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| Pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie will be among the stars France will bank upon at the European Athletics Team Championships in Gateshead. (Getty Images) |
In a weekly round-up, European Athletics looks at a big issue in the sport, sets the scene for the week ahead and reviews the past few days.
France show they are in the mood for Gateshead
In 12 days' time, the concentration of many of the world's leading track and field stars will not be on their individual pursuits of glory.
They will pull on their countries vests and combine in a bid to win the European Athletics Team Championship, whether it be the Super League in Gateshead, the First League in Dublin, the Second League in Kaunas or the Third League in Banska Bystrica.
It is one of those special weekends, where gradually the atmosphere builds from the opening race to the finale where even fifth place in a 4 x 400m relay can mean the point that confirms either promotion, relegation, or the overall title.
And the greatest irony of the European Athletics Team Championship? You could probably win a division without even winning too many events.
It is why, when they announce their team, the French can look back on last Thursday's IAAF Diamond League in Rome as a perfect grounding for what they might achieve in North east England on the weekend of June 22-23.
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THE WEEK JUST GONE
It was seven days of outstanding performances from European athletes, with one of the best being Sweden's Abeba Aregawi who just does not know the meaning of losing. After winning the 1500m at the IAAF Diamond League in Rome in 4:00.23 on Thursday, she then moved to Hengelo on Saturday where she broke the national 800m record with 1:59.20. Clear favourite for the longer distance at the World Championships in Moscow, in a year where she won gold at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Göteborg, it is easy to forget she is still only 22. She could be around for a long time yet.
THE WEEK AHEAD
Will it finally be the week when Jessica Ennis-Hill, Great Britain's heptathlon champion, competes for the first time since winning gold in London last year? She has earmarked the IAAF Diamond League in Oslo on Thursday night, but it could depend on injury. She was due to return on Saturday in the UK Women's League in Edinburgh before an Achilles problem ruled her out.
EUROPEAN LEADERS
800m
Men
1. Pierre-Ambroise Bosse (FRA) 1:43.91, Rome
2. Giordano Benedetti (ITA) 1:44.67, Rome
3. Adam Kszczot (POL) 1:44.76, Rome
Women
1. Mariya Savinova (RUS) 1:58.75, Yerino
2. Abeba Aregawi (SWE) 1:59.20, Hengelo
3. Yekaterina Kupina (RUS) 1:59.21, Yerino
BIRTHDAYS
10.06.13 - Charlotte Purdue (GBR) – former European cross country junior champion turns 22
11.06.13 – Sebastian Bayer (GER) – European long jump champion and two-time indoor champion turns 27
11.06.13 – Christophe Lemaitre (FRA) – Two-time European outdoor 100m champion and national record holder in both 100 and 200m turns 23
11.06.13 – Vanessa Boslak (FRA) - World indoor pole vault medallist and national record holder turns 31
13.06.13 – Veronica Borsi (ITA) – E