Five champions were crowned on the first evening session of the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships on Monday (10).
Jessica Schilder became the very first gold medallist of the championships. The Dutchwoman defied a thumb injury to win her third successive European title with a massive sixth round throw of 20.73m, the longest winning mark in the women’s shot put this century.
Leonardo Fabbri also defended his title in the men's shot put with 22.21m.
It was an evening to remember for Norway as Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who hadn’t raced at all this year prior to the championships having undergone Achilles surgery in January, reminded anyone who doubted him of brilliance by winning his fourth 5000m title and his seventh gold medal in total at the European Athletics Championships.
The Norwegian title haul doubled an hour later as Henriette Jaeger unleashed a 49.42 anchor leg to overhaul Great Britain and the Netherlands off the final bend for victory in the mixed 4x400m in a championship record of 3:09.62.
The Norwegian team was led off by world 400m hurdles record-holder Karsten Warholm who ran a 44.5 leg from blocks.
And there was a first gold medal for the hosts. Amy Hunt continued the recent British success story in the women’s 100m by becoming the third British winner of this title since 2018, winning in 11.00 ahead of Poland’s Ewa Swoboda who added yet another medal to her collection with silver in 11.02.
Day one champions
Women’s shot put - Jessica Schilder (NED)
Women’s 100m - Amy Hunt (GBR)
Men’s shot put - Leonardo Fabbri (ITA)
Men’s 5000m - Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR)
Mixed 4x400m - Norway (NOR)
Stat of the day
The 1-2-3 in the women’s shot put in Birmingham 2026 was identical to the 1-2-3 in Rome two years ago with the Dutch duo of Jessica Schilder and Jorinde Van Klinken winning ahead of Germany’s Yemisi Mabry.
Surprise of the day
World 10,000m champion Jimmy Gressier surprisingly finished out of the medals in a last lap sprint in the 5000m. Gressier, who also won 5000m bronze at the 2025 World Athletics Championships, finished fourth.
For all of his accolades, Gressier is still to win a medal on the track at the European Athletics Championships.
Quote of the day
Jakob Ingebrigtsen: "Coming from the lowest of lows to be European champion again means the world to me. Not even I believed it could happen coming here. Only with 600 metres to go, I knew I would win.”
Photo of the day
Teammates Jessica Schilder and Jorinde Van Klinken celebrate gold and silver for the Netherlands in the women's shot put
Championship records set (1)
Mixed 4x400m - Norway (NOR) 3:09.62
National records set (4)
Women's 100m - 11.35 Ann Marii Kivikas (EST)
Women's 3000m steeplechase - 9:34.40 Andreea Stavila-Grosu (MDA)
Women's triple jump - 13.91m Yekaterina Sariyeva (AZE)
4x400m Mixed Relay - 3:09.62 Norway (NOR)
What to watch tomorrow?
Five sets of medals will be awarded tomorrow evening, including in the men’s 100m final with Lamont Marcell Jacobs targeting his third successive title, a feat which has only been achieved by two male sprinters: Valeriy Borzov and Linford Christie.
Another highlight will be the men’s long jump featuring Miltiadis Tentoglou who is looking to achieve his fourth successive title. He will face a deep and competitive field including Bozhidar Saraboyukov and Simon Ehammer as well as youngsters Francesco Inzoli and Luka Boskovic who led qualifying this morning.
Femke Broeders-Bol will also make her championship debut in her newfound event. The five-time European champion has been drawn in the second heat of the women’s 800m with reigning two-time champion and home favourite Keely Hodgkinson opening proceedings in the first heat.