BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, August 13 —
MEN’S 800: With Max Burgin out after picking up an injury in warmups, Mark English suddenly had an easier path. It went tactical from the start, with Croatia’s Marino Bloudek leading at 400 in 53.4 and English sitting comfortably behind. On the backstretch, the proceedings sped up for the crowded pack, Bloudek leading at 600 in 1:20.0. On the final turn, it appeared to be anyone’s race.
Turns out that English was in complete control the whole time. On the straight he moved out and passed Bloudek. With his competition frantically sprinting after him, the Irishman calmly increased his tempo to the finish, capturing the gold in 1:45.26.
English quipped, “I do not even know how I feel, to be honest. I think mostly I am relieved after so many silver and bronze finishes to have finally secured the gold… It is 16 years since I was on top of the podium at the Youth Olympics so it has been a long wait.”
WOMEN’S 200: Amy Hunt made it a double, saying, “This is becoming a magical week.” The 100 victor lined up against Dina Asher-Smith, who hoped this would be a better race than her 4th in the 100. Also in the field was Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke, in a season in which she decided she wasn’t fit enough for her 400 speciality.
The two Brits stayed even on the curve and emerged on the straight running side-by-side. They hammered each other and finally Hunt began to build a lead, carrying it to the line in 22.19. Behind her, Adeleke closed fast and nipped Asher-Smith with an Irish Record in the final step for the silver, 22.28–22.29.
WOMEN’S TRIPLE JUMP: Dariya Derkach of Italy effectively captured the triple jump on her first leap of 47-8w (14.53), a jump no one else bettered. The Italian improved with a PR of 47-10¾ (14.60) in round 3, clinching the gold. Belgium’s Saliyya Guisse surprised with a 47-5¼w (14.46) for silver, while Bulgaria’s Aleksandra Nacheva managed only one fair jump, 47-3 (14.40), to grab bronze.
“This was so hard,” said Derkach, a former Ukrainian who has battled injury for the last 4 years. “The journey towards this medal was so difficult. I had to fight a lot of pain and lots of struggles. But inside me, some flame was still burning.”
MEN’S DISCUS: Imagine being in Mykolas Alekna’s shoes. The WR holder opened up with an impressive 229-3 (69.89), breaking his own MR from ’22, the only time he has won a major senior title. Two throwers later, Kristjan Čeh of Slovenia stepped up and broke the fresh record with a 232-4 (70.83).
While Alekna struggled with his technique in formulating a response — he threw three straight fouls — Germany’s Henrik Janssen moved into bronze position at 228-1 (69.53). Čeh continued to thrive, hitting 230-1 (70.13) on his second and a whopping 237-10 (72.51) in round 3. The mark was just 10cm away from his wind-blown Ramona best.
In the final round, Alekna hit 227-1 (69.23) and had to settle for silver. Čeh closed off his incredible series with a 231-11 (70.68).
Čeh credited the competition and a perfect circle, but added, “I am not surprised. I was expecting this. I knew what I could do from training — that I can throw very, very far, even the national record. I was expecting throws on such a level.”
WOMEN’S POLE VAULT: Switzerland’s Angelica Moser defended her title in fine form, jumping perfectly through 15-9 (4.80). That turned out to be enough to defeat Finland’s Wilma Heltelä and France’s Marie-Huile Bonnin, both of whom passed to 15-11 (4.85), a bar that no one could make.
WOMEN’S STEEPLE: The over-barriers distance race has become a German stronghold, with Gesa-Felicitas Krause returning to the top of the podium after 8 years, leading her countrywomen to a 1-3-4 finish. It was her teammate, Lea Meyer, who set the tone for the race, leading from the start until the final backstretch.
By that point only 5 remained in contention. The switch-up came when France’s Alice Finot, the only competitor who had broken 9:00, made a bid for the lead. Krause, at that point running off Meyer’s shoulder, saw her coming and beat her to the punch. The two cleared the water barrier together but Meyer fell. She quickly scrambled up but her teammate Olivia Gürth had passed her. Up front, Krause sprinted away from Finot easily, 9:12.69–9:14.24.
“I am so happy with gold again 8 years since Berlin,” said Krause. “It’s been a long time, a long journey. Moments like these are what you fight for.”
DECATHLON: Reigning world champion Leo Neugebauer, competing in his first Euro title meet, maintained his lead from day 1, even while watching it steadily shrink. Teammate Niklas Kaul, only 6th the day before, kept churning out the PRs. Neugebauer hurdled 14.94, but Kaul came 25 points closer with his 14.73. Neugebauer dominated the discus with a massive 178-2 (54.31), adding 114 to his margin. They both vaulted 16-¾ (4.90). In the javelin, Kaul led the way with a massive 241-3 (73.54) to Neugebauer’s 197-2 (60.10). That shaved a big 204 points from the margin.
At the 1500 start, Neugebauer had a lead of 154 points, but Kaul is a much better runner. Kaul went hard and tried to get as far ahead as he could. He eventually ran 4:20.70. Neugebauer struggled on his last lap and collapsed on the line in 4:38.36. By 38 points, he got the gold with 8611 to Kaul’s 8573, as Norway’s Sander Skotheim won bronze at 8433.
A stoic Neugebauer said, “Today was a solid competition overall. There were some good events, some tougher.”
IN QUALIFYING ACTION, Keely Hodgkinson led the semis of the 800 with her 1:57.38; closely following her in the same section was Femke Broeders-Bol in 1:57.46 and Eloisa Coiro in 1:57.74. Audrey Werro got clipped and fell, finishing in 2:35.35. Officials advanced her to the final.
The women’s 400 semis were hot, with 5 breaking 50. Lieke Klaver won the first in 49.71. Natalia Bukowiecka took the second in 49.57, ahead of Lurdes Gloria Manuel (49.81) and Amber Anning (49.96). The third went to Norway’s Henriette Jæger in 49.80.
Julian Weber was solid in javelin qualifying at 275-8 (84.02); his teammate, ’16 Olympic champion Thomas Röhler, failed to advance at 258-1 (78.67).
EURO CHAMPS DAY 4 MEDALISTS
Men’s Events
800: 1. Mark English (Ire) 1:45.26; 2. Marino Bloudek (Cro) 1:45.62; 3. Mohamed Attaoui (Spa) 1:45.71.
DT: 1. Kristjan Čeh (Slo) 237-10 (72.51) (232-4, 230-1, 237-10, 226-1, 227-4, 231-11) (70.83, 70.13, 72.51, 68.92, 69.29, 70.68) (non-Ramona: 5, 5 W); 2. Mykolas Alekna (Lit) 229-3 (69.89); 3. Henrik Janssen (Ger) 228-1 (69.53).
Dec: 1. Leo Neugebauer (Ger) 8611 (10.90, 25-8/7.82, 56-2½/17.13, 6-6¼/1.99, 48.81, 14.94, 178-2/54.31, 16-¾/4.90, 197-2/60.10, 4:38.36); 2. Niklas Kaul (Ger) 8573 (11.23, 23-8¼/7.22, 50-¾/15.26, 6-7½/2.02, 47.99, 14.73, 160-4/48.88, 16-¾/4.90, 241-3/73.54, 4:20.70); 3. Sander Aae Skotheim (Nor) 8433.
Women’s Events
200(0.7): 1. Amy Hunt (GB) 22.19; 2. Rhasidat Adeleke (Ire) 22.28 NR; 3. Dina Asher-Smith (GB) 22.29.
St: 1. Gesa-Felicitas Krause (Ger) 9:12.69; 2. Alice Finot (Fra) 9:14.24; 3. Olivia Gürth (Ger) 9:15.33.
PV: 1. Angelica Moser (Swi) 15-9 (4.80); 2. Wilma Heltelä (Fin) 15-7 (4.75); 3. Marie-Julie Bonnin (Fra) 15-5 (4.70).
TJ: 1. Dariya Derkach (Ita) 47-10¾ (14.60) PR; 2. Saliyya Guisse (Bel) 47-5¼w (14.46) (45-8/13.92); 3. Aleksandra Nacheva (Bul) 47-3w (14.40).
