Following the late withdrawal of Nadia Battocletti on Wednesday (20), there is an opportunity for a less heralded name to seize the moment at the 2026 European 10,000m Cup in the Italian port city of La Spezia on Saturday (23).
Illness has caused the reigning Olympic and world silver medallist and European champion at the distance to step down from a race where she would start as the the overwhelming favourite.
But there are several other intiuguing named among the 59 athletes from 21 countries entered for the event, many of whom will be chasing the 10,000m qualifying standard of 32:00.00 for the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships from 10-16 August.
The European 10,000m Cup will be streamed live without geoblocking restrictions on the European Athletics YouTube channel from 5:05pm CEST.
In brief
- Battocletti withdrawal opens door to Zarbo, Glinka, Machado and others to go for gold
- Italy favoured for team gold, with Spain and Great Britain also likely to be in contention
- Great Britain’s 2016 Olympic finalist and European finalist Jess Martin makes her international comeback after an eight-year absence to start a family.
Five to watch
- Alessia Zarbo (FRA)
- Jess Martin (GBR)
- Mariana Machado (POR)
- Elżbieta Glinka (POL)
- Agate Caune (LAT)
Four years ago, Poland's Elżbieta Glinka was a recreational runner, posting on Instagram to celebrate a personal best of 1:33:51 at the Poznan Half Marathon. Now 32, she is one of the race favourites at the European 10,000m Cup and a national record holder.
She leads the entries on season's bests with 32:18:90, which she clocked in winning the Polish Championships last month. Earlier this year, she also set a new Polish 10km record of 31:47 on the roads in Valencia.
She first represented Poland at the European Running Championships in Brussels-Leuven last year, where she placed 33rd over 10km, but she is a continually improving athlete and will be looking to write another remarkable chapter in her story in La Spezia.
Rio Olympian Martin returns to international arena
As well as Glinka's rise, there is another fascinating comeback story taking place.
Andorra-based Jess Martin lines up for Great Britain in what will be her first appearance in an international vest since the 2017 World Athletics Championships.
Having competed in the 10,000m finals at both the Rio Olympics and the Amsterdam 2016 European Athletics Championships (as Jess Andrews), she stepped away from the sport to start a family.
After making a low-key return to the sport last year, she burst back into prominence by clocking 32:04 over 10km in Valencia in January, followed by a similarly impressive run of 32:08 in Laredo in April.
Of the more experienced runners in the field, Portugal's Mariana Machado and France's Alessia Zarbo could be ready for their big moment in the spotlight.
Machado overcame the disappointment of a DNF as the home hope at the Lagoa 2025 SPAR European Cross Country Championships in December, by setting a national 10km record of 30:58 in Valencia in January.
If the race develops into a fast one, she could be set for a significant revision of her 10,000m lifetime best of 32:27.06.
France’s best hope is Zarbo, who won silver behind Belgium’s Jana Van Lent last year in Pacé. She recently claimed the French 10,000m title and is expected to contend for medals once again. A strong Spanish challenge will be led by World University Games 10,000m bronze medallist Alicia Berzosa.
Latvia’s Agate Caune is still in the early stages of her career but will be hoping to rediscover the form that took her to world and Olympic selection as a teenager.
The 21-year-old won an impressive 3000m/5000m double at the Jerusalem 2023 European Athletics U20 Championships. Her 10,000m personal best of 31:55.79 dates back to 2022, while her 5000m best of 15:00.48 came at the Budapest 2023 World Athletics Championships.
There is still plenty of time for the young Latvian to make an impact in the senior ranks.
Italy targeting double
Despite the absense of Battocletti, Italy has still assembled an impressive line-up to target the team title, led by Elisa Palmero and Federica Del Buono. Palmero finished sixth behind Battocletti at Roma 2024 and was also fifth in last year’s race in Pacé.
Del Buono finished fourth behind Battocletti at Roma 2024 and sixth in Pacé last year.
The Spanish team also looks strong, with 2023 Spanish champion Isabel Barreiro and 2021 Spanish 5000m champion Beatriz Álvarez entered alongside Berzosa.
A British challenge could also emerge. Alongside Martin’s intriguing return, Great Britain will also field Amelia Quirk, who is set to make her 10,000m track debut.
Quirk finished fifth in the 3000m final at the Toruń 2021 European Athletics Indoor Championships and has since shown strong form on the roads, with a personal best of 31:53 over 10km.