Henriette Jaeger launched her medal quest on three fronts by easing through the women’s 400m heats at the Bergen 2025 European Athletics U23 Championships on Thursday (17).
Bergen 2025 is being live streamed on the European Athletics website courtesy of Eurovision Sport.
The Norwegian who also has podium ambitions in the 200m and 4x400m over four days of competition, looked untroubled in as she got her campaign underway in her strongest event at the Fana Stadium.
Running from lane eight in heat one, she quickly established a lead and could afford several sideways glances in the home straight as she jogged to across the line in 52.19, mindful of the need to conserve energy for the challenges ahead.
Silver medallist two years ago in Espoo 2023 and again at the Apeldoorn 2025 European Indoor Championships, the big threat to the home hope is defending champion Yemi Mary John.
And it will be no simple task wresting the title from the British sprinter who was equally untroubled, winning heat four in 52.39 to safely progress to Friday's semi finals.
Phijffers heads closely matched men's 400m qualifiers
The men’s 400m is intriguingly poised after the first round of heats with the four heat winners separated by just 0.02. Top ranked Jona Phijffers of the Netherlands qualified fastest, winning heat two in 45.76.
Poland’s European indoor silver medallist Maksymilian Szwed was also impressive, taking heat one, just 0.01 slower than Phijffers.
Both sprinters looked that they still had plenty in reserve ahead of Friday’s semi finals. Also emerging as contenders were Spain’s David Garcia and France’s Felix Levasseur. Garcia, the 2022 European U18 champion set a personal best of 45.77 winning heat four and Levasseur won heat three in 45.78.
“I am aiming to win this” stated Szwed afterwards. “Nobody likes first lane. But I did good time in Madrid, so I told myself, why not to run a good time here too. I ran and won my heat, so I am very proud of myself. Before this competition, I had a bit more time to chill, and I think I am now ready and in best shape. I am ready to fight for the gold.”