Record-Breaking Performances Shine on Day 4 of European Athletics Championships in Rome
The European Athletics Championships in Rome witnessed electrifying performances on day 4, marked by record-breaking feats and intense rivalries. Natalia Kaczmarek set a new Polish record of 48.98 seconds, narrowly defeating Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke (49.07 seconds) to claim gold in a dramatic women’s 400m final. The men’s 400m was equally thrilling, with Britain’s Charlie Dobson and Belgium’s Alexander Doom battling down the home straight, culminating in Doom's victory with a championship record of 44.15 seconds. In the women’s pole vault, Switzerland’s Angelica Moser matched Nicole Buchler’s national record, soaring to gold with a first-time clearance of 4.78 meters. Here is our event-by-event report of the European Athletics Championships day 4.
Kaczmarek breaks Polish record in the 400m
World silver medallist Natalia Kaczmarek from Poland won her first European gold medal in 48.98 breaking Irena Szewinska’s national record of 49.28 from 1976. Rhasidat Adeleke from Ireland won the silver medal improving her PB 49.07. Lieke Klaver from the Netherlands claimed the bronze medal in 50.08m beating Lurdes Manuel from Czech Republic (50.52).
Natalia Kazmarek: “Coming to the start I was dreaming about the Polish record but this 48.98 was something more than my imagination. I was very well prepared for these championships and wanted to improve on my silver medal from Munich and this is what I managed to achieve tonight”.
Men’s 400 metres final:
Alexander Doom from Belgium won his first European outdoor gold medal in the men’s 400 metres breaking Jonathan Borlée’s national record with 44.15. Doom claimed his second title this year following his world indoor gold medal in Glasgow. Doom becomes the second fastest European 400 metres sprinter in history behind Matthew Hudson Smith, who broke the area record with 44.05 in Oslo on 30 May. Charles Dobson from Great Britain won the silver medal improving his PB by 0.08 to 44.38. Liemarvin Bonevacia from the Netherlands finished third in 44.88. Jonathan Sacoor from Belgium took fourth place in 44.98. Luca Sito finished fifth clocking the second fastest time of his career with 45.04 following his national record of 44.75 in the semifinal.
Alexander Doom: “I am more confident. I know how I need to start the race, what I need to do and U think I gained that kind of respect for the race and this is the main thing for me. For the rest of the season my goal I sto try to get the medal with relays and maybe some individual one too. I am totally taped in so, so I was to confident if I start the start because I was full of pain.To finish the race it is just amazing.”
Men’s 200 metres:
Timothé Mumenthaler from Switzerland won the gold medal in the men’s 200 metres in European under 23 lead of 20.28 on lane 9 beating Olympic 4x100 champion Filippo Tortu, who finished second in 20.41 two years after taking bronze in Munich. Switzerland won another medal with William Reais, who took third place in 20.47.
Timothé Mumenthaler: “I was isolated on lane 9. It felt everything for a nice time and a nice place. I am glad to get my first medal at European Championships. On the home straight I just thought: ‘you did a nice turn, keep going, keep pushing, finish strong, go and get the line. These are my first European Championships and my first target was to get to the final. I was hoping for a medal. It would be bold to say that I expected a gold medal."
Women’s pole vault:
Angelica Moser won Switzerland’s first ever gold medal in the women’s pole vault improving Nicole Buchler’s national record with 4.78m. Moser needed three attempts to clear the opening height of 4.43m, but she cleared 4.58 in the first attempt and 4.68m at the second time of asking. The Swiss vaulter faiied one attempt at 4.73m.
Caudery and Stefanidi cleared this height. Moser decided to skip to 4.78m and cleared 4.78m at the first time attempt. Stefanidi and Caudery passed 4.78m and skipped to 4.83m. Both vaulters failed their two attempts at 4.83m.
Ekaterini Stefanidi from Greece took the silver medal setting her seasonal best with 4.73m. The Greek vaulter beat world indoor champion Molly Caudery on countback, as the British vaulter had a earlier failure at 4.68m and 4.73m.
Angelica Moser: “We took that risk in the competition tonight and it paid off. It was something I had to do when I was thinking about winning the gold medal. I had quite a few injuries in the past few years between Torun and now, so there were ups and downs in those years. So I am very proud to win my first senior outdoor medal."
Stefanidi won her fifth consecutive European medal following silver in Zurich 2014, gold in Amsterdam 2016 and Berlin 2018 and silver in Munich 2022.
Amalie Svabibova from Czechia and Elma Lampela from Finland shared the fourth place with 4.58m. Elisa Molinarolo placed sixth with 4.58m beating her compatriot Roberta Bruni on countback.
Women’s hammer throw:
Sara Fantini from Italy won her first European gold medal in the women’s hammer throw with a seasonal best of 74.18m.
Fantini took an early lead with with a second round of 72.30m. France’s Rose Loga, former European and world under 20 silver medallist set a PB of 72.68m in the fourth round, moving into the lead over Fantini, who threw 72.61m in the third round. Triple Olympic champion and four-time European gold medallist Anita Wlodarczyik took the lead with 72.92m in the fourth round. Fantini responded with 74.18m in the fifth round to win the title two years after the European bronze medal in Munich 2022. Her father Corrado Fantini reached the Olympic final in the shot put in Atlanta 1996.
Sara Fantini: “I will never forget this night. I am very happy. I thank my sports club and my coach Marinella Vaccari. We have overcome some difficult periods together. It was a great competition.”
Men’s 3000 metres steeplechase:
Alexis Miellet from France was the strongest athlete on the final straight and won the men’s 3000 steeplechase in 8:14.01 ahead of his compatriot Djilali Bedrani (8:14.36). Miellet ran his first steeplechase race just a month ago. Karl Bebendorf held off Frederik Ruppert from Germany in the final sprint to finish third in his PB of 8:14.41. Ruppert took fourth place in his lifetime best of 8:15.08.
Italy’s Osama Zoghlami took the early lead and was 20 metres ahead of the chasing group with two laps to. At the bell the pack caught up with Zoghlami. Miellet, Bedrani, Bebendorf and Ruppert pulled away in the final lap. Miellet went to the lead at the water jump.
Men’s decathlon
Just 27 points separate the top three in a close men’s decathlon competition. Sander Skotheim ended the first day as the overnight leader with 4566 points ahead of Estonia’s Johannes Erm (4541) and France’s Mackenson Gletty (4539). Gletty is almost 200 points ahead of his PB.
Gletty led the standings in the men’s decathlon with 2788 points after the first three events. Gletty won the 100 metres with a PB of 10.55 and the shot put of 16.27m and set a PB of 7.59m in the long jump.
World indoor bronze medallist Johannes Erm is second with 2779 points after a PB of 10.60 in the 100m, 7.91m in the long jump and 14.99m in the shot put. Markus Rooth from Norway is ranked third with 2754 points ahead of Sander Skotheim (2670). Rooth highlighted the long jump with a PB of 8.01m. Two-time world champion Kevin Mayer is ranked sixth with 2636 points.
Skotheim cleared 2.17m in the high jump and ended the competition with three attempts at 2.20m.
Many PBs were set in the third heat of the 400 metres. Erm ran the fastest time with a PB of 46.81. Skotheim and Rooth improved their PBs with 47.50 and 48.03.
Women’s 200 metres semifinal:
Daryl Neita from Great Britain dominated the first semifinal in 22.51 beating Tesa Jiya from the Netherlands (22.70).
Henriette Jaeger won the second heat in 22.71 becoming the first Norwegian athlete to reach the women’s 200 metres final in 78 years. Defending champion Mujinga Kambundji won the third semifinal setting her seasonal best with 22.52.
Day 4 Morning session:
Men’s pole vault:
Olympic champion Armand Duplantis safely progressed through to the Wednesday’s men’s pole vault final with a first-time clearance at 5.60m.
Duplantis will target his third consecutive European outdoor title. The other athletes who had a clean sheet through 5.60m were German vaulters Oleg Zernikel and Torben Blech, Belgian record holder Ben Broeders and David Holy. Three-time world medallist Piotr Lisek also advanced to the final with the same height.
Armand Duplantis: “I am happy to be back in Rome. Good weather, good food, good jumps. Tomorrow Tuesday, we will see. My first aim here is to win the gold medal and I am trying to jump high. I was very focused on today’s qualification. Then it is about jumping as high as possible”.
Men’s 400 metres hurdles semifinal:
Olympic champion Karsten Warholm cruised through to the final with a comfortable win in the first semifinal in 48.75 ahead of Nick Smidt from the Netherlands (49.57) and Tomas Barr (49.61).
Karsten Warholm: “You know. I love athletics. It’s a privilege to do it one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I just want make sure that the crowd will make some noise for the final”.
Rasmus Magi won the second semifinal improving his seasonal best to 48.43 beating Carl Bengstrom (48.51). Alaistar Chalmers from Great Britain improved his PB to 48.76.
Alessandro Sibilio from Italy ran the second fastest time in his career with 48.07 in the third semifinal showing that he has the potential to dip under the 48 seconds. Slovenia’s Matic Ian Gucek qualified with a national record of 48.25.
Emil Agyekum from Germany finished second with his PB of 48.36. Willfried Happio did not advance to the final with 48.55.
Women’s 400 metres hurdles:
Louise Maraval from France won the first semifinal with her PB of 54.36 ahead of Lina Nielsen, who improved her PB to 54.43. Ayomide Folorunso set her seasonal best with 54.52 to advance to the final. Portugal’s Fatoumata Diallo also progressed through to the final with a national record of 54.65.
World champion Femke Bol won the second semifinal with 54.16m, the fastest time of the three semifinals. Nikoleta Jichova from Czech Republic improved her PB to 54.59. Linda Olivieri from Italy dipped under the 55 seconds for the first time in her career with 54.99.
Femke Bol: “I felt good. In these days I realized that the track is very fast. Many are running fast and in the final I want to try to achieve a great time. My feeling were very good. I am very happy. There is an amazing atmosphere, we run on a great track, so now I just want to give everything I have in the final and do a very fast race in this wonderful stadium.”
Line Kloster from Norway won the third semifinal in 54.56 ahead of Catheljin Peeters (54.66).
Last year’s World University Games champion Alice Muraro improved her PB to 54.73. Three Italian hurdlers broke the 55 seconds for the first time in the same competition but only Folorunso advance to the final.
The level was very high. Thirteen athletes broke the 55 seconds barrier. The time of 54.66 was needed to reach the final.
Men’s 1500 metres:
Neil Gourley controlled the last lap after a final 800 metres in 1:49 and won the first 1500m heat in 3:44.05 beating Italian record holder Pietro Arese (3:44.09). World medallist Narve Gilje Nordas finished 12th in 3:46.15 and did not get through to the final.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen came back from last after the first 500 metres to first in the first semifinal to win the 1500 metres semifinal in 3:37.55. It was a chaotic race where five athletes were involved in a tumble at the bell. Ingebrigtsen avoided the carnage and was well behind the leaders but he changed gear in the final 200 metres to win in 3:37.65 beating Italy’s Federico Riva by 0.10.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen: “If you watched the race, you could could see that I really did not do much. It was all about keeping my composure and I tried to stay out of trouble. I got very lucky with the unfortunate event when people were stumbling in front of me. I could test my fitness and my legs felt pretty good in the last lap. It was a good race and I am ready for the final. A lot of things can happen”.
Isaac Nader recovered from the fall to qualify in sixth place in 3:38.93 with a last lap in 55 seconds.
Women’s 800 metres:
Reigning European champion Keely Hodgkinson from Great Britain run from the front to win the second heat of the women’s 800 metres in 2:02:46 ahead of Anais Bourgoin from France (2:02.55). Hodgkinson set a British and European under 23 record with 1:55.19. She started a degree in criminology with psychology at Leeds Beckett University in 2020.
Keely Hodgkinson: “Heats are always a bit of a reality check to be honest, because you never really feel so great. It is just hard because some people are trying to run their best race ever and you are trying to conserve the energy. It is just a case of not being complacent, of not getting caught at the right moment, of not being tripped up. It’s important to save as much energy for the next round, but it was a clean race so I cannot complain”.
Tatjana Gajanova from Slovakia won the third heat by more than one second in in 2:00.31 ahead of Evelina Mattanen from Finland (2:01.59).
Six athletes qualified for tomorrow’s semifinals in the fourth and final 800m heat. In the fastest race of the morning session Majtie Kolberg from Germany won in 2:00.23 ahead of Munich 2022 European bronze medallist Anna Wielgosz (2:00.50), Daniela Garcia (2:00.70), Anita Horvat (2:00.73), Erin Wallace (2:00.90) and Valentina Rosamilia (2:00.98).
Women’s javelin throw qualifying round:
Marie Therese Obst led the women’s javelin throw qualifying round with 61.45m. Defending European champion Elina Tzengko qualified for the final with a seasonal best of 60.48m. Olympic silver medallist Maria Andrejczyk safely got through to the final with 60.61m.
