European Athletics Championships
1934-2026

Stade Olympique de Colombes – Paris, France – September 3-5, 1938
272 athletes – 23 countries –MEN’s events
Top of medal table: GERMANY

Praterstadion, – Wien, Austria, September 17-18, 1938
80 athletes – 14 countries – WOMEN’s Events
Top of medal table: GERMANY

he 2nd European Athletics Championships were held in Paris and Vienna and remain the only edition in championship history staged in two different cities. Paris hosted the men’s events, while Vienna welcomed the women’s programme, marking the first time women officially competed at the European Championships.

The championships featured several of Europe’s leading athletes of the era. Dutch sprinter Tinus Osendarp completed an impressive 100m–200m double, while Great Britain’s Sydney Wooderson won the 1500m and Germany’s Rudolf Harbig captured the 800m title. Finland continued its tradition of excellence in distance running through victories by Taisto Mäki in the 5000m, Ilmari Salminen in the 10,000m and Matti Järvinen in the javelin.

In the women’s events, Poland’s Stanisława Walasiewicz dominated the sprints with victories in both the 100m and 200m. Italy’s Claudia Testoni equalled the world record in winning the 80m hurdles, while Germany enjoyed remarkable success across the women’s field events, led by Gisela Mauermayer in the discus and Lisa Gelius in the javelin.

Germany finished comfortably atop the medal table and emerged as the dominant nation of the championships. The 1938 edition proved to be the final European Championships before the outbreak of the Second World War, with the competition not returning until Oslo in 1946.

Stockholm Olympic Stadium – Stockholm, Sweden – August 19 – 24, 1958
626 athletes – 26 countries
Top of medal table: SOVIET UNION

The 6th European Athletics Championships were held in Stockholm, Sweden, in August 1958 and marked the return of the championships to Scandinavia for the first time since Oslo 1946. The competition reflected the growing international standard of European athletics during the late 1950s and attracted many of the continent’s leading athletes.

The Soviet Union dominated the championships, finishing comfortably atop the medal table, while athletes from Poland, Great Britain and West Germany also produced a series of outstanding performances. Among the standout performers was Poland’s Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak, who completed the rare 5,000m and 10,000m double, confirming his status as one of Europe’s leading distance runners. Poland won more gold medals with Jerzy Chromik (3000m steeplechase). Josef Smit (triple jump), Edmund Piatokwski (discus throw), Janusz Sidlo (javelin throw), Tadeussz Rut (hammer throw). Barbara Janiszewska (200m) won the only gold for Poland in the women;s events

Several championship records were established across the programme, highlighting the rapid progression of performances during the decade. Armin Harry set a 100m championships record 10.3, John Wrighton (400m), Brian Hewson (1500m) won gold medals for Great Britain. New Championships records set in almost all women’s events.

The championships also demonstrated the growing strength of Eastern European athletics, with Soviet athletes collecting eleven gold medals and displaying remarkable depth in both the men’s and women’s events. Stockholm 1958 further reinforced the Soviet Union’s position as the dominant force in European athletics while helping set the stage for the highly competitive championships of the 1960s.

Stadion JNA – Belgrade, Yugoslavia – September 12 – 16, 1962
670 athletes – 29 countries
Top of medal table: SOVIET UNION

The 7th European Athletics Championships in Belgrade marked a turning point in the history of the event, combining outstanding performances with important technical innovations, including the first widespread use of fiberglass poles in pole vaulting. The Championships attracted many of Europe’s leading athletes and produced a remarkable series of championship records across both track and field.

Sweden’s Owe Jonsson emerged as one of the stars of the Championships,by winning the 200m in a European record of 20.7 seconds, while France’s Michel Jazy captured the 1,500m and continued to establish himself among Europe’s finest middle-distance runners. Soviet distance runner Pyotr Bolotnikov won the 10,000m in championship-record time, and high jumper Valeriy Brumel added another major title to an already exceptional career. In the women’s events, Poland’s Teresa Ciepły completed a memorable sprint-hurdles double, while Tamara Press dominated the throwing events with victories in both the shot put and discus. Other notable champions included Dana Zátopková in the javelin and Galina Bystrova in the pentathlon.

Karaiskakis Stadium – Piraeus, Greece – September 16–21, 1970
674 athletes – 30 countries
Top of medal table: EAST GERMANY

The 1969 European Athletics Championships in Piraeus were the first European Championships held in Greece and introduced several new events for women, including the 1500 metres and the 4 × 400 metres relay.

Soviet sprinter Valeriy Borzov announced himself as one of Europe’s emerging sprint stars by winning the 100 metres, while in the middle and long distances, Britain enjoyed success through John Whetton in the 1500 metres and Ian Stewart in the 5000 metres. Soviet long jumper Igor Ter-Ovanesyan retained his continental supremacy, Latvian javelin thrower Jānis Lūsis produced another dominant victory, and hammer throw world-record holder Anatoliy Bondarchuk added the European title to his growing list of achievements.

Among the women, East Germany’s Petra Vogt completed a sprint double in the 100 and 200 metres, while Britain’s Lillian Board won the 800m in championship-record time. Czechoslovakia’s Jaroslava Jehličková captured the inaugural women’s 1500m title, and France’s Nicole Duclos set a world record in the 400m. In the field events, Soviet thrower Nadezhda Chizhova produced a world-record performance in the shot put, while Tamara Danilova won the discus and Hungary’s Angela Németh took the javelin title with a championship record

Olympiastadium – Helsinki, Finland – August 10 – 15, 1971
857 athletes – 29 countries
Top of medal table: EAST GERMANY

The championships were highlighted by the dominance of Soviet sprinter Valeriy Borzov, who successfully completed the sprint double by winning both the 100 and 200 metres in championship-record times. Finland celebrated one of its most popular victories through Juha Väätäinen, who electrified the home crowd by winning both the 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres.

Latvian javelin legend Jānis Lūsis continued his reign with another European title, while East German vaulter Wolfgang Nordwig won the pole vault after becoming the first man in history to clear 5.50m earlier that season. Soviet long-jump great Igor Ter-Ovanesyan was still among Europe’s elite, although East Germany’s Max Klauss took the title. Soviet hammer thrower Anatoliy Bondarchuk, Olympic champion and world-record holder, added another European medal, while discus thrower Ludvík Daněk of Czechoslovakia and shot putter Hartmut Briesenick of East Germany captured major titles.

The women’s competition showcased the rise of East German athletics. Renate Stecher won both the 100m and 200m and was beginning the dominance that would culminate at the Munich Olympics one year later. Yugoslavia’s Vera Nikolić captured the 800m, while East Germany’s Karin Burneleit won the 1500m in world-record time. Soviet shot-put star Nadezhda Chizhova won with over 20 metres, Soviet discus thrower Faina Melnik produced a world-record performance, and Poland’s Daniela Jaworska claimed the javelin title. West Germany’s Heide Rosendahl, one of the great all-around athletes of the era, added another major international success in the pentathlon.

Stadio Olympico – Rome, Italy – September 2-8, 1974
745 athletes – 29 countries
Top of medal table: EAST GERMANY

The 1974 European Athletics Championships in Rome marked one of the strongest editions of the competition, bringing together Olympic champions, world record holders and a new generation of athletes who would dominate the second half of the 1970s. Soviet sprint legend Valeriy Borzov remained the headline name, winning the 100m and confirming his status as Europe’s premier sprinter. Italy’s Pietro Mennea thrilled the home crowd by capturing the 200m title and establishing himself as one of the greatest European sprinters of all time. In the middle distances, Yugoslavia’s Luciano Sušanj produced a championship record in the 800m, while Britain’s Brendan Foster dominated the 5000m and emerged as one of Europe’s leading distance runners.

he women’s events produced some of the most memorable moments of the championships. Polish superstar Irena Szewińska won both the 100m and 200m, reaffirming her place among the greatest female sprinters in athletics history. East Germany continued to dominate women’s athletics through athletes such as Renate Stecher, Gunhild Hoffmeister, Annelie Ehrhardt, and Rosemarie Witschas, while Bulgaria’s Liliyana Tomova emerged among Europe’s leading middle-distance runners. The Soviet Union’s Nadezhda Chizhova and Faina Melnik maintained their dominance in the throws, while East German javelin thrower Ruth Fuchs set a championship and world record on her way to gold.

Stadion Evzena Rosicheho – Prague, Czechoslovakia – August 29 – September 3, 1979
1004 athletes – 29 countries
Top of medal table: SOVIET UNION

TThe championships marked a period of exceptional depth in European athletics, with several championship records, world records and world-class performances. Among the standout athletes was Italy’s Pietro Mennea, who completed an impressive sprint double in the 100m and 200m before his home crowd. Great Britain’s Steve Ovett won the 1500m, while East Germany’s Olaf Beyer produced one of the surprises of the championships by winning the 800m ahead of both Ovett and the emerging Sebastian Coe.

In the field events, Vladimir Yashchenko confirmed his status as one of the world’s finest high jumpers, while Italy’s Sara Simeoni delighted the home spectators by clearing a world-record 2.01m in the women’s high jump. Marita Koch also produced one of the championships’ defining performances, setting a world record in the women’s 400m and further establishing herself as one of the leading athletes of her generation.

The Soviet Union and East Germany were once again the dominant forces of the championships, reflecting their remarkable strength across nearly all disciplines. At the same time, the emergence of athletes such as Ovett, Coe, Mennea, Koch and Simeoni helped define one of the strongest generations in European athletics history and foreshadowed many of the great rivalries that would shape the sport in the years ahead

Olympiako Stadio – Athens, Greece – September 6-12, 1982
756 athletes – 29 countries
Top of medal table: EAST GERMANY

The championships returned to Greece and served as one of the final major international competitions before the inaugural World Championships in Helsinki the following year.

Several outstanding performances highlighted the championships. Daley Thompson won the decathlon with a championship record, while Steve Cram claimed the men’s 1500m title and Thomas Munkelt retained his dominance in the hurdles. In the field events, Udo Beyer won the shot put, Uwe Hohn captured the javelin title, and Keith Connor took gold in the triple jump. On the women’s side, Marita Koch produced one of the championships’ finest performances with a world-record 48.16 in the 400m, while Marlies Göhr completed the sprint double and Ulrike Meyfarth won the high jump with a championship record of 2.02m.

One of the most memorable moments of the championships came in the women’s javelin, where Greece’s Anna Verouli thrilled a crowd of nearly 60,000 spectators at the Olympic Stadium by winning gold with 72.04m. Her victory earned Greece its first ever gold medal at the European Athletics Championships and remains one of the most celebrated achievements in the history of Greek athletics.

East Germany dominated the championships, collecting the largest share of medals and championship titles. The performances in Athens confirmed the strength of East German and Soviet athletics during the early 1980s, while athletes such as Thompson, Cram, Meyfarth and Verouli became some of the defining figures of the championships.

National Stadion Poljud – Split, Yugoslavia – August 26 – September 2, 1990
952 athletes – 33 countries
Top of medal table: EAST GERMANY

The 15th European Athletics Championships took place in Split, Yugoslavia, from 26 August to 2 September 1990. The championships were held during a period of major political change in Europe and marked the final European Championships featuring East Germany, the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia before their subsequent transformations. On the track, Great Britain enjoyed a particularly successful championship through Linford Christie, John Regis, Roger Black, Tom McKean, Colin Jackson and Kriss Akabusi, confirming its status as one of Europe’s dominant athletics nations.

Several athletes completed memorable distance doubles. Italy’s Salvatore Antibo won both the 5,000m and 10,000m, while Rosa Mota added another major marathon title. In the field events, Soviet athletes remained a powerful force with victories from Radion Gataullin, Leonid Voloshin and Igor Astapkovich, while Steve Backley won the javelin and Christian Plaziat captured the decathlon. Host nation Yugoslavia celebrated Dragutin Topić’s high jump victory before a home crowd.

Among the women, Katrin Krabbe emerged as the star of the championships by winning both the 100m and 200m. Heike Drechsler dominated the long jump, Heike Henkel won the high jump, and East Germany’s women continued their tradition of excellence through athletes such as Grit Breuer, Sigrun Wodars, Astrid Kumbernuss and Ilke Wyludda. The championships effectively closed an era, being the last major European athletics event before the political map of Europe changed dramatically in the early 1990s.

Olympiastadion – Helsinki, Finaland – August 7 – 14, 1994
1113 athletes – 44 countries
Top of medal table: RUSSIA

The 16th European Athletics Championships reflected the new athletics landscape that emerged after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia, with many newly independent nations competing under their own flags for the first time.

Several outstanding performances highlighted the championships. Norway celebrated victories through Geir Moen and Steinar Hoen, while Spain’s Fermín Cacho, Abel Antón and Martín Fiz confirmed the country’s growing strength in distance running. In the field events, Radion Gataullin won the pole vault with a championship record of 6.00m, Steve Backley continued his success in the javelin, and Alain Blondel captured the decathlon title.

Among the women, Irina Privalova completed the sprint double in the 100m and 200m, while Marie-José Pérec won the 400 m and Sonia O’Sullivan claimed a memorable victory in the 3,000m. Heike Drechsler added another European long jump title, and Slovenia celebrated a historic gold medal through Britta Bilač in the high jump. Helsinki 1994 marked the beginning of a new era for European athletics, as emerging nations and new stars reshaped the championships following the political changes of the early 1990s.

Nepstadion – Budapest, Hungary – August 18-23, 1998
1259 athletes – 44 countries
Top of medal table: GREAT BRITAIN & NI

The championships reflected the increasingly competitive and diverse landscape of European athletics at the end of the 1990s. On the track, Great Britain enjoyed another successful championship through Darren Campbell, Douglas Walker, Colin Jackson and Steve Backley, while Spain remained a dominant force in the distance events thanks to Reyes Estévez, Isaac Viciosa and marathon champion Martín Fiz. Portugal celebrated major victories through António Pinto and Manuela Machado, while Germany’s Nils Schumann and Damian Kallabis claimed important middle- and long-distance titles.

In the field events, Estonia’s Erki Nool won the decathlon before later becoming Olympic champion, while Poland’s Artur Partyka secured the high jump title. Ukraine enjoyed notable success through Oleksandr Bahach and Vita Pavlysh, and Hungary delighted the home crowd with Tibor Gécsek’s victory in the hammer throw. Greece celebrated one of its finest performances in championship history, with Olga Vasdeki winning the women’s triple jump and Haralabos Papadias earning bronze in the men’s 100m.

Irina Privalova completed the sprint double in the 100m and 200m, while Marie-José Pérec captured the 400 m title. Sonia O’Sullivan added victories in both the 5,000m and 10,000m, confirming her status as one of Europe’s leading distance runners. In the field events, Heike Drechsler continued her dominance in the long jump, and Denise Lewis won the heptathlon.

Olympiastadion – Munich, Germany – August 6-11, 2002
1244 athletes – 48 countries
Top of medal table: RUSSIA

The 18th European Athletics Championships took place in Munich, Germany, from 6 to 11 August 2002. Held in the historic Olympic Stadium, the championships returned to the city that had hosted the 1972 Olympic Games. On the track, Portugal’s Francis Obikwelu won the men’s 100m, while Greece celebrated the wins of Konstantinos Kenteris and Ekaterini Thanou, who captured the men’s and women’s 200m and 100m titles respectively. Colin Jackson added another European crown in the 110m hurdles, and Wilson Kipketer claimed the 800m title. Spain continued its dominance in the endurance events through Alberto García, José Manuel Martínez, Antonio David Jiménez and Paquillo Fernández, confirming the country’s remarkable depth in distance running and race walking.

Roman Šebrle won the decathlon, Steve Backley secured another javelin title, and Aleksandr Averbukh became European champion in the pole vault. Hungary celebrated victories through Róbert Fazekas and Adrián Annus, while Sweden enjoyed success through Christian Olsson and Carolina Klüft. Greece enjoyed a particularly successful championship in the field events, with Mirela Manjani winning the javelin and Ekaterini Voggoli taking gold in the discus, while Alexandros Papadimitriou earned bronze in the hammer throw. Olesya Zykina, Jolanda Čeplak and Süreyya Ayhan claimed middle-distance victories. Marta Domínguez won the 5,000m, Paula Radcliffe captured the 10,000m title, and Maria Guida triumphed in the marathon.

Ullevi – Gothenburg, Sweden – August 7 – 13, 2006
1288 athletes – 48 countries
Top of medal table: RUSSIA

Returning to a city with a rich athletics tradition, the championships brought together Europe’s leading athletes and featured a combination of established champions and emerging stars.

On the track, Portugal’s Francis Obikwelu emerged as one of the stars of the championships by completing the 100 m and 200 m sprint double. France enjoyed a particularly successful week through Marc Raquil, Mehdi Baala and Yohann Diniz, while Spain continued its strength in distance events with victories from Jesús España and Paquillo Fernández.

One of the most celebrated performances for Greece came from Periklis Iakovakis, who won the men’s 400 m hurdles title and confirmed his position among Europe’s leading hurdlers. The field events produced several high-quality performances. Russia’s Andrey Silnov won the high jump with a championship record 2.36m, while Christian Olsson delighted the home crowd by retaining his triple jump title. Virgilijus Alekna added another discus crown, Andreas Thorkildsen won the javelin, and Roman Šebrle captured the decathlon title. Sweden also celebrated medals through Stefan Holm and other home favourites in front of enthusiastic local support.

Among the women, Belgium’s Kim Gevaert completed the sprint double in the 100 m and 200 m, while Russia dominated much of the middle-distance and relay programme. Tatyana Tomashova won the 1500 m, Olga Kotlyarova claimed the 800m title, and Marta Domínguez triumphed in the 5000 m. Greece added another medal through Fani Halkia, who secured silver in the women’s 400m hurdles.

Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys – Barcelona, Spain – July 27 – August 1, 2010
1323 athletes – 47 countries
Top of medal table: FRANCE

Returning to Spain the championships marked the beginning of a new decade for European athletics and featured a blend of established champions and emerging talents. On the track, France enjoyed one of the most successful championships in its history. Christophe Lemaitre became the first athlete ever to complete the European Championships sprint double of 100m and 200m, while the French team also captured the 4×100m relay title. Great Britain’s Mo Farah emerged as the dominant distance runner of the championships, winning both the 5,000m and 10,000m. France added further gold medals through Yohann Diniz in the 50 km walk and Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad in the 3000m steeplechase, while Poland’s Marcin Lewandowski claimed the 800m crown.

Germany’s Christian Reif won the long jump with a championship record 8.47m, Poland’s Piotr Małachowski set a championship record in the discus throw, and France celebrated more victories in field events, through Renaud Lavillenie in the pole vault and Romain Barras in the decathlon. Andreas Thorkildsen successfully defended his javelin title, while Russia’s Aleksandr Shustov won the high jump.

Among the women, several medal positions were later altered because of doping disqualifications, but the championships still featured numerous outstanding performances. Germany’s Verena Sailer won the 100m title, France’s Myriam Soumaré claimed the 200m crown, and Turkey’s Elvan Abeylegesse completed a memorable distance double in the 5,000m and 10,000m. Spain celebrated a home victory through Nuria Fernández in the 1500m, while Russia remained a major force across the middle-distance, hurdles and relay events.

OLympiastadion – Helsinki, Finland – June 27 – July 1, 2012.
1230 athletes – 50 countries
Top of medal table: GERMANY

This 21st edition of the Championships marked a significant change in the competition’s history, as the championships moved to a two-year cycle instead of being held every four years. Taking place only weeks before the London Olympic Games, the event featured a slightly reduced programme, with the marathon and race walking events omitted. Despite this, the championships provided an important final test for Europe’s leading athletes ahead of the Olympic season.

France emerged as one of the dominant nations, particularly in the men’s events. Christophe Lemaitre successfully defended his European 100m title, while Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad won the 3000 m steeplechase and France collected numerous sprint and middle-distance medals. Great Britain’s Mo Farah added another major title in the 5000m, Norway celebrated the rise of Henrik Ingebrigtsen with victory in the 1500m, and Russia’s Sergey Shubenkov captured the 110m hurdles crown.

The Netherlands impressed in the sprint relays, winning the men’s 4×100m title, while Belgium secured gold in the 4×400m relay. The men’s field events produced several high-quality performances. France’s Renaud Lavillenie won the pole vault with a world-leading 5.97m, Germany collected multiple titles through Sebastian Bayer, David Storl, Robert Harting and Pascal Behrenbruch, while Great Britain’s Robbie Grabarz claimed the high jump title. Vítězslav Veselý of the Czech Republic won the javelin and Krisztián Pars of Hungary triumphed in the hammer throw.

In the women’s competition, Bulgaria’s Ivet Lalova won the 100m title, Ukraine’s Mariya Ryemyen claimed the 200m crown, and Sweden’s Moa Hjelmer captured the 400m. Great Britain’s Lynsey Sharp won the 800m, while Spain’s Nuria Fernández retained the 1500m title after later disqualifications affected the original results. Croatia’s Sandra Perković, Poland’s Anita Włodarczyk and Ukraine’s Olha Saladukha delivered standout victories in the throws and jumps.

Letzgrund – Zurich, Switzerland – August 12-17, 2014
1439 athletes – 50 countries
Top of medal table: GREAT BRITAIN & N.I.

Taking place in the renowned Letzigrund Stadium, the championships represented one of the strongest editions of the modern era, benefiting from the absence of an Olympic Games or World Championships that year. Great Britain enjoyed one of its most successful championships, dominating many track events. Mo Farah completed another distance double by winning both the 5,000m and 10,000m, while James Dasaolu and Adam Gemili secured sprint victories in the 100m and 200m respectively. Martyn Rooney captured the 400m title and the British men also won both relay events. France remained a major force through Christophe Lemaitre, Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad and Yoann Kowal.

The men’s field programme featured several world-class performances. Ukraine achieved a memorable one-two in the high jump through Bohdan Bondarenko and Andriy Protsenko. France’s Renaud Lavillenie won the pole vault, Germany’s David Storl and Robert Harting added titles in the shot put and discus, while Finland’s Antti Ruuskanen claimed the javelin crown. Krisztián Pars won the hammer throw for Hungary and Belarusian decathlete Andrei Krauchanka secured the combined-events title.

Dafne Schippers announced herself as a major international sprint force by winning both the 100 m and 200m titles for the Netherlands. Sifan Hassan won the 1500m, while Great Britain’s Jo Pavey became the oldest European champion in history when she won the 10,000m at the age of forty. In the field events, Spain’s Ruth Beitia captured the high jump title, and Croatia’s Sandra Perković produced one of the standout performances of the championships with a 71.08m discus throw. Poland’s Anita Włodarczyk won the hammer throw with a championship record, while Czech javelin specialist Barbora Špotáková added another major international title to her résumé.

Olympic Stadium – Amsterdam, Netherlands – July 6-10, 2016
1329 athletes – 44 countries
Top of medal table: POLAND

Staged at the historic Olympic Stadium only weeks before the Rio Olympic Games, the championships featured a modified programme with the marathon replaced by a half marathon and race walking omitted. The event was also heavily influenced by the suspension of the Russian Athletics Federation, which prevented Russia from participating as a national team.

The host nation enjoyed one of the most successful championships in its history. Dutch athletics was led by sprint superstar Dafne Schippers, who won the women’s 100m and helped the Netherlands secure relay success. Home crowds also celebrated Anouk Vetter’s heptathlon victory and several other medal-winning performances.

On the men’s track, several nations shared the spotlight. Churandy Martina gave the Netherlands a popular victory in the 100m, while Spain’s Bruno Hortelano won the 200m. Martyn Rooney added another European title in the 400m for Great Britain, and Adam Kszczot continued Poland’s dominance of the 800m. Norway’s Filip Ingebrigtsen captured the 1500m title ahead of his younger brother Henrik.

The women’s competition featured outstanding performances across all disciplines. Dafne Schippers confirmed her status as Europe’s leading female sprinter, while Dina Asher-Smith claimed the 200m title for Great Britain. Angelika Cichocka won the 1500m, Yasemin Can completed the 5,000m–10,000m distance double, and Denmark’s Sara Slott Petersen triumphed in the 400m hurdles. Germany’s Cindy Roleder won the 100m hurdles, while the British women’s 4x400m relay team produced one of the strongest relay performances of the championships.

Greece’s Katerina Stefanidi won the pole vault with a championship record of 4.81m, beginning a period of European dominance that would culminate in Olympic gold in Rio. Croatia’s Sandra Perković remained unbeatable in the discus, Poland’s Anita Włodarczyk dominated the hammer throw, and Serbia’s Ivana Španović won the long jump. Spain’s Ruth Beitia claimed another high jump title shortly before becoming Olympic champion.

Olympiastadion – Berlin, Germany, August 7-12, 2018
1439 athletes – 48 countries
Top of medal table: GREAT BRITAIN & N.I.

For the second consecutive championships, Russia remained suspended from international competition, although selected Russian athletes competed as Authorised Neutral Athletes (ANA). This unique arrangement influenced several events, particularly in the field disciplines.

The men’s competition showcased the emergence of a new era. Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen produced one of the defining moments of the championships by completing a remarkable 1500m–5000m double at only 17 years of age. Zharnel Hughes won the 100m in a championship record 9.95, while Turkey’s Ramil Guliyev added the 200m title after his world championship success the previous year. Matthew Hudson-Smith claimed gold in the 400m, and Great Britain secured the men’s 4×100m relay crown. Belgium’s Borlée brothers led their nation to victory in the 4×400m relay.

The men’s field events featured several future stars. Sweden’s Armand Duplantis cleared 6.05m to win the pole vault and set both a world junior and world under-23 record, while Greece’s Miltiadis Tentoglou captured his first European outdoor title in the long jump, beginning a championship reign that would continue for years.

The women’s competition was equally memorable. Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith became the star of the championships, winning both the 100m and 200m. Poland’s Justyna Święty-Ersetic won the 400m, while Ukraine’s Nataliya Pryshchepa successfully defended her 800m title.

Among the field-event winners, Mariya Lasitskene became the first Authorised Neutral Athlete to win a European title, taking gold in the high jump. Greece’s Katerina Stefanidi successfully defended her pole vault crown, Serbia’s Ivana Španović added another long jump title, Croatia’s Sandra Perković dominated the discus, and Anita Włodarczyk continued her hammer throw supremacy for Poland.

Olympiastadion – Munich, Germany – August 15-21, 2022
1495 athletes – 48 countries
Top of medal table: GREAT BRITAIN & N.I.

The 25th European Athletics Championships were held in Munich, Germany, exactly fifty years after the city hosted the athletics events of the 1972 Olympic Games. As part of the multi-sport European Championships, the event marked a symbolic return to the historic Olympiastadion.

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen continued his dominance of European distance running by completing the 1500m–5000m double, while Italy’s Marcell Jacobs retained his European 100m title. Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes won the 200m and Matthew Hudson-Smith captured the 400m crown. Spain’s Mariano García produced one of the surprises of the championships in the 800m, while Karsten Warholm reclaimed the 400m hurdles title in championship-record fashion.

The men’s field events featured several outstanding performances. Sweden’s Armand Duplantis cleared 6.06m to win the pole vault, while Greece’s Miltiadis Tentoglou produced one of the performances of the championships, winning the long jump with a championship-record 8.52m. Portugal’s Pedro Pichardo dominated the triple jump and Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi added the European high jump title to his Olympic crown.

Among the throwers, Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna emerged as a major force in the discus, Germany’s Julian Weber delighted the home crowd by winning the javelin, and Poland’s Wojciech Nowicki took the hammer title. Germany also celebrated victory in the decathlon through Niklas Kaul.

In the women’s competition, Femke Bol became one of the stars of the championships by winning both the 400m and 400m hurdles, while Germany’s Gina Lückenkemper thrilled the home crowd with victory in the 100m. Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson and Laura Muir claimed the 800m and 1500m titles respectively, and Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji won the 200m. In the field events, Yaroslava Mahuchikh won the high jump, Finland’s Wilma Murto captured pole vault gold with a championship record 4.85m, Serbia’s Ivana Vuleta regained the long jump title, and Greece’s Elina Tzengo announced herself among Europe’s leading throwers with victory in the javelin.

Stadio Olimpico – Rome, Italy – June 7-12, 2024
1559 athletes – 48 countries
Top of medal table: ITALY

Fifty years after Rome last hosted the championships in 1974, European athletics returned to one of its most iconic venues for one of the strongest editions in championship history. Backed by enthusiastic home support, Italy produced one of the finest performances in its history and finished first in the medal table, while Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen once again completed the 1500m–5000m double.

Among the highlights on the track were successful title defences by Italy’s Marcell Jacobs in the 100m and Norway’s Karsten Warholm in the 400m hurdles, while Switzerland’s Timothé Mumenthaler claimed a breakthrough victory in the 200m. Belgium’s Alexander Doom won the 400m in a championship record 44.15, and Italy’s Lorenzo Simonelli delighted the home crowd with gold in the 110m hurdles.

The men’s field events produced several outstanding performances. Sweden’s Armand Duplantis improved the championship record to 6.10m in the pole vault, while Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis earned silver with a personal best 5.87m. Miltiadis Tentoglou retained his long jump title with a championship record of 8.65m, Gianmarco Tamberi won the high jump with a championship-record 2.37m, and Spain’s Jordan Díaz set a championship record of 18.18m in the triple jump.

The women’s competition featured another dominant display by Femke Bol in the 400m hurdles, while Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson secured her first European outdoor title in the 800m. Italy’s Nadia Battocletti emerged as one of the stars of the championships by completing the 5000m–10,000m double in front of her home crowd. In the field events, Yaroslava Mahuchikh successfully defended her high jump title, Angelica Moser won the pole vault, Greece’s Katerina Stefanidi claimed silver, and Germany’s Malaika Mihambo produced a world-leading 7.22m to win the long jump.