Few events at Birmingham 2026 look more difficult to predict than the women's javelin.
Defending champion Victoria Hudson is absent as she is expecting her first child, leaving the European crown up for grabs in a field combining some of the continent's brightest young talents with several of the most decorated throwers of the past decade.
Norway's Sigrid Borge arrives as the European leader after a superb 65.00m throw this season, but Serbia's Adriana Vilagoš has become an increasingly formidable force on the international circuit.
Add Olympic medallists Maria Andrejczyk and Sara Kolak, along with former European champion Elina Tzengko, and it is field deep in medal hopefuls.
European record – Barbora Špotáková (CZE), 72.28m
European lead – Sigrid Borge (NOR), 65.00m
Championships record – Christin Hussong (GER), 67.90m
Rome 2024 medallists:
1. Victoria Hudson (AUT), 64.62m
2. Adriana Vilagoš (SRB), 64.42m
3. Marie-Therese Obst (NOR), 63.50m
Five names to watch:
- Adriana Vilagoš (SRB)
- Sigrid Borge (NOR)
- Maria Andrejczyk (POL)
- Sara Kolak (CRO)
- Elina Tzengko (GRE)
Adriana Vilagoš arrives in Birmingham with unfinished business. Still only 22, the Serbian has already collected European silver medals in both Munich and Rome and has developed into one of the most consistent javelin throwers in the world.
Her 63.83m season's best places her second on the European lists, while her performances on the Diamond League circuit underline her consistency. She finished third in Xiamen, third in Oslo, second in Paris and second again in Monaco, throwing beyond 63 metres on three of those occasions.
After twice standing on the second step of the European podium, Birmingham could finally be the stage on which Vilagoš goes one better.
But the longest throw by a European this year belongs to Sigrid Borge.
The Norwegian produced a superb European-leading 65.00m in Xiamen in May, finishing second behind China's world leader Yan Ziyi and establishing herself as a genuine contender for the biggest title of her career.
Now 30, Borge is no newcomer to this stage – she finished eighth at the European Championships as far back as Berlin 2018 – but 2026 has brought her back into medal contention.
Poland's Maria Andrejczyk brings serious championship pedigree. The Tokyo Olympic silver medallist owns a formidable personal best of 71.40m, making her the second-furthest European thrower in history behind Barbora Špotáková.
After throwing 62.78m this season, the 30-year-old is once again firmly in the medal conversation.
Andrejczyk is not the only Olympic medallist seeking another major honour.
Ten years on from one of the great javelin upsets, Rio 2016 Olympic champion Sara Kolak remains a genuine threat.
The 31-year-old Croatian has returned to 62.61m this year and owns a lifetime best of 68.43m. Her career has contained its share of injuries and setbacks since that extraordinary Olympic triumph, but a resurgent Kolak at a major championship is not an athlete anyone will take lightly.
Then there is Elina Tzengko. The Greek thrower was just 19 when she announced herself on the senior stage by winning the European title in Munich four years ago with a personal best of 65.81m.
She also won the Diamond League Final last year, but her 2026 season has so far been considerably quieter, with a season's best of 58.37m.
Still only 23, she already knows exactly what it takes to win this championship. If she can rediscover her best form in Birmingham, another medal challenge cannot be ruled out.
There is considerable depth beyond the leading five. Switzerland's 21-year-old Leonie Hügli has broken through with a national record 62.18m while France's Alizée Minard has improved to 61.69m and finished fourth at the Paris Diamond League with 61.51m. Their season's bests put both firmly among the leading entrants.
And don't overlook the defending bronze medallist. Marie-Therese Obst returns in Birmingham, albeit with a more modest season's best of 58.68m.
It is one of the most open competitions at Birmingham 2026, with a host of potential winners, all of whom know that one big throw could change everything.