The Bergen 2025 European Athletics U23 Championships provided some incredible moments in the Fana Stadion 17-20 July. It provided plenty of talking points. Here’s some of the best quotes from Bergen 2025:
Abigail Pawlett (GBR) – women’s heptathlon silver
“Big shout to my training group who push each other. My family, my mum and dad who came here. And you could hear my mum more often than you can see her. But without them and my little sister, who is the only person that I respond to during heptathlon, I would not be here. I facetimed with her last night like for an hour. I would not be here without any of these people.
Mikolaj Szczesny (POL) – men’s high jump silver
“This silver medal and this huge personal best, it means a lot to me. I have a blackout now, I do not understand what just happened. I need to check the videos, but I had very good feelings over the 2.30 bar. It is a pure joy.”
Ramona Elena Verman (ROU) – women’s long jump gold
“This was the best championships ever. It was a pleasure to compete here.”
Matteo Sioli (ITA) – men’s high jump gold
“Gianmarco Tamberi is my big idol, and he helps me with advice. I hope that one day I will also be an idol like him. I am happy for our friendship. This final was at a very high level, we all got great results. Step by step I will arrive at world senior level.”
Georgios Papanastasiou (GRE) – men’s hammer throw silver
“I did not believe in myself. I did not train much because I had to work to make living. A month ago, I just quit my job just to focus on these championships. I worked in the factory in Athens - we produced furniture. We will see, what comes next. Everything is open.”
Justin Davies (GBR) – men’s 800m silver
“Laros - he is unbelievable and quite annoying. Because he is just that good. He is obviously so talented. I have come down from 1500m to 800m a couple of years ago, and now, it is just my distance.”
Niels Laros – men’s 800m and men’s 5000m gold
“I knew I was in good shape and that I can handle the rounds. This combination is unique. I like to do these kinds of things that not many people have tried. I like to challenge myself. It was a nice challenge and a nice experience. I want to fight for the medals at the world championships. Which event? We will see.”
Frederick Weigel (GER) – men’s 10,000m race walk bronze
“Some years ago, my dad Ronald Weigl, achieved a German 20k record at Fana Stadium. He told me about this before I left. He is not with me because he is the national coach of India now.”
Yannick Rolvink (NED) – men’s shot put bronze
“I was hoping and dreaming about a medal, but still, you have to work hard for it to get it. Just hoping is not enough.”
Henriette Jæger (NOR) – women’s 400m gold, women’s 200m silver
“I like to be the local face of these championships and I also quite like the pressure that comes with it. I am pleased. Of course, I wanted two gold medals, but I am very satisfied with the silver medal. In the 400m I was surprised by my time. I did not think that I ran that fast. In the 200m I had nothing more to give on the last 5 meters, that is why I fell.”
Rocio Arroyo (ESP) – women’s 800m silver
“Changing from 400m to 800m was a very good decision for me, I did not expect to be so good so quickly. This was the best decision I have made in a long time. My PB coming to this championships was 2:03 so I did not really know what to expect from myself in the heats, the semis and in this final.
Angelina Topic (SRB) – women’s high jump gold
“It was my secret wish, but I did not want to say that out loud yet, that I wanted to take gold medal in every single age group championships. Now, I have the under 23 European title. I have one more chance in two years, but I did not want to miss this chance today.”
Yemi Mary John (GBR) – women’s 400m silver
“Media loves to build up that rivalry, about me and Jaeger, but it is a great running with her. I think we really push each other, so I am also happy for her, she is a great competitor and a lovely person. So, it was great running with her.”
Alexandrina Mihai (ITA) – women’s 10,000m race walk gold
“Sport is not just sport, it is also fun, friends, it is a school. I learnt a lot of things thanks to athletics, and I am thankful for the person I am thanks to athletics.”
Anika Thompson (IRL) – women’s 10,000m gold
“This win makes me feel really honoured and happy because Ireland is my country where my family comes from. I grew up going to Ireland every summer and it was a dream of mine to grow up and represent Ireland in track and field.
“It has been a huge inspiration for me growing up in Eugene, next to the Hayward Field. I have the honour to attend many of the high class meets, like the Prefontaine Classic and world juniors, world championships, where me and my family would go out support Ireland and USA. It is a dream come true to represent Oregon and my home country of Ireland.”
Enzo Diessl (AUT) – men’s 110m hurdles gold
“It is not so easy leading the ranking. Everybody is looking at you, everybody expects something from you and of course I also expect something from myself. And you have to stand all this and cope with all this from the heats to the semis to the final. I am very proud to have managed that. I think that my psychological performance was also world class, not only the physical performance.”
Nina Chioma Ndubuisi (GER) – women’s shot put gold
“It feels amazing. It feels like weight lifted off my shoulders. I was working all year for this moment and now, I finally made it. To sweep the podium, that is crazy. That is actually the best thing that could have happened. Doing the German podium, that is the dream.”
