Norway’s Henriette Jaeger put on a one-woman demonstration to win European U23 400m gold on home soil at the European Athletics U23 Championships in Bergen on Saturday (19) evening.
Bergen 2025 is being live streamed on the European Athletics website courtesy of Eurovision Sport.
Only 0.02 separated reigning champion Yemi Mary John from Great Britain and Jaeger two years ago in Espoo but the Norwegian was in complete command on this occasion, blazing to a gun-to-tape victory in a championship record of 49.74 to shave almost one second from the previous record of 50.72 which dates back to 2005.
But while John had to relinquish her title, the Brit - who also won world U20 400m gold in 2022 - put up a noble defence of her crown. She finished second to Jaeger in a lifetime best of 50.50 which was also comfortable below the previous championship record. In other words, John’s time would have won the title at any other edition of the European Athletics U23 Championships.
Behind the leading two, France’s Alexe Deau also set a lifetime best of 50.94, improving her previous lifetime best of 51.67 set in yesterday’s semifinal.
Combined eventers aside, Jaeger has been the most prolific athlete at these championships. She is embarking on a rare 200/400m double and she revealed on the eve of the championships that she sought advice from compatriot Karsten Warholm who contested both the 400m and 400m hurdles at the 2017 European Athletics U23 Championships
The 400m final was her fifth race of the European Athletics U23 Championships and any celebrations will have to be put on ice for the time being. Jaeger, who began her day by winning her 200m semifinal, returns to the track later on this evening for the 200m final and she is also expected to line up in Norway’s 4x400m team tomorrow.
44.82 championship record for Phijffers
After the first ever sub-50 winning time in the women’s 400m final, the championship record in the men’s 400m was taken below the 45 second-barrier for the first time.
With a well-measured race, European U23 leader Jonas Phijffers from the Netherlands overhauled the fast-starting Maksymilian Szwed with 80 metres remaining and pushed on to a commanding victory in 44.82, a championship record as well as an improvement on his Dutch U23 record.
Szwed, who won silver at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, picked up his second major silver medal of the year with 45.28 with Great Britain’s Brodie Young taking bronze in a lifetime best of 45.34.
The unlucky athlete to miss out was Spain’s David Garcia but he did have the consolation of setting a lifetime best of 45.43 in fourth.
