 – M 200m Semi-Remaining
22:04 – W 3000m s’chase Remaining
22:27 – M 800m Remaining
22:36 – W 1500m Remaining
22:53 – W 100m Remaining
Monday June 10
10:05 – M 100m Decathlon
11:05 – M Lengthy Bounce Decathlon
13:05 – M Shot Put Decathlon
19:30 – M Excessive Bounce Decathlon
20:15 – W Pole Vault Remaining
21:33 – W Hammer Remaining
21:40 – M 400m Remaining
21:50 – W 400m Remaining
22:00 – M 3000m s’chase Remaining
22:20 – M 400m Decathlon
22:50 – M 200m Remaining
Tuesday June 11
09:35 – M 110m hurdles Decathlon
10:30 – M Discus Decathlon
11:35 – M Discus Decathlon
11:55 – M Pole Vault Decathlon
19:05 – M Javelin Decathlon
20:35 – M Excessive Bounce Remaining
20:55 – M Triple Bounce Remaining
21:05 – M 400m hurdles Remaining
21:18 – W 400m hurdles Remaining
21:30 – W 10,000m Remaining
21:36 – W Javelin Remaining
22:25 – M 1500m Decathlon
22:53 – W 200m Remaining
Wednesday June 12
20:20 – M Pole Vault Remaining
20:28 – M Javelin Remaining
20:54 – W Lengthy Bounce Remaining
21:06 – W 4x400m Remaining
21:19 – M 4x400m Remaining
21:31 – W 800m Remaining
21:44 – M 10,000m Remaining
22:26 – M 1500m Remaining
22:38 – W 4x100m Remaining
22:50 – M 4x100m Remaining
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