Duplantis, Hunter Bell and Iapichino Strike Gold as Italy Close European Championships on Top
After the marathons opened the final day on Sunday morning, attention returned to the track and field for one last evening of medals, records and championship drama.
Great Britain & NI made history in the inaugural mixed 4x100m final, Frederik Ruppert prevailed in a thrilling steeplechase, and Georgia Hunter Bell delivered 1500m gold for the hosts. Larissa Iapichino won a long jump final decided by just one centimetre, while Armand Duplantis raised the championship record to 6.15m.
The Netherlands and Italy then captured the concluding 4x400m titles, with Italy winning the final race of Birmingham 2026 and finishing atop the medal table.
4x100m Mixed Relay - Great Britain make history in 39.97
Great Britain & NI became the first European champions in the mixed 4x100m relay, racing to gold in a European record of 39.97.
Germany followed in a personal best of 40.11, while Spain completed the podium with a 40.42 PB.
- Great Britain & NI – 39.97 ER
- Germany – 40.11 PB
- Spain – 40.42 PB
It was a remarkable fourth gold medal of Birmingham 2026 for Amy Hunt and completed a clean sweep of the three 4x100m titles for Great Britain & NI following victories in both the men’s and women’s events.
The hosts had already earned silver in the mixed 4x400m and would add another runner-up finish in the women’s 4x400m later in the evening.
It was an eventful inaugural final, with only five of the eight starting teams recording a result. Italy and the Netherlands failed to finish, while Belgium were disqualified for passing the baton outside the changeover zone.
Men's 3000m Steeplechase - Ruppert kicks hardest to take steeplechase gold
Frederik Ruppert delivered Germany’s latest title of the championships, winning the men’s 3000m steeplechase in 8:25.33 following a decisive final kilometre of approximately 2:34.
The European number one took control with 600m remaining and resisted a determined late challenge from Ruben Querinjean, who secured silver for Luxembourg in 8:25.61.
Karl Bebendorf made it two Germans on the podium by taking bronze in 8:26.65.
- Frederik Ruppert – 8:25.33
- Ruben Querinjean – 8:25.61
- Karl Bebendorf – 8:26.65
Daniel Arce, who led at 2000m, slipped to fourth in 8:27.02 after the pace exploded over the closing laps.
Kolak takes European javelin gold
Sara Kolak became European champion after her opening-round throw of 62.43m proved enough to secure the women’s javelin title.
There were no changes to the medal positions in the closing rounds, leaving Germany’s Julia Ulbricht with silver following her 61.53m opener. Serbia’s Adriana Vilagoš claimed bronze with 60.93m.
- Sara Kolak – 62.43m
- Julia Ulbricht – 61.53m
- Adriana Vilagoš – 60.93m
Sigrid Borge finished fourth with 59.98m, while Paola Padovan placed seventh with a personal best of 58.91m.
There were also some notable disappointments. Leonie Hügli, who led qualifying with a 62.33m national record, managed only 54.55m and finished 10th. European champion Elina Tzengko placed 11th with 54.01m.
Kolak established the standard in the opening round—and nobody could dislodge her.
Women's 1500m - Hunter Bell delivers European gold
Georgia Hunter Bell won the women’s 1500m title for Great Britain & NI, controlling the closing stages before powering to victory in 4:07.78.
The Briton reached 1200m in approximately 3:24.8 and covered the final 300m in around 43 seconds, holding off Poland’s Klaudia Kazimierska all the way to the line.
- Georgia Hunter Bell – 4:07.78
- Klaudia Kazimierska – 4:08.80
- Patricia Silva – 4:09.22
Kazimierska secured silver in 4:08.80, while Portugal’s Patricia Silva earned bronze in 4:09.22.
Agathe Guillemot narrowly missed the medals in fourth with 4:09.62, with Sarah Healy taking fifth in 4:10.76.
It was a patient performance from Hunter Bell—and when the title was on the line, she found another gear.
Women's Long Jump - Iapichino wins by one centimetre
The women’s long jump produced one of the closest finishes of the entire championships.
Italy’s Larissa Iapichino captured the European title with a wind-assisted 7.00m leap, finishing just one centimetre ahead of Britain’s Jazmin Sawyers, who reached 6.99m.
France’s Hilary Kpatcha completed the podium with 6.98m, meaning only two centimetres separated the three medallists.
- Larissa Iapichino – 7.00m (+2.1)
- Jazmin Sawyers – 6.99m (+2.2)
- Hilary Kpatcha – 6.98m (+2.5)
Sawyers recorded a wind-legal 6.96m season’s best earlier in the competition, but her medal-winning 6.99m jump came with a following wind of 2.2m/s.
It was a European final decided by the finest of margins.
Men's Pole Vault - Duplantis wins again
Armand Duplantis became European pole vault champion once again, sealing gold with a championship record of 6.15m.
Duplantis cleared 6.00m on his second attempt before sailing over 6.10m and 6.15m at the first time of asking. With the title and championship record secured, the Swede elected to end his competition.
Emmanouil Karalis pushed the bar to 6.20m in a final attempt to overhaul Duplantis but could not find the clearance, leaving the Greek star with silver at 6.00m.
France’s Baptiste Thiery completed the podium with 5.85m.
- Armand Duplantis – 6.15m CR
- Emmanouil Karalis – 6.00m
- Baptiste Thiery – 5.85m
It was another European title for Duplantis—and another championship record pushed higher.
Netherlands hold off Great Britain for 4x400m gold
Femke Broeders-Bol had plenty of work to do on the anchor leg, with Britain’s Emily Newnham closing hard behind her, but the Dutchwoman controlled the final lap superbly and held on to secure women’s 4x400m gold for the Netherlands.
A huge 49.5-second leg from Lieke Klaver had earlier blown the race open before Eveline Saalberg maintained the Dutch advantage on the third leg.
- Netherlands – 3:21.10 SB
- Great Britain & NI – 3:21.68
- Italy – 3:23.57
Newnham kept the outcome in doubt into the home straight, but Broeders-Bol had enough in reserve to bring the Netherlands home in a season’s best of 3:21.10.
Great Britain & NI collected another relay silver in 3:21.68, while Italy completed the podium in 3:23.57.
Men's 4x400m Relay - Italy win the final race
The European Athletics Championships concluded with a dramatic finish in the men’s 4x400m relay.
Lorenzo Benati resisted a charging Charles Dobson on the anchor leg as Italy captured gold in 2:59.16—just 0.03 ahead of Great Britain & NI.
- Italy – 2:59.16
- Great Britain & NI – 2:59.19 SB
- Netherlands – 2:59.49
Dobson threw everything at Benati down the home straight, but the Italian refused to give way. The Netherlands were also firmly involved in the battle, taking bronze in 2:59.49, just ahead of Belgium’s 2:59.51.
Hungary finished fifth in a national record of 2:59.68.
Italy’s victory in the final race ensured they finished atop the final medal table ahead of the hosts.
The last race of Birmingham 2026—and the final word belonged to Italy.
Medal Table - Italy top Europe again
It is a familiar sight at the top of the European medal table.
Italy finished Birmingham 2026 as Europe’s leading athletics nation, repeating their triumph from Rome 2024. Victory in the concluding men’s 4x400m relay lifted the Italians to 10 gold medals and 22 medals overall.
- Italy – 10 gold, 6 silver, 6 bronze – 22 total
- Great Britain & NI – 9 gold, 8 silver, 2 bronze – 19 total
- Germany – 6 gold, 10 silver, 5 bronze – 21 total
The hosts pushed Italy all the way, finishing just one gold medal behind, while Germany collected the second-highest overall total with 21 medals.
For the second successive European Championships, however, Italy stand alone at the top.
