Sprinter Solomon Bockarie was one of several home athletes who raised the noise levels to significant proportions in the Amsterdam Olympic Stadium on Thursday morning as he won his 200m decisively in 20.55, ending the round as joint fastest qualifier for tomorrow’s semi-finals with Bruno Hortelano of Spain.
But there was disappointment for Britain’s 20-year-old Zharnel Hughes. Hampered by a knee injury, Hughes – who finished fifth in last year’s IAAF World Championships in 20.02 after preparing in Usain Bolt’s training group – failed to progress as he finished fifth in his heat in 21.21, which was not the kind of outing he was looking for to persuade the British team selectors to give him the third available place for Rio 2016.
Bockarie and his 13 fellow qualifiers will all need to step up a level in the semi-finals, however, as the 12 top performers on the European list step into the action at that point.
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Another home performer, Thijmen Kupers, punched the air as he won his 800m in 1:46.48, which turned out to be the fastest in qualifying for tomorrow’s semi-finals.
Ekaterini Stefanidi, whose national record pole vault of 4.86m heads this year’s European lists, was top qualifier for Saturday’s final with 5.50m, and home vaulter Femke Pluim raised the decibel levels again in the stadium as she finished joint second with Lisa Ryzih of Germany after clearing 4.45m.
On the subject of the crowd support Pluim, the 22-year-old Dutch record holder, said: “It was really nice to jump here. I had expected it but if you're standing here and everyone calls your name or is shouting 'Netherlands', ‘Netherlands’, it’s overwhelming. I really had to focus.'
However, for Switzerland’s Nicole Büchler, second on the lists with her national record of 4.78m, there was only frustration as she was unable to start.
Among the other qualifiers who look likely to dispute the medals were Stefanidi’s fellow Greek Nikoleta Kiriakopoulou, Angelica Moser of Switzerland, Martina Strutz of Germany and the Swedish pair of Angelica Bengtsson and Michaela Meijer, all of whom cleared 4.45m.
In the women’s 100m heats, top billing went to Germany’s Rebecca Haase in 11.23, followed by Ramona Papaioannou of Cyprus, who clocked 11.36, and home athlete Naomi Sedney who produced a season’s best (11.36).
Germany's Rebekka Haase leads 100m qualifiers with 11.23. Could be aiming for a medal #ECH2016 pic.twitter.com/aLo1IK5yuR
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) July 7, 2016
Poland’s Karol Hoffman and Germany’s Max Hess topped the triple jump qualifying with bests of 16.93m ahead Türkiye’s Seref Osmanoglu (16.81m), Maksim Niastiarenka of Belarus (16.68m) and Georgi Tsonov of Bulgaria (16.65m).
Dutch jumper Fabian Florant secured the 12th and last qualifying place with an effort of 16.45m, but France’s Harold Correa – second in this year’s European listings with 17.08m – failed to make the cut with 16.33m.
Wow. Triple jump = pure emotion! ⤠#ECH2016 pic.twitter.com/bd5OFWa72p
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) July 7, 2016
There was also a farewell to three hugely experienced performers. Britain’s 33-year-old Nathan Douglas, European silver medallist in 2006, only managed 16.33m. Portugal’s 2008 Olympic champion, 32-year-old Nelson Evora, departed with a best of 16.27m and, finishing 27th and last with 15.40m was 34-year-old Romanian Marian Oprea, an Olympic silver medallist back in 2004.
Oleksiy Kasyanov, Ukraine’s overnight leader in the decathlon, extended his lead as he won his opening 110m hurdles heat in a Championship best of 13.93 to raise his points total to 5218, followed by Jorge Urena of Spain (5133) and Mihail Dudas of Serbia (5104).
Home decathlete Eelco Sintnicolaas was struggling down in 18th place with 4621 after a disaster in his hurdles heat, where he clocked 16.24.
A steady effort of 42.46 earned Kasyanov 715 points in the discus, where Martin Roe of Norway and Adam Helcelet of the Czech Republic finished first and second overall with respective personal bests of 47.74 and 47.12.
Moving into the eighth event, the pole vault, Kasyanov led by 5933 from Dudas (5884) and Thomas Van Der Plaetsen of Belgium (5793).
Here's the predicted outcome of the Decathlon based on statistical analysis after 7 events #ECH2016 pic.twitter.com/TBluhwbNsf
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) July 7, 2016
Adam is so excited for this evening's finals! #ECH2016 pic.twitter.com/vwGyDNtPUD
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) July 7, 2016