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SPAR has been the principal sponsor of European Athletics since 1996, becoming synonymous with the sport during this period. Athletics is a sport where personal endeavour is combined with team participation to achieve success, and SPAR identifies with this principle through its national partners by ensuring that consumers enjoy shopping at SPAR. SPAR retailers continue to develop the brand through sponsorship awareness and through the critical link with individual athletes who are also customers of independent retailers. SPAR is proud to be involved with European Athletics, an organisation which strives to bring passion and enthusiasm for their sport to viewers, spectators and participants.

SPAR

Eurohold Bulgaria AD is a leading energy and financial group operating mainly in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe (CESEE). It is listed on the Bulgarian and Warsaw Stock Exchange. Eurohold owns Euroins Insurance Group AD (EIG), one of the largest insurance groups in the region. EIG provides a full range of insurance products, serves over 4 million customers in 13 countries and has over 3000 employees.

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Joma Sport is the most important Spanish sports brand, with the highest sales volume worldwide, and is among the top ten global brands. It was founded by Fructuoso López in 1965, and it is present in more than 140 countries.

It is present in multiple sports and at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 Joma equipped 15% of the participating athletes. Within athletics, it sponsors important national and international athletes. Furthermore, it is the technical sponsor of national federations and marathons in different parts of the world.

Joma

Le Gruyère AOP Switzerland began its partnership with European Athletics in 2008 as a top-tier sponsor of all Major Events and the European Athletics U23 and U20  Championships. Le Gruyère is a very high quality natural cheese that has been produced for many centuries in an artisanal method without any additives. VIP guests, athletes and fans have the opportunity to taste this magnificent cheese at European Athletics events sponsored by Le Gruyère AOP Switzerland.

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Toyo Tires is one of the world's largest tire manufacturers. Toyo Tire Corporation was founded in 1945 in Osaka, Japan. In 1975, the manufacturer opened its European headquarters in Germany. The product range includes winter, summer and all-season tyres for motor vehicles as well as van tyres and special off-road products. The philosophy of Toyo Tires is to combine driving pleasure with top performance. This is reflected in each of the products, as well as in its close partnership with European Athletics.

Toyo Tires

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has been the Official Broadcast Partner of European Athletics since 1981. During this 40-year partnership, the outstanding collaboration between both organisations has always been focused on developing European Athletics into a more attractive product for television, spectators and athletes. Through its operational department Eurovision Services, the EBU is continuously working to promote athletics by offering the most comprehensive coverage of European Athletics events all over Europe.

Conica has been developing and manufacturing innovative seamless flooring solutions for sports, games and leisure for over 40 years and is one of the world's market leaders and innovation drivers in this field.  The user-oriented requirements for technical and sports functional performance as well as usability while guaranteeing the health aspects of the material itself, and for the user, are the focus of Conica's product development.  Conica is part of the Serafin group of companies based in Munich, Germany.

Conica

Polanik is a family company, founded by Wiesław Szczepanik in 1966. It produces athletics equipment having over thousand products in the offer. Polanik fully equips stadiums all over the world and handles the highest-level athletics events. Stars of athletics beat world records using Polanik products. Polanik is held in high regard by many for top quality and advisory services for designers and investors of athletics stadiums.

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Opened in 1909 and magnificently restored, the Hotel Royal Savoy Lausanne combines Art Nouveau and modernity with genuine panache. Featuring tailor-made service and unbeatable comfort, this legendary venue is located a short walk from the shores of Lac Leman and offers every guest the absolute luxury of feeling truly at home. The Hotel Royal Savoy is proud to be the Preferred Hotel Partner of European Athletics in Lausanne since 2016, offering valuable support and accommodation services to European Athletics business activities throughout the year.

Hotel Royal Savoy Lausanne

The first companies of Würth MODYF Group were founded in Künzelsau, Germany and Neumarkt, Italy in 1997 as an independent subsidiary of the Würth Group and can thus look back on more than 25 years of experience in the field of workwear and safety footwear.

Würth MODYF Group currently operates companies in ten countries and has more than 400 employees in Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Switzerland. Smaller sales units support Würth MODYF’s customers in Austria, the Netherlands and Belgium. Würth MODYF Group is continuing to expand internationally, opening new branches all over Europe.

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Apeldoorn is one of the greenest cities in the Netherlands and among the largest municipalities in Gelderland. It is a mid-size city with a population of approximately 161,000. Apeldoorn has a charming and lively inner city and a young, sports-minded population.

The town is easily accessible by car (A1 motorway) and train. The proximity of large cities such as Utrecht (59 kilometre) and Amsterdam (75 kilometre) and its space and tranquillity make Apeldoorn one of the most popular cities in the Netherlands. The area mainly consists of woods and heath-lands and is a popular destination for tourism, in particular hiking and cycling.

The Dutch royal family has always had close ties with the city. Apeldoorn is home to the stately Loo Palace, the former summer residence of the Dutch royal family and nowadays a national museum. Apeldoorn is possibly the most athletic-minded city in the Netherlands.

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<p><strong>A night of records, breakthroughs, and unforgettable moments unfolded at the Meeting de Paris &ndash; the eighth stop of the 2025 Diamond League &ndash; with France&rsquo;s Azeddine Habz delivering one of the most remarkable European performances in front of his home supporters.</strong></p>
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<p>Azeddine Habz brought the Stade S&eacute;bastien Charl&eacute;ty to its feet with a stunning 1500m victory in 3:27.49, setting a national record, a meeting record and world lead. &nbsp;His performance shattered the 23-year-old meeting record held by Hicham El Guerrouj and elevated Habz to sixth on the all-time world list.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The goal was to break the French record. I thought 3:28 was possible. But with the energy from 10,000 supporters, I felt like I had wings,&rdquo; said the 31-year-old Parisian, who won 1500m silver and 3000m bronze at the Apeldoorn 2025 European Athletics Indoor Championships.</p>
<p>Behind Habz, Great Britain's European 5000m silver medallist George Mills surged to a personal best of 3:28.36 for third, while European Running Championships half marathon winner Jimmy Gressier added to France&rsquo;s glorious evening with a national record in the men&rsquo;s 5000m, clocking 12:51.59 to finish fourth in a race won by Ethiopia&rsquo;s Yomif Kejelcha (12:47.84).</p>
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<h2>Attoui wins first Diamond League race</h2>
<p>On a memorable evening for European distance running Spain&rsquo;s European 800m silver medallist Mohamed Attaoui won the men's 800m in 1:42.73. With a late surge down the home straight, he overtook USA's Josh Hoey and held off Bryce Hoppel, claiming his biggest international win to date.</p>
<p>European indoor 3000m champion Sarah Healy extended her excellent form. After winning at the Roma Diamond League, she finished second in the women&rsquo;s 1500m in a new personal best of 3:57.15 just behind Kenya's Nelly Chepchirchir (3:57.02)</p>
<p>In the men&rsquo;s 110m hurdles, Switzerland&rsquo;s Jason Joseph reaffirmed his credentials by equalling his national record of 13.07 (+1.1m/s) in a stacked final. Though he placed third behind the USA's Trey Cunningham (13.00) and Dylan Beard (13.02).</p>
<h2>Mahuchikh and Weber settle for second</h2>
<p>In the women&rsquo;s high jump, world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh, the reigning Olympic and world champion had to settle for second place for the second Diamond League in succession. Her best clearance of 1.97m was beaten by Australian Nicola Olyslagers who cleared 2.00m.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the men&rsquo;s javelin, another high quality affair saw Germany&rsquo;s Julian Weber unleash a best of 87.88m, but he had to settle for second behind world champion Neeraj Chopra of India, who produced a best of 88.26m.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>President meets fellow leaders in Paris</h2>
<p>European Athletics President Dobromir Karamarinov was in attendance to take in the event and take part in important discussions.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750505505/88467d7f-6792-44a5-8b16-f83f2052cc9c.jpg"></p>
<p>He commented: &ldquo;I had the pleasure of joining World Athletics President Sebastian Coe and French Athletics President Jean Gracia for a full schedule &mdash; meeting with French Athletics performance managers, connecting with clubs, athletes and coaches at the F&ecirc;te des Clubs, and engaging in meaningful discussions with the new French National Olympic Committee President Am&eacute;lie Oud&eacute;a-Castera, as well as the legendary Olmpic champion Marie-Jo P&eacute;rec.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We ended the day enjoying a fantastic evening of world-class athletics at the Paris Diamond League. Thank you all for the warm welcome and inspiring conversations!&rdquo;</p>

Habz sets world lead at Paris Diamond League as Gressier also sets French record 

<p>The European Athletics Team Championships is the biennial showdown where Europe&rsquo;s top athletes trade individual medals for national pride in one of the most unpredictable and entertaining events on the athletics calendar.</p>
<p>This year, Madrid takes centre stage, hosting the First Division competition from 27&ndash;29 June at the unique green track created by European Athletics Preferred Supplier Conica at the Estadio Vallehermoso stadium in the heart of the Spanish capital.</p>
<p><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750432420/240621_224240sm04599.jpg"></p>
<h2>What are the European Athletics Team Championships?</h2>
<p><br>The European Athletics Team Championships is a unique international competition where nations compete not for individual medals, but for team glory. Every athlete earns points based on their finishing position, with those points combined to determine each nation&rsquo;s standing.<br><br><strong>The event is split into three divisions:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>First Division &ndash; 16 teams</li>
<li>Second Division &ndash; 16 teams</li>
<li>Third Division &ndash; 17 teams</li>
</ul>
<p>Each country fields one athlete per event across 37 disciplines &mdash; spanning sprints, hurdles, middle- and long-distance races, jumps, throws, and relays.</p>
<p>The programme also features a mixed 4x400m relay &mdash; a recent addition that has quickly become a fan favourite, blending strategy and spectacle. Held as the final event, it can prove pivotal in shaping the overall standings.</p>
<h2>How does the scoring work?</h2>
<p>Points are awarded based on placing: the winner earns as many points as there are teams in the respective division (16 &ndash; 1st and 2nd Division, 17 &ndash; 3rd Division), with each subsequent place scoring one point fewer &mdash; down to 1 point for last place. Athletes who fail to finish or record a valid mark receive zero.</p>
<p>In the case of a tie &mdash; for example, two athletes sharing third place &mdash; the points for those positions are averaged and split. So, if two athletes tie for third in the First Division, they would each receive 13.5 points (the average of 14 and 13). It&rsquo;s the reason final team scores sometimes include half-points &mdash; and the old idiom still rings true: every point counts.</p>
<p><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750436066/GettyImages-1259120473.jpg"></p>
<p>For track events up to 800m distance (including relays), there will be two heats and the overall result will be based on times. For 1500m, 5000m and 3000m steeplechase upwards, there is a single heat of all competing teams.</p>
<p>The horizontal field events (long jump, triple jump, shot put, discus, hammer and javelin) will be held as straight final with 16 (or 17) athletes. All participating athletes will have three attempts (rounds 1, 2 &amp; 3). Then, the best 8&nbsp;athletes will have two more attempts (round 4 &amp; 5). Finally, the best 4 athletes will&nbsp;have the final attempt (round 6) to decide the overall standings.<br><br>In the vertical jumps (high jump and pole vault), the athletes will be divided in two groups (A &amp; B). Both groupswill&nbsp;be held simultaneously. The overall standing of the competition will be based on the combined results of both groups.<br><br>Furthermore, each competitor is limited to a maximum of four fouls across the whole competition. After the fourth foul he/she may not jump further unless he/she has won the competition. The rule of four&nbsp;maximum fouls does not apply in case of the jump-off for the first place.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>At the end of the competition:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>The team with the most points in the First Division are crowned European Champions</li>
<li>The bottom three teams in both the First and Second Divisions are relegated&nbsp;</li>
<li>The top three teams in the Second and Third Divisions are promoted</li>
<li>Teams in the Third Division cannot be relegated but still compete for promotion.</li>
</ul>
<h2>The host venues</h2>
<p>This year marks the first time Madrid has hosted the European Athletics Team Championships since the competition&rsquo;s launch in 2009.</p>
<p>For the 2025 edition, the First Division will be staged at Estadio de Vallehermoso from 27&ndash;29 June, while the Second and Third Divisions will take place in Maribor, Slovenia, from 24&ndash;29 June.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>It&rsquo;s only the second time in the competition&rsquo;s history that all three divisions will be held during the same week &mdash; offering fans a rare, all-encompassing view of Europe&rsquo;s elite, rising, and emerging athletics nations.</p>
<p>The spotlight in Madrid will shine brightest across three prime-time evening sessions, where the Super League&rsquo;s 16 strongest teams go head-to-head. The line up consists of defending champions Italy, France, Great Britain, Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands, Czechia, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Greece, Hungary, Ukraine, Lithuania &mdash; and hosts Spain.</p>
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<p>While Spain have yet to climb the podium in this competition, they&rsquo;ve been a top tier stalwart since the European Cup was restructured in 2009. With the backing of a home crowd and the energy of the Spanish capital behind them, 2025 could mark a long-awaited breakthrough on home soil.</p>
<p>Italy are the defending champions, having triumphed for the first time in history at Silesia 2023. Germany are the most successful team in the event&rsquo;s history, with four victories in the top league (2009, 2011, 2014, 2017).</p>
<p><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750436421/GettyImages-801168420.jpg"></p>
<p>Poland are twice winners, having won at home for two successive editions (Bydgoszcz 2019, Silesia 2021). The hosts Spain and the emerging force of the Netherlands are also teams to watch.</p>
<h2>What to look out for...</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>Champions v Champions</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>There are some world class elite level competitions within the programme pitting champions against champions.</p>
<p><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750435903/GettyImages-1500901862_1.jpg"></p>
<p>Amongst the most eye catching are the women&rsquo;s 400m which matches world and European 400m hurdles gold medallist Femke Bol against European 400m champion Natalia Bukowiecka (n&eacute;e Kaczmarek), the men&rsquo;s long jump with Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece against world indoor champion Mattia Furlani of Italy and the women&rsquo;s shot put with Olympic champion Yemisi Ogunleye of Germany against European champion Jessica Schilder of the Netherlands.</p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>New Stars in the Making</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>The Team Championships have a reputation for unveiling future stars &mdash; many of today&rsquo;s household names began right here. At just 17, Poland&rsquo;s Ewa Swoboda made only her second senior appearance at the European Athletics Team Championships Cheboksary 2015, placing third in the 100m and anchoring Poland&rsquo;s relay team to fourth.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750433027/GettyImages-481096328.jpg"></p>
<p>Today, she&rsquo;s a European and world indoor medallist. Don&rsquo;t be surprised if another wave of U23 or U20 talent makes their breakthrough this month in Madrid and Maribor.</p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>Down to the Wire</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>With the mixed 4x400m relay closing the show, the final standings often come down to the very last lap &mdash; and margins can be razor thin.&nbsp;</p>
<p>At the 2021 European Athletics Team Championships, Poland edged Italy by just 2.5 points (181.5 to 179) to take the title, with late results proving decisive. Nowhere is the team element more visible &mdash; or the pressure more intense &mdash; than in the relays, and the final events often make for a nail-biting spectacle.</p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>The Battle at the Bottom</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>While the spotlight often shines on the title contenders, the fight to avoid relegation is just as fiercely contested. With three teams dropping from both the First and Second Divisions, every point and every position matters &mdash; not just at the front of the race, but all the way through the field.</p>
<p>Much like in football, staying in the top flight is a season-defining achievement for many nations, and the passion it generates is every bit as intense as the race for gold.</p>
<h2>Where to watch &nbsp;</h2>
<p>Fans can follow the 2025 European Athletics Team Championships live across all three divisions:&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>Third Division (Maribor) will be livestreamed in full on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@EuropeanAthletics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Athletics YouTube channel</a></li>
<li>First and Second Divisions will be streamed via the Eurovision Sport player, embedded on the European Athletics website</li>
</ul>
<p>In addition to live video, European Athletics will be providing results, highlights, reactions and behind-the-scenes content via <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@europeanathletics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tik Tok</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/europeanathletics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanAthletics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://x.com/EuroAthletics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X</a>.&nbsp;</p>

The Beginner’s Guide to the 2025 European Athletics Team Championships

<p dir="ltr"><strong>Promotion will be the objective for the recently relegated triumvirate of Moldova, Iceland and Luxembourg at the 2025 European Athletics Team Championships 3rd Division in Maribor, Slovenia on 24-25 June.</strong></p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr"><a href="https://european-athletics.directus.app/assets/fb53d21e-8c94-472f-a65f-4e4bbc534178/ETCH25-3D%20-%20Final%20Entries%20Athletes%20List%20By%20Event%20and%20SB.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Final entries</a></li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr">The European Athletics Team Championships 3rd Division will be streamed live and without restriction on the European Athletics YouTube channel.&nbsp;</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Moldovan firepower in the throws&nbsp;</h2>
<p dir="ltr">Moldova finished bottom of the table at the European Athletics Team Championships 2nd Division in Silesia two years ago but their strength in the men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s throws should provide them with sufficient ammunition to challenge for the overall victory - or at the very least one of the three promotion spots - in the 3rd Division.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">One of the star names in the Moldovan team is Alexandra Emilianov who has the notable distinction of being the only athlete to have won gold medals at U18 and U20 level at both continental and global level.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">Emilianov will begin as the outstanding favourite for maximum points in the discus but the 25-year-old will face credible opposition from Iceland&rsquo;s Erna Soley Gunnarsdottir - a former European U20 bronze medallist and another athlete who, like Emilianov, has passed through the US collegiate system - in the shot put.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750253038/Website/GettyImages-1416607462_pi7ygo.jpg"></p>
<p dir="ltr">There will be a similar narrative in the men&rsquo;s javelin with Moldova&rsquo;s Andrian Mardare - who has finished seventh at the Olympic Games, European Athletics Championships and World Athletics Championships - due to face strong Icelandic opposition from Sindri Hrafn Gudmundsson who leads the entry-list with a season&rsquo;s best of 81.39m to Mardare&rsquo;s 80.51m.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Intriguing hammer head-to-heads anticipated</h2>
<p dir="ltr">And another close battle is anticipated in the men&rsquo;s hammer with only 20 centimetres separating Moldovan veteran Serghei Marghiev and Iceland&rsquo;s Hilmar Orn Jonsson based on season&rsquo;s best performances - 74.79m to 74.59m.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750417806/GettyImages-1415329913.jpg"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Iceland can also reasonably expect maximum points in the women&rsquo;s hammer courtesy of Guorun Karitas Hallgrimsdottir who has threatened the 70 metre-barrier this year with a lifetime best of 69.92m.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">However, she will face unlikely opposition in the shape of three-time world champion and 2008 Olympic champion Yipsi Moreno - one of the event's trailblazers who competed in the very first edition of the women&rsquo;s hammer at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney - who has gained clearance to represent Albania internationally having previously competed for Cuba.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Now 44, Moreno has gained ownership of the Albanian hammer record with a mark of 66.59m which puts her second on the entry-list behind Hallgrimsdottir.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">Luxembourg were also relegated into the third-tier two years ago and while most of their big names - including Patrizia Van der Weken, Charles Grethen, Ruben Querinjean and Bob Bertemes - are either absent or now retired, the landlocked Duchy should still be capable of securing a top three finish and a direct passage into the 2nd Division.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Some of their best prospects for maximum points in Maribor include Fanny Arendt in the 400m and Victoria Rausch in the 100m hurdles, both of whom lead the entry-list in their respective disciplines.&nbsp;</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Albanian trailblazer Gega closing in on history&nbsp;</h2>
<p dir="ltr">Luiza Gega made history at the 2023 European Athletics Team Championships by becoming the joint most successful individual athlete in event history, taking her tally of victories up to 11 to tie the record held by Bulgarian sprinter Ivet Lalova-Collio.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Gega, who took maximum points for Albania in both the 3000m steeplechase and 5000m two years ago, could claim the record for most wins outright if she prevails in the 3000m steeplechase, the event in which she was crowned European champion in Munich 2022.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1690556585/Getty%20Easy%20Access/1500532272.jpg"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Gega is yet to race this season but the 36-year-old has by far the fastest lifetime best on paper at 9:09.64. The only other athlete in the field to have broken the 10 minute-barrier is Moldova&rsquo;s Andreea Stavila who has a season&rsquo;s best of 9:49.66.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Another athlete with a long and illustrious career behind him is two-time world medallist Amel Tuka from Bosnia &amp; Herzegovina who won the 800m in Silesia two years ago and will be aiming for a 400/800m double for his country in Maribor.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">In the jumping events, key names to watch include Montenegro&rsquo;s 2022 European silver medallist Marija Vukovic - one of a select group of athletes who competed in the first European Athletics Team Championships in 2009 - in the high jump and European indoor finalists Andreas Trajkovski from North Macedonia and Rustam Mammadov from Azerbaijan in the long jump and triple jump respectively.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750417920/GettyImages-2203427963.jpg"></p>
<p dir="ltr">And on the track, other names to watch for include Andorra&rsquo;s Nahuel Carabana - who became his country&rsquo;s first ever European finalist in Rome last year and had the distinction of carrying the Andorran flag at the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony - in the 3000m steeplechase and Iceland&rsquo;s Baldvin Magunsson who will be looking to bolster his country&rsquo;s promotion prospects with a 1500/5000m double.</p>

Preview | Moldova and Iceland to battle for 3rd Division honours in Maribor 

<p dir="ltr"><strong>With one week to go to the European Athletics Team Championships 1st Division in Madrid from 27-29 June, we put the spotlight on Portugal who hosted the top-tier of the first ever edition of the biennial championships back in 2009.</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">In the ensuing decade, Portugal fluctuated between the top-tier and the second-tier of the European Athletics Team Championships but the Iberian nation have since firmly ensconced themselves in the 1st Division, finishing a creditable eighth two years ago in Silesia.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Can they improve on that and record their best ever finish at the 2025 European Athletics Team Championships in Madrid?</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Track record</h3>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>Leiria 2009, Portugal (11th place) - Super League</strong></li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr">Despite the best efforts of horizontal jumps stars Nelson Evora and Naide Gomes, Portugal were one of three teams to suffer relegation in the first iteration of the European Athletics Team Championships in 2009.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750415304/GettyImages-88595946.jpg"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Evora finished first and second in the triple jump and long jump respectively and Gomes won the women&rsquo;s long jump while other high points included veteran Rui Silva kicking to victory in the 1500m and the 2004 Olympic silver medallist Francis Obikwelu finishing second in the men&rsquo;s 100m.</p>
<p dir="ltr">But despite these standout individual performances, Portugal still finished a lowly 11th overall on home soil in Leiria.</p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>Sandnes 2019, Norway (1st place) - 1st Division</strong></li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr">But perhaps the finest moment for Portugal in competition history came at the 2019 European Athletics Team Championships when they topped the standings in the second-tier in Sandnes, Norway, sealing promotion back to the top-tier where they have remained ever since.</p>
<p dir="ltr">High points for Portugal&rsquo;s title-topping exploits in 2019 included victories for soon-to-be Olympic champion Pedro Pichardo in the triple jump and Irina Rodrigues in the discus.&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>Silesia 2023, Poland (8th place) - 1st Division&nbsp;</strong></li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr">With the top-tier extended to 16 teams in 2023, Portugal arguably exceeded expectations in Silesia two years ago by finishing eighth overall, just one place behind perennial medallists France.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750415398/EA1_SM_ECH23_05.jpg"></p>
<p dir="ltr">The sole Portuguese victory across the three days came courtesy of Auriol Dongmo in the shot put but other standout performances included Joao Coelho finishing second in the 400m in a national record of 45.05 and Isaac Nader finishing a close second in the 1500m.&nbsp;<strong><br></strong></p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Five to watch</h3>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>Isaac Nader (men's 1500m)</strong></li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr">The Portuguese middle distance star arrives fresh from his biggest victory to date, gaining a march on the field and sprinting to victory in the Dream Mile in Oslo earlier this month.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Nader is renowned for his fast finish and he is no stranger to performing well at the European Athletics Team Championships, taking victory in a slow and tactical 3000m in Silesia 2021.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750415476/GettyImages-2203264559.jpg"></p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>Salome Afonso (women's 800m, 1500m)</strong></li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr">Afonso was one of the breakthrough stars of the indoor season, coming away with a brace of medals at the European Athletics Indoor Championships: silver in the 1500m and bronze in the 3000m.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The 27-year-old will be on double duty again next weekend although on this occasion she will be contesting both the 800m and 1500m, the same combination of events she entered at the 2021 European Athletics Team Championships.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750415532/GettyImages-2203987048.jpg"></p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>Pedro Pichardo (men's triple jump)</strong></li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr">One of the greatest triple jumpers in recent history, expectations will always be high when Pedro Pichardo takes to the runway.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1687544116/Getty%20Easy%20Access/1415444005.jpg"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Pichardo has competed sparingly this year but the 2020 Olympic champion has broken the 17 metre-barrier in his two competitions, improving to 17.06m in Oslo last week.</p>
<p dir="ltr">However, Pichardo might need to find something extra to defeat fellow former Cuban Andy Diaz, the reigning world and European indoor champion in the discipline.</p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>Agate de Sousa (women's long jump)</strong></li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr">The women&rsquo;s long jump will be one of the strongest events of the three day-long championships with all three medallists from the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships due to compete.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750415726/SM_EA_ECH24ROME_DAY6_132_Michaela_Holomkova.jpg"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Agate de Sousa picked up a surprise bronze medal behind Germany&rsquo;s Malaika Mihambo and Italy&rsquo;s Larissa Iapichino but the 25-year-old already has a win over Mihambo this year, defeating the German on home territory in Dresden at the start of the month.</p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>Lorene Bazolo (women's 100m, 200m, 4x100m)</strong></li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr">Now 42, Lorene Bazolo shows no sign of slowing down. In fact, she&rsquo;s almost faster than ever.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Bazolo recently had the distinction of breaking Merlene Ottey&rsquo;s world V40 record with 22.71 in the 200m and she is also closing in on Ottey&rsquo;s world V40 100m record with 11.10, just 0.01 shy of her mark.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750415807/GettyImages-2204123038.jpg"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Based on season&rsquo;s bests, Bazolo is joint fastest in the 100m alongside Germany&rsquo;s Lisa Mayer with 11.10 and the fastest outright in the 200m.&nbsp;</p>

European Athletics Team Championships | Focus on Portugal 

<p><strong>Ahead of the Madrid 2025 European Athletics Team Championships 1st Division from 27-29 June, we take a closer look at each team. </strong></p>
<p>Here we take a look at Finland, who have yet to break into the top 10 of Europe, but with some emerging names, could be contending for that elusive status in Madrid 2025.&nbsp;The Nordic nation&rsquo;s best-ever result has been 11th in 2015, 2019 and Silesia 2023.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750340209/GettyImages-2156996841.jpg"></p>
<p>They are typically closely matched with Sweden, and the battle to be the top Nordic nation in the European Athletics Team Championships is an interesting sub-plot to the competition in the Spanish capital, as well as a continent-wide preview for the annual season-ending Finnkampen match between the two nations.</p>
<h2>Flashback to 2023 &nbsp;</h2>
<p>In Silesia 2023, Finland scored 282.5 to retain their place in the top tier. They were also a mere 0.5 behind their big rivals Sweden, who just pipped them to a top ten place.</p>
<p>Defending European champion Wilma Murto carried Finnish expectation, and she duly delivered, winning the women&rsquo;s pole vault with 4.71m.&nbsp;There was also a fine third place from 20-year-old Silja Kosonen in the women&rsquo;s hammer with 72.34m.</p>
<p><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750340324/GettyImages-1259015234.jpg"></p>
<h2>Track Record&nbsp;</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>Bergen 2009, Norway (2nd place) - First League&nbsp;</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>In the first edition of the European Athletics Team Championships, Finland finished in second place in the First League to earn promotion to the top flight. Competing within the relatively familiar climes of Scandinavia, they scored 289, to finish runners up to Belarus (332), but ahead of hosts Norway (279).&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750340223/GettyImages-147362798.jpg"></p>
<p>Their traditional strength in the javelin came to the fore with fine victories for Kirsi Ahonen in the women&rsquo;s event with 55.68m and a superb 86.78m by 2007 world champion Tero Pitk&auml;m&auml;ki to win the men&rsquo;s competition.</p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>Bergen 2010, Norway (12th place) - Super League&nbsp;</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>Back at the same venue a year later and the Finns had a more chastening experience. In the Super League, they finished rock bottom 12th for a quick return to the second tier. Their best results were third places for 2006 European champion Jukka Keskisalo (men&rsquo;s 3000m steeplechase) and Ari Mannio (men&rsquo;s javelin).</p>
<p><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750340209/GettyImages-71631081.jpg"></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>Cheboksary 2015, Russia (11th place) &ndash; Super League</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>Back in the Super League in 2015, the three relegation places were filled by the Nordic nations with Sweden 10th, Finland 11th and Norway 12th. The ever reliable Tero Pitk&auml;m&auml;ki gave the Finns a moment of glory, winning the men&rsquo;s javelin with 84.44m.</p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>Cluj-Napoca 2021, Romania (6th place) &ndash; First League</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>In the second tier, Finland had a mid-table finish with 265 points which ultimately led to promotion to the top division of sixteen teams.&nbsp; They also finished as the leading Nordic nation, just 0.5 points ahead of Sweden, with Norway 22 points behind in 10th. The outstanding performance came from Senni Salminen who set a national record of 14.63m to win the women&rsquo;s triple jump.</p>
<p><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750340209/GettyImages-2156463083.jpg"></p>
<h2>Key athletes&nbsp;</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>Ilona Mononen &ndash; women&rsquo;s 3000m steeplechase</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>The 2021 European U20 champion is a fine endurance running prospect, she also won bronze in the women&rsquo;s U23 race at the Antalya 2024 SPAR European Cross Country Championships. As national record holder and having placed sixth at the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, she is now making an impact on the senior stage.</p>
<p><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750340209/GettyImages-1329229804.jpg"></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>Silja Kosonen &ndash; women&rsquo;s hammer</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>Long one of the brightest prospects in Finnish athletics, with world U20, European U20 and European U20 titles all to her name, she is now making an impact on the senior stage.</p>
<p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z2JgC8kxISQ?si=unHvXxZzXVh3-UyC" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin"></iframe></p>
<p>Fifth at both the Paris Olympics and Budapest 2023 World Athletics Championships, as well as fourth place at the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships. She also launcher a huge personal best of 77.07m to win at the European Throwing Cup, She is Finland&rsquo;s biggest hope for maximum points in Madrid.</p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>Joonas Rinne &ndash; men&rsquo;s 800m, 1500m&nbsp;</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750340209/GettyImages-1467083075.jpg"></p>
<p>A multiple national champion over 800m and 1500m, Rinne also has a 1500m bronze from the World University Games in his collection. Having set a new national record of 3:35.20 for the 1500m on home turf at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku on 18 June, he comes to Madrid high on confidence and in good shape.</p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>Samuli Samuelsson &ndash; men&rsquo;s 100m, 4x100m</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>An international athlete for over a decade, he carries Finland&rsquo;s hopes in the sprints where he will face some tough opposition. But if he can deliver solid performances in the 100m and in the 4x100m, it will be a valued contribution from Samuelsson.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Senni Salminen &ndash; women&rsquo;s triple jump&nbsp;</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>The 29-year-old enjoyed a career highlight when winning bronze at the Apeldoorn 2025 European Athletics Indoor Championships, her first major medal. Having set a national record at the European Athletics Team Championships four years ago, she will be looking to reignite the spark in Madrid. &nbsp;</p>

European Athletics Team Championships | Focus on Finland

<p dir="ltr"><strong>Final entries have been published for the European Athletics Team Championships 2nd Division in Maribor, Slovenia on 28-29 June.</strong></p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr"><a href="https://european-athletics.directus.app/assets/fc2005cf-405e-43e8-bb25-44a6479fc5ce/ETCH25-2D%20-%20FE%20-%20Final%20Entries%20Athletes%20List%20By%20Event%20and%20SB.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Final entries by season&rsquo;s best</a></li>
<li dir="ltr"><a href="https://european-athletics.directus.app/assets/d816e849-35d5-4383-a0e5-13ecb35a0190/ETCH25-2D%20-%20FE%20-%20Final%20Entries%20Athletes%20List%20By%20Event.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Final entries by country</a></li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr">Hosts Slovenia missed out on promotion by just 0.5 points in 2023 and they will be fielding a full-strength team, including reigning European discus champion Kristjan Ceh and three-time European indoor pole vault silver medallist Tina Sutej, both of whom have been named team captains.</p>
<p dir="ltr">From a domestic standpoint, there will also be high hopes for European indoor bronze medallist Anita Horvat in the 800m and European 10km bronze medallist Klara Lukan in the 5000m.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/european-athletics/image/upload/v1750337148/GettyImages-2156988254.jpg"></p>
<p dir="ltr">In total, four individual European champions from Roma 2024 will compete in Maribor. Aside from Ceh, European champion Alexander Doom has been entered for the 400m and Croatia&rsquo;s Sandra Elkasevic and Austria&rsquo;s Victoria Hudson are due to compete in the discus and javelin respectively.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Sharlene Mawdsley, who anchored Ireland to an unforgettable gold medal in the mixed 4x400m at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome, will also be competing for newly promoted Ireland in Maribor but only in the mixed relay.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Another intriguing entrant in the mixed 4x400m is European indoor 400m silver medallist Henriette Jaeger who has just entered the relay in Maribor.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">The European Athletics Team Championships 2nd Division will be streamed in its entirety through the European Athletics website.</p>

Final entries published for European Athletics Team Championships 2nd Division