European Athletics Championships 2024: Day 3 Highlights and Key Performances
The third day of the 2024 European Athletics Championships was marked by stellar performances and emotional victories across a variety of events. Dina Asher Smith of Great Britain captured her second European 100 meters gold in a thrilling finish, clocking 10.99 seconds.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's Yaroslava Mahuchik continued her dominance in the women's high jump, securing her second consecutive European title with a leap of 2.01 meters. The field events saw remarkable performances, including Ana Peleteiro Compaoré matching the world lead in the women's triple jump and Wojciech Nowicki of Poland winning his third consecutive European gold in the men's hammer throw.
Dina Asher Smith from Great Britain won her second European 100 metres gold medal in 10.99. The British sprint star collected her fifth European gold medal following her wins in the 200m in Amsterdam 2016 and her three titles in the 100m, 200m and the 4x100 relay in Berlin 2018. Asher Smith recovered from a slow start from the blocks and came through to take the win.
Dina Asher Smith: “I am in a great place, but when you have got a few new things to get a few new things to get your head round, sometimes sometimes it does take a little bit of time. Overall I am really happy that I am six to months into a new set-up and I am hee putting together these performances like this back.”
World indoor silver medallist Ewa Swoboda won the silver medal in 11.03 edging world indoor bronze medallist Zaynab Dosso from Italy by 0.004 in a very close final. Dosso reached the podium in Rome, the city where she trains every day. Patrizia Van der Weken finished fourth in 11.04 missing out on the medal by 0.01.
Zaynab Dosso: “I dedicate this medal to Rome, where I train every day. This result shows that I am on the right path to the Olympic Games. I am happy how I handled the race. There is still room for improvement”.
Swoboda from Poland won the first 100 metres semifinal with 11.02. Defending champion Gina Luckenkemper from Germany qualified in second place with a seasonal best of 11.06.
Asher Smith won the second semifinal in 10.96 improving the European seasonal lead. Gemima Joseph finished second in 11.06.
Patrizia Van Der Weken from Luxembourg won a close third semifinal in a national record of 11.00 edging Zaynab Dosso, who improved her own Italian record by 0.01 to 11.01.
Women’s high jump:
Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchik won her second consecutive European outdoor title with 2.01m. European under 20 champion Angelina Topic from Serbia won the silver medal with 1.97m, one cm off the national record she set a few weels ago in Marrakesh.Ukraine’s Irina Gerashchenko took the bronze medal with 1.95m.
Yaroslava Mahuchik: “I am very satisfied. I defended my European title. I enjoyed this competition. I love competing in Rome. I made my Diamond League debut at the Golden Gala in 2018”.
Women’s triple jump:
Ana Peleteiro Compaoré won the women’s triple jump final equalling the world lead with 14.85m in her fourth round. European indoor champion Tugba Danizmaz leapt to 14.57m to finish second ahead of France’s Illonis Guillame, who improved her PB to 14.43m.
Men’s hammer throw:
Poland’s Wojciech Nowicki won his third consecutive European gold medal with 80.95m. Bence Halacz from Hungary took the lead with 80.49m in the fourth round and looked set for his first major title, but Nowicki clinched the win in the sixth round. Mikaylo Kokhan claimed the bronze medal with 80.18m in the fifth round.
Women’s 1500 metres:
Clara Mageean from Ireland stormed to her first European gold medal in the women’s 1500 metres in 4:04.66. Ireland had not won any gold medals since 1998 before these championships and won two titles in the space of 48 hours at the championships. Mageean won the silver medal at the European Championships in Munich 2022 and finished fourth at the World Championships in Budapest 2022. She became the second Irish middle distance runner to win a European title following in the footsteps of Sonia O’Sullivan, who won the 3000m in Helsinki in 1994 and scored the 5000-10000m doubles in Budapest 1998.
Georgia Bell from Great Britain won the silver medal in 4’05”33. Agathe Guillemot from France took a surprising bronze medal in 4:05.69 ahead of Esther Guerrero from Spain (4:06.33).
Jemma Reekie faded in the final straight crossing the finish in fifth place in 4:06.17.
Clara Mageen: “I am absolutely exctatic. I came to these championships knowing that the British athletes were so strong. I really saw them as the biggest threat on the track so to be able to come on the top, I would probably not believe it at the beginning of the season. It has been a long time coming in, I am 32. I have been waiting to hear the national anthem on the stadium for many years. The atmosphere in the team is absolutely fantastic”.
Women’s 3000 metres steeplechsse:
Alice Finot from France won her first international gold medal in the women’s 3000 meres steeplechase in 9:16.22 beating two-time European champion Gesa Felicitas Krause (9:18.06) and Lizzie Bird from Great Britain (9:18.39). Luisa Gega from Albania, European champion in 2022, finished fifth in a seasonal best of 9:22.92.
Alice Finot: “There were some strong competitors in the field so the key thing was to stay focused. I had the weapons according to any kind of race of race. I was able to finish fast, whatever the scenario is. I just to stay focused and reacted to the race. I did a great race I was brave in the last 500 metres because the girls are really fast and there can be a big difference with the only 200 metres to go. I have strong legs today and I will do the job for the girls. If somebody is faster in the end, I just try. I am just happy. I made it”.
Men’s 800 metres:
Olympic finalist Gabriel Tual from France ran the second lap in 51.6 to win the third European gold medal at these Championships and the second title in the space of less than 30 minutes for his country in 1:44.87 beating Mohamed Attaoui from Spain (1:45.20) after a first lap in 53.11. Italian indoor record holder Catalin Tecuceanu won his first international medal by finishing third in 1:45.40.
Tual overtook Alvaro De Arriba in the back straight. De Arriba faded into fourth place in 1_45.64.
Men’s half marathon:
Yemanebarhan Crippa and Pietro Riva scored the third Italian double at this edition of the European Championships by finishing first and second in the men’s half marathon.
Crippa ran a perfect race and chose the right moment to launch his kick.
Italy’s Yohannes Chiappinelli, European bronze medallist in the 3000 metres steeplechase, led from the gun through the 5 km in 14:34. Chiappinelli maintained the pace through the 10 km and went through the 10 kn in 29:10.
The race started to hot up. Eight athletes pulled away from the rest of the field. Teferi pushed the paced and led the pack through the 15 km in 43:41. Crippa and Riva were in the leading group. Crippa took the lead for the first time at 16 km.
Crippa, Riva, Amanal Petros, Samuel Fitwi Sibathu and Teferi battled out for the three medals. Sibathu was the first to drop off his pace.
Crippa and Petros broke away as they entered the final tunnel to the Olympic Stadium. Petros stumbled with 300 metres to go.
Crippa broke away to win in 1:01:03. Riva pulled away from Teferi. Petros struggled in the final straight and Riva moved him past in the final sprint to win the silver medal in 1:01:04. Four Italian runners reached the top eight.
Amanal Petros held on to win the bronze medal in 1:01:10 ahead of Fitwi Subathu, who finished fifth in a PB of 1:01:17.
Eyob Faniel finished eighth in in 1:01:29 and the home team also won the team title as well with a combined time of 3:03:34. Israel finished second in the team event with two more athletes in the top ten (Gashau Ayale seventh in 1:01:28 and Girmaw Amare (ninth in 1:01:39). Germany won the team bronze.
Crippa added the gold medal in the half marathon to the 10000m title at the European Championships in Munich. The Ethiopian-born athlete broke the Italian half marathon record with 59.26 in Napoli. He holds all Italian records in the 3000, 5000m, 10000m, half marathon and marathon.
Yeman Crippa: “I wanted to confirm the victory at all costs, but it wasn’t easy.. Perhaps due to the weather, perhaps due to the tension, I did not feel in my best condition. Before entering the stadium, I wasn’t sure I could make it, I tried to stay ahead of everyone. Then in the stadium, I realized that I could win, even though Pietro Riva came very close. I was a bit uncertain about the strategy to follow, but luckily everything went well. Running at home is always a great emotion, the stadium cheering for you gives you goosebumps”, said Crippa.
Women’s half marathon:
Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal from Norway won the first gold medal of her career at the European Athletics Championships following the bronze medals in the 10000m in Amsterdam 2016 and in the 3000m steeplechase in Berlin 2018 and the silver in the 5000m behind Italy’s Nadia Battocletti on Friday evening in this edition.
Grovdal and Kenyan-born Romanian Joan Melly Chelimo stayed in the lead through the 15 km. Calli Hauger Thackery from Great Britain and Delvine Meringor from Romania were the only athletes to keep the pace with Grovdal and Melly, who pulled away. Grovdal made her decisive move at 17 km and Melly was not able to respond.
Grovdal crossed the finish-line in 1:08:09 setting a championship record. Melly held on to win the silver medal in 1:08:55 holding off Hauger Thackery, who took third place in 1:08:58. Meringor finished fourth in 1:09:25.
“My main focus was the 5000 metres so I was trying to take the gold medal. This half marathon was like my second chance but I felt good and I really was going for that gold. My plan was just to stay behind and to stay in the pack and maybe to do it inside of the track. With 3 km to go, I saw that that the girls were getting tired, so it was good and I could go to the front. My shape is good, I saw that already in the 5000 metres. I have had a very good training too”, said Grovdal.
Men’s 400 metres semifinal:
Italian 21-year-old rising star Luca Sito improved Davide Re’s national record and the European under 23 seasonal lead to 44.75. Sito, who started the season with a lifetime record of 46.31, entered these championships with a lifetime best of 45.35 and won yesterday’s heat in another PB of 45.12. Jonathan Sacoor finished second in 44.99. Havard Bentdal Ingvaldsen from Norway did not advance to the final with 45.37.
Charles Dobson from Great Britain won the second semifinal in 44.65. Dobson smashed his PBto 44.46 in Savona last May. Jan Paul Breadau finished second in 45.03. Lionel Spitz from Switzerland took third place in 45.28 reaching the final as non-automatic qualifier.
World indoor champion Alexander Doom frin Belgium won the third semifinal in 44.87 beating Liemarvin Bonevacia (45.17).
Men’s 200 metres semifinal:
German record holder Joshua Hartmann won the first semifinal in 20.38 edging Timothé Mumenthaler from Switzerland with the same time.
Pablo Mateo from France won the second semifinal in 20.34 ahead of Olympic 4x100 Eseosa Desalu from Italy, who improved his seasonal best to 20.39. Mateo set the third fastest time in France with 20.03 this year.
European 200 metres bronze medallist Filippo Tortu won the second semifinal in 20.14 setting the fastest qualifier for the final. Tortu missed his PB by just four hundreths of a second. Blessing Afrifah qualified for the final in second place with 20.46.
Women’s 400 metres semifinals:
Last year’s NCAA champion and Irish record holder Rhasidat Adeleke held off Laviai Nielsen to win the women’s 400 metres setting the fastest European under 23 time this year with 50.54. Laviai Nielsen from Great Britain finished second improving her PB by a tenth of second with 50.73. Gloria Manuel from Czech Republic improved the national under 20 record with 51.06.
World and European silver medallist Natalia Kaczmarek won the second semifinal with 50.70m beating Romania’s Andrea Miklos (51.13) and Austria’s Susanne Gogli Walli (51.14).
Lieke Klaver from the Netherlands claimed the win in the third semifinal with 50.57 beating Sharlene Mawdsley (50.99). Alice Mangione improved her PB to 51.34 to finish third, but she she did not advance to the final.
Morning session:
Olympic, world and European champion Gianmarco Tamberi booked his spot in Tuesday’s high jump final with a single clearance at 2.21m.
Tamberi is aiming to win his third European outdoor gold medal following his win in Amsterdam 2016 and Munich 2022.
“Starting the season with a European Championships is not easy, but the past few weeks have led me to take this decision. I felt good today. It was important to get an easy qualification. Physically I feel good, I have to adjust some technical details, but I am confident that the enthusiasm of this audience will help me in the final. The main goal of the season is set on the Olympics, but I want to win here in Rome, even though I know that won’t be easy”, said Tamberi.
Mateusz Przybylko needed three attempts to clear 2.21m.
Men’s triple jump qualifying round:
Olympic champion Pedro Pablo Pichardo from Portugal bounded out to 17.48m, well beyond the automatic qualifying mark of 16.65m. Pichardo took off back conservatively on the board. Pichardo set a seasonal best of 17.51m in Doha last May.
Spain’s Jordan Diaz Fortun topped the second qualifying round of 17.52m.
Two-time NCAA champion Emmanuel Ihemeje from Italy produced the third best qualifying mark of 16.98m.
Men’s 400 metres hurdles heats:
Thomas Barr from Ireland topped the men’s 400 metres hurdles with a seasonal best of 49.31. Barr helped Ireland win the gold medal 4x400 mixed relay with a sub-45 seconds split on Friday.
Women’s 400 metres hurdles heats:
Nicholeta Jichova from Czech Republic ran the fastest time in the women’s 400 metres hurdles with 54.88. Ellen Demes from Germany was the second fastest qualifier with a PB of 55.25.
Women’s hammer throw:
Katrine Jacobsen from Denmark topped the women’s hammer throw qualifying round with a seasonal best of 72.88m. European bronze medallist Sara Fantini from Italy produced the second best mark with 72.28m. Four-time European champion Anita Wlodarczyk qualified with the fifth best mark of 71.27m.
Men’s 200 metres heats:
Felix Svensson from Switzerland clocked the fastest time in the men’s 200 metres heat with 20.52. Roko Farkas qualified with a Croatian record of 20.70.
Italy tops the medal table with 15 medals (7 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze) after three days. Great Britain is second with seven medals (two gold, three silver and two bronze).
