Tuesday (16) marks one month until the Rieti 2026 European Athletics U18 Championships, 16-19 July, as the future stars of athletics prepare for Italy.
Teams are yet to be announced for the championships but young Italians Kelly Doualla and Alessia Succo are set to be stars of the home championships.
Last year Doualla burst onto the scene to took gold at the Tampere 2025 European Athletics U20 Championships over 100m and the 4x100m at just 15-years-old.
While Succo set a world U18 best over 60m hurdles indoors with 8.05 in February and last year moved up to third on the European all-time list for the U18 100m hurdles with 13.04. She also won bronze in the 100m hurdles at last year's European Athletics U20 Championships.
Rieti itself has also been home to many iconic moments in athletics, including the previously annual Rieti Meeting which was one of the world’s leading one-day events.
That meeting saw eight world records set over the years, including Asafa Powell’s 100m record in 2007, and the Noah Ngeny’s still-standing 1000m record of 2:11.96 in 1999.
Throwback to when Asafa Powell 🇯🇲 clocked 9.74 seconds (+1.7) to break the men’s 100m world record in Rieti!
— Owen (@_OwenM_) June 10, 2026
The European Athletics U18 Championships will be held there from 16 to 19 July. ⚡️
🎥 @EuroAthletics pic.twitter.com/MPVSXhqUXC
With an extensive history of athletics in the area, the Rieti locals have developed a deep love for the sport with the town also being home to world champion Mattia Furlani.
In 2013 Rieti was also host to the European Athletics U20 Championships, where the champions included Nafissatou Thiam, Dina Asher-Smith, Malaika Mihambo, and Jake Wightman.
Once more Rieti will act as the stage to showcase Europe’s future stars as many of the teenagers competing will be representing their country for the first time.