Nafissatou Thiam tightened her grip on a third successive European Athletics Championship heptathlon title after extending her lead from 35 to 77 points over her Belgian teammate Noor Vidts following this morning’s long jump on the second day of competition at Roma 2024, as heats and qualifiers welcomed multiple champions into the fray.
Thiam landed a season’s best of 6.59m with her opening effort and it was enough to take her to 4991 points with this evening’s javelin and 800m to come.
Vidts had a best of 6.46m which saw her maintain silver-medal position on 4914 points as she extended her lead over France’s third-placed Auriana Lazraq-Khlass from five to 40 points.
But the 25-year-old French athlete, who set three personal bests and equalled another on a dream-like day one, produced a season’s best of 6.35m to stay in with a chance of an inspirational podium appearance.
She now has 4874 points, although fourth-placed Annik Kalin of Switzerland’s is now only 32 behind after producing a championship best of 6.84m which earned her 1119 points and also equalled the Swiss long jump record held by Irene Pusterla since 2011.
Caudery in pole position
Britain’s world indoor pole vault champion Molly Caudery required one first-time clearance at 4.50m to qualify for Monday night’s pole vault final. Finland’s defending champion Wilma Murto also moved through after first-time successes at 4.40m and 4.50m.
Others progressing included Switzerland’s Angelica Moser and Greece’s 2016 Olympic champion Aikaterini Stefanidi, who is seeking her fifth successive medal at the European Athletics Championships having also won silver in 2014 and 2022 and gold in 2016 and 2018.
Tina Sutej, the 35-year-old Slovenian who earned European bronze in Munich two years ago despite competing with a badly gashed hand, had to retire after warming up.
“A week ago, I had a training and a pole hit me in my biceps,” she said. “I had a slight tear. I was thinking about cancelling this championships for me but then, my doctor said yes, you are fine and you can jump. So I was like OK, I can try.
“But in the warm-up, I realise that the muscle is not functional and it is my top arm so this is a really important one. I think it should be OK for Paris but right now, I need some treatment and rest and we will see.”
And Britain’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medallist Holly Bradshaw also made her exit after failing three times at her opening height of 4.25m.
Nowicki puts down the hammer
Poland’s defending men’s hammer champion Wojciech Nowicki was the most convincing qualifier for tomorrow’s final as he surpassed the automatic mark of 77.00m by exactly two metres.
But France’s Yann Chaussinand, who beat him and his Polish teammate Pawel Fajdek in Tomblaine on May 25, was not so far behind with 76.84m.
“In tomorrow's final we will have a nice battle and I hope for the medal with the most beautiful colour,” Chaussinand said.
Nowicki, who won Tokyo 2020 gold and bronze at the Rio 2016 Games, said that while he felt his opening effort of 76.66m would have been enough to qualify he wanted to take a second throw to test the quality of the circle for the final.
He said: “I am still in training and my shape is developing but I am hoping for at least one really good throw here. You know, I am 35-year-old so I have to adapt my body a bit. My head still wants to do it but my body is getting older.”
Fajdek, five-times world champion and European champion in 2016, did enough with a best of 75.17m.
Bence Halasz, Hungary’s world bronze medallist, progressed with a first effort of 77.84m, and Ukraine’s Mykhaylo Kokhan, who tops this season’s European list with 80.76m, joined him after an opener of 77.77m.
A historic first for Andorra
Spain’s Daniel Arce, fastest European in the 3000m steeplechase this year with 8:12.28, lived up to expectations as he topped qualifying for Monday night’s final, clocking 8:21.46 as he finished half a stride ahead of Germany’s Frederik Ruppert, his companion throughout the second half of their heat, who recorded 8:21.49.
Finland’s defending champion Topi Raitanen eased through to take the fifth of the eight automatic qualifying places in the same heat. Also through is Nahuel Carabana, who thus becomes the first athlete from Andorra to reach a European Athletics Championships final.
Having improved his national record to 8:16.04 this year the 24-year-old, who made headlines in Munich 2022 when he stopped to assist an injured runner in the heats, could yet earn further acclaim as a medallist.
The French pairing of Djilali Bedrani and Alexis Miellet, respectively second and third on this season’s European list with 8:13.73 and 8:14.71, moved through efficiently and look strong medal contenders.
Home hopes will be carried by the 2022 bronze medallist Osama Zoghlami and Yassin Bouih.
Sito speeds through in 400m heats
Home sprinter Luca Sito, who was part of Italy's silver medal-winning team in the mixed 4x400m, was the fastest qualifier for tomorrow’s 400m semifinals in a lifetime best of 45.12 with Ireland’s Chris O’Donnell also showing no obvious signs of a golden hangover after helping earn the 4x400m mixed team title the previous night as he progressed with a season’s best of 45.69.
Rani Rosius of Belgium and Lisa Mayer of Germany were the top qualifiers for tomorrow’s women’s 100m semifinals, with Great Britain’s Amy Hunt also making the cut after clocking 11.26.
Mike Rowbottom for European Athletics