All five European athletes who won Olympic gold medals in the female events in Tokyo three years ago are set to return to try and defend their titles in Paris. Plus, Poland’s victorious mixed 4x400m team from the last Olympic Games will also be attempting to retain their crown.
Audacious endurance bid by Hassan
The Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan won a spectacular 5000m/10,000m double in Tokyo. And in Paris, she will make an audacious medal bid on four fronts, attempting to retain her long distance track double and bookending that will tilts at both the 1500m and marathon events.
In the 20km race walk, Italy’s Antonella Palmisano will be looking to defend her title and add another gold medal to her summer haul following her success at the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships in June.
Palmisano will also team up with fellow Olympic champion Massimo Stano in the marathon race walk mixed relay, making its Olympic debut in Paris.
Germany’s Malaika Mihambo has already enjoyed a glittering career and there could still be plenty more to come. The defending Olympic long jump champion and twice world champion also won gold at Roma 2024 with a world lead 7.22m.
Final flourish
The status in the sport of three-times Olympic, four-times world and four-times European champion Anita Włodarczyk is secure. But the Polish hammer superstar will still be seeking one final flourish in her final Olympic Games.
Belgium’s Nafissatou Thiam is an athlete on a similar trajectory. She is seeking a historic third successive Olympic heptathlon gold. She too was impressive at Roma 2024, winning gold in a world lead 6848 points.
Meanwhile, Poland’s mixed 4x400m relay squad for Paris 2024, includes Kajetan Duszyński and Justyna Święty-Ersetic, members of Tokyo’s winning team. Ireland, as world leaders and winners at Roma 2024, should also be in contention for a medal.
World leaders going for gold
Beyond the defending Olympic champions, Europe boasts other world leaders who are sure to contend for gold. British athletes Keely Hodgkinson (800m) and Molly Caudery (pole vault) are enjoying the seasons of their career thus far.
Olympic silver and twice world silver medallist Hodgkinson has yet to win a global gold, but with her recent clocking of 1:54.61 to win at the London Diamond League, looks in prime condition to take the step up.
Pole vaulter Caudery has been one of the breakthrough athletes of the year, winning World Indoor Championships gold in Glasgow. This will be her first Olympic Games. Great Britain also leads the world rankings in the women’s 4x100m and have a real chance of gold.
Still only 22, Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh could complete a career set of gold medals were she to win in Paris. She broke the high jump world record in the same Stade de France stadium in July with an incredible 2.10m. If she can replicate that type of form, surely no one can stop her.
Although not a world leader, nor a defending Olympic champion, there will also be global interest surrounding the Netherlands' Femke Bol and her 400m hurdles clash with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.
The USA athlete and the Dutch sprinter are rare record-breaking talents coinciding in the same generation and their event promises to be one of the must watch events of Paris 2024.
Chris Broadbent for European Athletics