The European Athletics Championships are underway, Italy fields its “dream team”

Italy is competing in the 27th European Championships, kicking off today at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, with 130 athletes, its largest field ever. The goal is to repeat its triumph at Rome 2024, when it finished first in the medal table with 24 podium finishes and 11 victories. The Italian team is considered the “dream team”: sprinters, middle-distance runners, throwers, walkers.

The numbers from the continental event

1,645 athletes have registered for the English event, almost equal in gender parity: 840 men and 805 women, representing 49 countries, with no Russian or Belarus participating, not even as neutrals.

Jacobs on the road to history

Many arrows in the Italian bow, one in particular bearing the name of Marcell Jacobs, starting in the 100 meters. He is one of the most anticipated athletes of the entire event. Defending champion, Olympic champion at Tokyo 2020, and best European performance of the season with 9.96, Marcell is aiming for a third consecutive gold medal to make history and match the achievements of Soviet Valeriy Borzov and Britain’s Linford Christie.

Tamberi and the high jump

Then there’s Gianmarco Tamberi. ‘Gimbo’ is competing as a wild card in a high jump competition where Christian Falocchi and, above all, Matteo Sioli are also expected.

The competing world champions

Ten Tokyo 2025 world champions are also on the entry list. Among them are Jimmy Gressier (5000/10,000 meters), Armand Duplantis (pole jump), Pedro Pichardo (triple jump), Femke Broeders-Bol (400 hurdles but starting in the 800), and Mattia Furlani (long jump). The Italian athlete arrives in good condition but The May injury certainly hindered their preparation.

The men’s and women’s long jump challenge

The big favorite, fresh from three consecutive gold medals, is Miltiadis Tentoglou. The Greek champion is in amazing form, having jumped first to 8.61 meters and then to 8.66 meters. Remaining in the women’s long jump, Larissa Iapichino, the new Italian record holder with 7.12 meters, is a podium contender, even though Germany’s Malaika Mihambo has returned above seven meters.

The other Italian stars

The superstars of Italian athletics are also Andy Diaz, two-time world indoor triple jump champion, and Zaynab Dosso, gold medalist in the 60 meters indoor at the last World Championships. The women’s 100 meters are scheduled for this evening (semifinals at 9:10 pm and final at 10:50 pm).

Fabbri and Weir in the shot put Weight

Among the first five medals to be awarded today is the shot put. Leonardo Fabbri arrives as the defending champion and the favorite, having become the seasonal world leader with a 22.74-meter throw in the Diamond League in Eugene. Joining Leo is his training partner and second-placed European competitor, Zane Weir. A 20.60-meter sprint is needed for the final (9:33 p.m.).

Battocletti Seeks Confirmation

Nadia Battocletti’s British campaign opens Tuesday with the 5000 meters. The Italian middle-distance runner, twice the “Queen” at Rome 2024, has had a less vigorous approach this year due to some physical issues, but she has what it takes to confirm her position as the European champion. Twenty-six athletes are registered, with Dutchwoman Maureen Koster leading the timesheets. Nadia, trained by her father Giuliano, will also be competing in the The 10,000m (Friday the 14th), a distance she hasn’t run since the world final in Tokyo, when she won silver, almost fourteen months after her Olympic silver medal in Paris. Her opponents appear more difficult than the 5,000m. Slovenian Klara Lukan, the only European to run the 10 km on the road in under 30 minutes, and the other two Rome medalists, Dutchwoman Diane Van Es and Great Britain’s Megan Keith, are tough opponents.

The Ferragosto Walk

August morning is dedicated to walking with the two new distances, half marathon and marathon. The one-kilometer loop course winds through the city center. In the two 21,097-kilometer races, much is expected of Francesco Fortunato, world champion in the distance in Brazil last April, and Antonella Palmisano, the defending champion and Olympic gold medalist in 2021, who will face Especially with Spain’s Maria Perez, gold medalist in Berlin 2018 and two-time world champion.

Massimo Stano in the marathon

In the 42.195 km race, the spotlight is on Massimo Stano. Thirteen Italian athletes, 10 percent of the team, are making their debut. Marathon runner Daniele Meucci is competing for his eighth time and has made 40 appearances for the Italian national team. Yeman Crippa returns to track racing, starting in the 10,000 meters, the distance he won continental gold in Munich 2022.

Participation records

The oldest athlete registered in Birmingham is Portuguese race walker Joao Vieira, 50, who is starting in the half marathon; the youngest is Greek sprinter Apostolia Antonatou, 16, selected for the sprint relay.