21st February 2013 12:20
High jumper Beitia will captain Spain's women at the Championships which open in Göteborg on March 1 determined to complete a European Championship double.
In Helsinki last summer, Beitia cleared 1.97m to take the title but indoors, she has been so close to the top of the podium without ever making it.
Four times she has been in the medals at the European Athletics Indoor Championships, winning silver in Madrid in 2005, Torino in 2009 and Paris in 2011 with bronze in Birmingham squeezed in between in 2007.
But she will head to Sweden after an outstanding 2012 where Helsinki brought the first major gold medal of her career and she then followed that up by finishing fourth at the Olympic Games in London.
She is Spain's greatest woman high jumper, holding the outdoor record of 2.02m and indoor of 2.01m and it could be a fascinating competition because she will face one of the young stars of this winter, Italian Alessia Trost, which mean a clash of the best two in the world this year.
At 19, Trost, the World Junior champion, has been making even more inroads so far in 2013. Her 2.00m in Trinec at the end of January was a personal best and the third best jump by an Italian woman, giving her the narrow edge over Beitia.
The Spaniard, 33, has cleared 1.98m but has more experience on her side.
It should be a memorable competition with Beitia one of 27 Spanish athletes selected for these Championships.
Captain of their men's team is Angel David Rodriguez, their national record holder at 60m, who has been battling against a slight injury.
As for Italy, they will have a team of 44 in Göteborg, with Michael Tumi, the European No 1 over 60m this winter, joining Trost among their big hopes for gold.
They have also selected triple jumper Fabrizio Donato, the European champion from Helsinki and Olympic triple jump bronze medallist, who has not competed indoors in 2013. He has been suffering with a slight problem with his right knee.
While in the women's triple jump, Simona La Mantia, who won gold at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Paris with 14.60m, will be determined to defend her title.
Spanish and Italian teams for the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Göteborg (March 1-3).
SPAIN
MEN:
60m: Rodriguez; 400m: S.Garcia, Ujakpor; 800m: Lopez, Marco, Roldan; 1500m: Bustos, Rodriguez, Casado; 3000m: Higuero, Alaiz, Alonso; 60mH: Quinonez; Long Jump: Okutu; Triple Jump: Docavo, Bellido; Shot Put: Vivas.
WOMEN:
400m: Bokesa; 1500m: Rodriguez, Macias; 3000m: P.Gonzalez, Urbina; High jump: Beitia; Triple Jump: Sarrapio; Shot Put: Ruiz.
ITALY
MEN:
60m: Cerutti, Collio, Tumi; 400m: Haliti, Juarez, Valentini; 800m: Benedetti, Abdikadar, Salami; 3000m: Haidane; 60mH: Abate, Dal Molin, Tedesco; High Jump: Chesani, Tamberi; Pole Vault: Piantella; Long Jump: Catania, Ojiaku, Tremigliozzi; Triple Jump: Boni, Donato, Greco; Shot Put: Dodoni.
WOMEN:
60m: Alloh, Draisci, Hooper; 400m: Bazzoni, Spacca; 800m: Cusma, Milani; 1500m: Magnani, Viola; 3000m: Weissteiner; 60mH: Borsi, Cattaneo, Caravelli; High Jump: Trost; Pole Vault: Benecchi, Bruni; Long Jump: Liboa; Triple Jump