The Netherlands' Nadine Visser won her first ever major outdoor title, pipping Polish rival Pia Skrzyszowska by one thousandth of a second to win the women’s 100m hurdles final at the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships on Tuesday (11).
There was a long wait after a thrilling photo finish, with both athletes clocked at 12.67 (-0.8m/s), but Visser was given the verdict ahead of Poland's 2022 champion. France's Laeticia Bapté won bronze in 12.73, just 0.02 ahead of world champion Ditaji Kambundji of Switzerland.
In summary...
- Twice European indoor champion Visser wins first ever major outdoor title
- Skrzyszowska completes European medal set by taking silver
- World champion Kambundji edged out of bronze by France's Bapté
The Dutch athlete has won four medals at the European Athletics Indoor Championships, including gold in 2019 and 2021. She has also taken silver and bronze at the World Indoor Championships, but this was a long-awaited outdoor success for the 31-year-old.
Visser was not the quickest out of the blocks but kept her composure and overhauled the field hurdle by hurdle. She drew level with Skrzyszowska by the eighth hurdle and from that point on it was a head-to-head struggle, with both athletes hurling themselves at the finish.
After an agonising wait and forensic examination of the photo finish, Visser was named the winner.
For Skrzyszowska, champion four years ago at Munich 2022 and bronze medallist at Roma 2024, it completed the medal set at the European Athletics Championships.
Running from the inside lane, France’s Laeticia Bapté won her first ever major medal, just holding off world champion Kambundji.
Skrzyszowska, Visser and Hungary’s Luca Kozák had each won their respective semifinals earlier in the evening. Skrzyszowska was quickest in 12.60 (-0.3m/s) in heat 1, with Visser taking heat 3 in 12.69 (-1.3m/s) and Kozák claiming heat 2 in 12.83 (-1.2m/s).
Even at that stage, it looked like Visser and Skrzyszowska would be difficult to separate for gold, and so it proved later in the evening.
What they said...
Nadine Visser: "I finally have a (European) outdoor medal and it's a gold - that feels insane. This is a real relief, honestly. It still hasn't sunk in completely. This is the medal I've wanted for a very long time.
"Winning by a thousandth, this was unnecessary. I'm a really big perfectionist, always thinking about things that could have gone better.
"Waiting for the photo finish, I wasn't really thinking about whether I would get the gold medal or not, I just felt this wasn't the perfect race. In the end it doesn't matter because it was enough. I am so happy.
"I guess I will forget about the small mistakes very soon because I have this gold and that's what I was after. I am so proud I managed to stay calm. It just gives a lot of confidence as there's been times where people have been asking why it never worked out outdoors, asking where I was lacking.
"Indoors I have showed at so many events what I'm capable of. But outdoors it never quite worked out. Of course that gets you thinking about it.
"I have had so much bad luck physically during the European outdoors but have been the best European athlete at the Olympics and Worlds. That's nice but you just want to have medals around your neck.
"I knew that this might be my last Euros, or maybe my penultimate Euros. I don't have many chances left. I tried not to think about that too much but just wanted to see this as another competition. I'm glad it worked out. I'm very proud.
"I've had a good season, a good lead up with some good competitions and training sessions. But I suddenly had a pain in my Achilles that got worse.
"One week ago I suddenly had a lot of stress about whether I could come here. When I got the green light I had a really good session. I felt rested a bit, too, because I'd had a week with less training. That can work out well sometimes.
"I was one of the favourites. I felt pressure to finally get a European outdoor medal and I did it."
Pia Skrzyszowska: "Now I have a complete collection of medals from the European championships - gold, silver and bronze. But of course with this one, a thousandth of a second cost me gold. I lost it only on the dip at the line. It hurts.
"At the same time, I am happy for Nadine Visser (NED) because it is her first individual gold medal (outdoors). I will prepare for revenge in two years time in Silesia. For sure, I am going to win gold there.
"I am not disappointed because it is still a medal, but I was struggling with some small pain in my hip. I tried to run as fast as possible. Now I will rest and get ready for the 4x100m relay."
Laeticia Bapté: "I feel really good. I am still in the clouds. I think I will finally realise what has happened in a few hours.
"I had no idea where I finished until the final results showed up, as I was in lane two and just focused on my own race.
"This will change a lot, this will give me so much confidence going into the world champs and Olympics in the coming years. I feel like I will be able to compete at that level now."