Amy Hunt produced another blistering piece of sprinting to complete the 100/200m double on the fourth day of the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham on Thursday (13).
Hunt won the 200m title in 22.19 although her work at these championships is far from done with the women’s 4x100m and inaugural mixed 4x400m still to come this weekend. Can she make history by becoming the first athlete to win four gold medals at the same championships?
These championships are tantamount to a home championship for Irish veteran Mark English as he acknowledged in the heats. And in front of a massive cohort of Irish supporters, English drew on all of his guile and experience to win an elusive gold medal in the 800m at the age of 33, some 12 years after winning his first European medal in Zurich 2014.
Slovenia’s Kristjan Ceh retained his discus title in style, producing an incredible four throws in excess of the previous championship record of 69.78m set by Mykolas Alekna in 2022. Ceh added almost three metres to this mark with his best throw of 72.51m coming in the third round.
It was also an excellent day for Germany who won two gold medals. Gesa Felicitas Krause added a third European title to her numerous list of accolades in the 3000m steeplechase and Leo Neugebauer clung on to win decathlon gold, leading a German 1-2 from Niklas Kaul.
There was drama in the women’s 800m semifinals with Audrey Werro falling with 150 metres remaining. Fortunately for her, the 2026 world leader was given a reprieve by the referee and will take her place in tomorrow’s final along with Keely Hodgkinson and Femke Broeders-Bol who endured no such obstacles in their semifinal.
Day four champions
Women’s 200m - Amy Hunt (GBR)
Women’s 3000m steeplechase - Gesa Felicitas Krause (GER)
Women’s pole vault - Angelica Moser (SUI)
Women’s triple jump - Dariya Derkach (ITA)
Men’s 800m - Mark English (IRL)
Men’s discus - Kristjan Ceh (SLO)
Decathlon - Leo Neugebauer (GER)
Stat of the day
There were five throws in excess of the previous championship record in the men’s discus final. Kristjan Ceh produced four throws beyond Mykolas Alekna’s previous mark of 69.78m while Alekna himself also surpassed his now-beaten championship record with 69.89m.
Ceh also became the first discus thrower in European Athletics Championships history to break the 70 metre-barrier, a feat which he achieved with four of his six throws.
Surprise of the day
Reigning three-time world champion Daniel Ståhl's quest for a European title continues. The Swede finished out of the medals in fourth in the men's discus final with 68.22m.
Quote of the day
Amy Hunt (GBR): "I am only 50% through as I have set out for the full set of four golds. Now I am incredibly excited for the relays because I get to do them and have so much fun with my friends."
Photo of the day
Germany's Lea Meyer takes a costly fall in the water-jump on the last lap of the 3000m steeplechase final.
Championship records set (1)
Men’s discus - Kristjan Ceh (SLO) 72.51m
Championship bests set (1)
Men’s decathlon discus - Leo Neugebauer (GER) 54.31m
National records set (2)
Women’s 200m - 22.28 Rhasidat Adeleke (IRL)
Men’s 200m - 20.38 Riku Illukka (FIN)
What to watch tomorrow?
Can Keely Hodgkinson win her third European 800m title? How has Audrey Werro recovered from a heavy fall in the semifinals? Will Femke Broeders-Bol cause an upset in her first season in the event? All these questions will be answered in a hugely anticipated women’s 800m final tomorrow.
Having already won a gold medal in the mixed 4x400m relay, Norway’s Karsten Warholm will be aiming for his fourth successive European title in the men’s 400m hurdles. Italy’s Nadia Battocletti is also seeking her second title of the championships in the women’s 10,000m.
With seven-time champion Sandra Elkasevic taking a brief sabbatical from discus throwing, a new winner will be crowned champion for the first time since 2006. The leading contenders include Jorinde Van Klinken from the Netherlands who won silver on the first night of the championships in the women’s shot put.