Italy’s Larissa Iapichino leapt 7.00m to claim her first European outdoor title in the women’s long jump at the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships on Sunday (16).
Two gold medals on the final day, including one from Iapichino, put Italy on top of the medal table for the second successive edition of the European Athletics Championships.
In summary
- Iapichino upgrades her silver from Rome in 2024 to match the European indoor title she won last year
- Brit Jazmin Sawyers is just one centimetre behind with a lifetime best of 6.99m
- France’s Hilary Kpatcha is remarkably just one centimetre back in bronze
In an astonishingly dramatic contest that felt undecided until the very last jump, 24-year-old Iapichino emerged victorious from a nervy game of cat-and-mouse where the athletes were forced to account for the wind.
She saved her best for first with the opening jump of 7.00m exactly proving decisive, and then daring others to catch up.
The top five all came very close. Germany’s Malaika Mihambo, ultimately unable to defend her title, leapt 6.94m with her own first effort. Portugal's world indoor champion Agate de Sousa, who led qualifying with 7.00m, soared 6.96m with her third jump. Kpatcha hit 6.98m with her second jump.
The greatest consistency came from Sawyers, wrapping herself up in a blanket of stars to stay warm, but stellar with four attempts over 6.90m that twice improved her lifetime outdoor best.
Her best was her fourth jump which was recorded at 6.99m. The recent Commonwealth Games champion, who had previously won silver and bronze at European Championships over a decade-long span, took one final attempt but came up just short.
Iapichino celebrated the accomplishment of claiming a title that narrowly eluded her mother Fiona May, a silver and bronze medallist in years gone by, as Italy feasted.
What they said
Larissa Iapichino (ITA)
"It feels amazing to take the gold. It was magical to win my first area title here in the UK and in Birmingham. It really has not sunk in. It will take me time to process it. The European long jump is on fire at the moment so the competition out there was world class. The other girls are just amazing. I love it when it gets fiery and competitive out there. I knew I had to jump well and be the best version of myself."
"My dad, my coach, has got me in great shape for these champs. The Italian team have been incredible this year. It has been a great week for us from captain Tamberi right through to today. I had my family here tonight - my mum, aunt, cousins, grandma and even my sister who never comes - so that made it extra special."
Jazmin Sawyers (GBR)
"That was such a crazy competition. It was such a consistent series but with that comes a shred of frustration. When you have that consistency there's always a bigger jump there. That has helped me to realise that I can mix it with the absolute best. My coach Aston [Moore] is such a legend in the sport. He's so invested with everything he does, everything he says. He brings the right energy to training and competitions. I'm only able to be the athlete I am right now because of him and the team. I'm just so grateful."
Hilary Kpatcha (FRA)
"When I jumped 6.98m, I had a great feeling and this is also my first medal, so I have to be happy about it. But these 2cm, that is such a small margin. It is just a little bit frustrating."
"The story of this medal is very complicated, with lots of injuries. A lot of everything. I slipped on the board at the European Team Championships in Silesia [in 2021] and that was the story. Then I changed my all team right after the Olympic Games. So this is a first one with my new team. The biggest motivation is the Olympics in LA 28. I need to stay regular with my performances. It would be great to jump seven metres constantly. Now, the level is so high that when you do not jump seven metres, you do not win."