Mo Farah, photo by PhotoRun.net

The 2012 European Championships will be held in Helsinki, Finland this weekend. Nearly 1400 athletes will be competing. Mo Farah will be running the 5,000 meters, as part of his training for the 2012 London Olympics.

We heard that Shara Proctor, who just set the UK record of 6.95m for the long jump, was pulled out of the Europeans by Uk Athletics as a precautionary measure. She had a hamstring cramp, and should be ready for her upcoming Olympic adventures.

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EUROPE
ASSEMBLED IN A MIXTURE OF WORLD CHAMPIONS AND NEW EMERGING NAMES

HELSINKI
(FIN): The 21st European Championships in Helsinki will be the first held in
two years rhythm. With 42 events (21 each for men and women) in five days
without walking and marathon. From the last edition in Barcelona 6 men
(Lemaitre, Farah, Mekhissi, Lavillenie, Charfreitag, Thorkildsen) and 9 women
(Sailer, Soumare, N. Fernandez, Yanit, Radevica, Saladukha, Perkovic, Heidler,
Stahl) will try to defend their titles. From current European list leaders 2012
10 men and 8 women will compete. Special duels will be Mohr vs. Lavillenie in
pole vault, Perkovic with Muller in discus and Heidler with Wlodarczyk in
hammer. But most probably biggest interest in men javelin where nearly
everybody is competing (except of injured World Champ De Zordo). In running events
Lemaitre, Farah, Mekhissi-Benabbad are the top names. New generation will be
represented by newcomers like Maslak, Shubenkov, Greco, Vicaut, Grabarz or
Talay with Maracheva, Proctor and Davydova. Good chances to break championships
records in menÂ´s 100 m, discus and high jump and women hammer. In 2010 Russia was the best country in medals
and points ahead of France and Great Britain. In total 8 meet records. 3 world
leads and 12 European leads were set. Best agent on gold medals was Russian
Pavel Voronkov. Only succesfull title defenders were Thorkildsen and French
walker Diniz and in approximate summary 220 000 spectators followed the event.
This time special veterans will be Merlene Ottey, Christine Arron and Dragutin
Topic.

EVENT BY EVENT PREVIEW

MEN

100 m:
Lemaitre for title as in Barcelona, behind him young team-mate Vicaut, Ndure in
his first track race in Europe could be also a factor. Meet record 9.99
could go.

200 m:
Martina vs. Ndure with Jonathan Borlee waiting behind.

400 m:
Maslak against Brits (Buck and Lennon-Ford), not to forget new generation
Fonsat, Wiaderek, Deak Nagy.

800 m:
Very open here Brits, Spanish runners, Lathouwers, Bube, Holusa and on the
other end the most experienced Borzakovskiy.

1500 m:
Spanish trio for medals as in Barcelona, but now we have also Turkish Ozbilen.

5000 m:
Farah should be unbeatable.

10 000
m: European Cup winner Polat Kemboi with Italian Meucci and Spanish Lamdassem.

Steeple:
World medalist Mekhissi-Benabbad looks like a clear choice. The rest will
fight for other medals.

110 mH:
New generation Shubenkov, Darien, Abate against more experienced hurdlers like
Doucoure and Noga.

400mH:
New guard (anybody from Brits, Melnykov etc) and former top medalists Plawgo
and Iakovakis.

HJ:
Ioannou with world medal and Baba with olympic medal are having the big
experience. Special to see Euro Winner 1990 Topic. But Grabarz is second best
in the world this year.

PV: One
of the top fights of the Championships: Lavillenie vs. Mohr. Both in top shape.

LJ:
Double European indoor champion Bayer vs big list of new names.

TJ:
El-Sheryf has the potential, but Italians long jumps this year (Greco, Donati).

SP:
World Champ Storl should add another gold into his collection.

DT:
Robert Harting is unbeaten since August 8, 2010, the streak should continue
also here. And on top he can improve the meet record 68.87.

HT: Pars
looks best on the paper, title defender Charfreitag is not in expected shape.

JT:
Vesely is the world leader, Thorkildsen title defender, Pyatnytsa unbeaten 2012
(but competed only home) and Finland always has something to say. And what
about Vasilevskis and Avan. Very deep field.

Dec:
Behrenbruch to continue in German tradition, Kasyanov is ready and Sebrle wants
to attack the olympic A-standard 8200.

4×100 m:
France with Lemaitre, strong exchanges by Italians and Germans. What about
Brits (with Chambers)?

4×400 m:
Britain looks best, Poland with big tradition, but Belgium with Borlee twins
will also be a factor.

WOMEN

100 m:
Title defender Sailer against Povkh and Okparaebo. Interesting to see veterans
Arron and Nesterenko, Lalova will attack from behind.

200 m:
Also here we have title defender Soumare, strong Ukrainians and improved
multi-talent Schippers of Netherlands.

400 m:
For gold Grenot vs Zadorina.

800 m:
Russian school represented by Maracheva and U23 Champ Arzhakova, not to forget
Ukrainians, Arzmasava and Klocova. And Meadows with Sharp and Simpson.

1500 m:
Mishchenko for gold? What about top Turkish guns (Cakir, Bulut), Russian second
wave (Gorbunova, Khaleyeva), will depend on how fast will be the final.

5000 m:
Moreira in case will run tactically well should get it. Clitheroe and Twell on
British side.

10 000
m: Another gold for Portugal (Felix), or Irish CC Champ (Britton), Jo Pavey or
German Mockenhaupt.

Steeple:
2009 World champ Dominguez in big return, but Turkish Mingir is in top shape.

100mH:
Belarus world indoor medalist Talay looks to be the bet. Or surprise from
Caravellli, recently improved Zagre and French girls.

400mH:
Russian world leader Davydova against Czechs Hejnova and Rosolova.

HJ:
Friedrich needs olympic qualifier, Gordeyeva prepared specially for Helsinki,
experience on side of Veneva and Beitia and new generation Angelsen with Kholosha.

PV:
Spiegelburg looks clear, Ptacnikova if healthy could mix the cards.

LJ:
Title defender Radevica is jumping, but Proctor with latest national record has
the top shape. French Leuseur jumped well during the season.

TJ:
World champion Saladukha, olympic winner Mbango, Belarus record holder Detsyuk,
strong Greek trio.

SP:
Kleinert against Russians.

DT:
World medalist Muller against title defender Perkovic, one of the top throwing
highlights.

HT:
Another top clash, 2009 World Champion Wlodarczyk against world record holder
Heidler (she is also title defender and unbeaten this year). New meet record
(76.67) is a good possibility.

JT: Here
all set for Obergfoll, also in the field title defender Stahl with Sayers and
Rebryk.

Hep:
Ukraine vs. Russia. Yosypenko, Melnychenko vs. Bolshova, Panteleyeva. Strong
(6200-6300) group waiting behind.

4×100 m:
Ukraine vs. France, Slovenia has super vet Ottey.

4×400 m:
Will be Brit girls (with Ohuruogu) ready to challenge Russians?

Author

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys.

Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

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