The Netherlands sit proudly on top of the 1st Division of the European Athletics Team Championships after a superb evening for the Dutch at the Estadio Vallehermoso in Madrid on Friday.
Following Menno Vloon’s victory in the men’s pole vault in front of the Royal Palace on Thursday, the wins kept coming in the main stadium with Femke Bol (women’s 400m), Jessica Schilder (women’s shot put) and Jorinde van Klinken (women’s discus) all logging maximum points to propel the Netherlands to 165.5 points after 13 of 37 events.
It gives them a 31.5 point advantage over hosts Spain, with defending champions Italy just a further points adrift. The Netherlands have never won this event, nor even come close, their best result being sixth place in Silesia 2023.
There is still a long way to go with hundreds of points still up for grabs across the weekend, but having won seven gold medals at the Apeldoorn 2025 European Athletics Indoor Championships, the Dutch have clearly carried the momentum into the summer season are on track for another historic result in Madrid 2025.