The 2016 European Championships are being held in Amsterdam, starting on July 6, and with the best turnout and largest teams in many years, the meet should be a great part of the build up to Rio. Next to the US Olympic Trials, I love to go to the European Champs: great competition and wonderful crowds. We will provide daily updates from Amsterdam with our team of writers and with the help from Alfonz Juck and his team at EME NEWS.
Renaud Lavillenie, photo by PhotoRun.net
EME NEWS (JUL 5, 2016) AMSTERDAM SPECIAL
Schippers the top star, Lavillenie, Wlodarczyk, Perkovic also
AMSTERDAM (NED): The 23rd edition of European Championships will be special for many reasons. It has record participation, it has more stars competing than the first “olympic” edition in Helsinki 2012, it has special flair of Amsterdam (Athletics like never before) with some throws qualifications in a special place. Another debut is the half marathon race. It has good chances to be nearly sold out. It will be also without Russia and for first time with an indepedent competitor. In new era of our sport on the bibs the message of cooperation and awareness of fight against doping. Stars of the 5 days of competition are Vicaut, Lavillenie, Rutherford on the men side and Schippers, Perkovic and Wlodarczyk among women. Duels of the event men 800 m and javelin, women 400 m and high jump. Obviously there is a group of Rio favorites who are not competing from different reasons (Lemaitre, Farah, Bondarenko, Majewski, Hejnova, Licwinko,
AMSTERDAM (NED): On a cool Amsterdam evening, and in the presence of the Monarch, the 23rd European Athletics Championships were officially opened tonight. His Royal Highness King Willem-Alexander took his place alongside Svein Arne Hansen, the President of European Athletics, and Dutch athletes past and present at the Museumplein for a glorious occasion. The flags of all 50 nations competing here were carried in, with the last being that of the hosts, brought by youngsters and championship mascot Adam on the final part of its journey and handed on to Dutch heptathlete Nadine Broersen. With cameras at the ready from the big crowd watching – which included among the dignitaries the IAAF President Sebastian Coe – it was time to launch the party. Writes European Athletics.
AMSTERDAM (NED): Standards in qualifications men 225 565 800 16.65 20.30 64.00 75.00 and 81.50. Women 192 455 660 14.00 17.30 58.00 70.00 60.00.
Comparing with Zurich 2014 down are the standards in high jumps, long jump and triple jump women. The same standard in men´s long jump, pole vault and triple jump. In throws interestingly higher standards in men shot put, women discus, women hammer and both javelins this year. Down women shot put and the same men hammer.
Event by event short previews
MEN
100 m: Vicaut to attack the meet record. In second row Harvey, Martina and Reus.
200 m: Martina is the hero of the stadium, but Mitchell-Blake with debut on senior International stage and sub 20 from USA.
400 m: Galvan, Sanford, Janezic similarly fast, Maslak the indoor king wants to repeat Helsinki 2012.
800 m: Hot duel Bosse vs Poland, but also World medalist Tuka and in-shape Rimmer.
1500 m: Tesfaye and Holusa on paper, but in slow race chance for Lewandowski, Ingebrigtsen and French duo.
5000 m: Ibrahimov or Kaya? That is the question. Are we underestimating fast Spanish squad (Fifa, Mechaal)?
10 000 m: Arikan or Kaya? That is the question. Dark horse Aras Kaya.
HM: Kigen Ozbilen is the clear favorite, but also Evans Kiplagat who runs for Azerbaijan. Swiss Abraham to be mentioned.
SC: French affair, Mekhissi full of motivation after what happened at Letzigrund.
110mH: Another French affair, mainly Bascou, but Pozzi with Germans also ready.
400mH: It looks on paper like Hussein vs Copello. Is Green ready to spoil their plans?
HJ: Jimbo show. Tamberi for gold. But very open for other medals.
PV: AirLavillenie likes this event. Germany, Poland and possibly Kudlicka with Filippidis for other medals.
LJ: Rutherford is one of the big stars here, who can win the other medals? Tricky one.
TJ: Hess is the man of future. Compaore is the defender, Correa has top mark, veterans Oprea and Evora.
SP: Storl vs Poland, can a junior win senior gold ?
DT: Malachowski ready for this one, Milanov also in shape and Christoph Harting with added family motivation.
HT: Fajdek and the rest. Are you ready to name the other medalists? EME NEWS not.
JT: The technical battle of the event. Rohler and colleagues against Finnish tradition and Jan Zelezny group. Meet record?
Dec: Fans would vote for Sintnicolaas, but Kasyanov is also in shape, Barras wants to be there too and what is the condition of Pahapill and Van Alphen?
4×100 m: France vs Britain and Germany. Dark horse Turkey, home motivated Netherlands.
4×400 m: Britain looks clear, but Belgium with Borlees and also Poland with top depth for the podium.
WOMEN
100 m: Schippers solo, will the wind play with for a fast time? Something special for the home crowd.
200 m: Asher-Smith is fastest on the paper, Luckenkemper to surprise her.
400 m: Guei has the top time, Grenot and Zemlyak are previous Euro Champs and Brits need fast time for Rio (Ohuruogu and Onuora).
800 m: Lamote looks to be in pole position, Chichocka in shape and Lupu some top indoor experience. But Meadows, Buchel, Jozwik also medalists. Stepanova special competitor here.
1500 m: Home star Hassan and what is her shape. Chichocka from behind.
5000 m: Bahta the title defender. Growdal, Twell, Can to be mentioned.
10 000 m: Dutch hope Vastenburg, Portugal force, Grovdal and Can doubling. Pavey top experience. Very open.
HM: Briton Steel but Italian duo Incerti/Straneo with top marathon experience. New Dutch chance Cherono.
Steeple: Krause is the World medalist, Gega dark horse, Fougberg also wants to be on the podium and Akda is also ready.
100H: Porter is the defender, Talay Indoor champ, Roleder World medal, but emotional comeback for Kallur.
400H: This is very open after some top withdrawals. Sprunger leads the list, Linkiewicz won some good races. Titimets, Petersen also there.
HJ: Beitia is always a safe bet. But there is a big group who can attack her (Simic, Trost, Jungfleisch, Okuneva, Palsyte) and Thiam who is not doing multievent.
PV: Greek affair Stefanidi and Kyriakopoulou against Swiss rec holder Buchler.
LJ: All eyes on Spanovic and fight for other medals. Mainly from British and German side.
TJ: Can Papahristou bear the pressure of list leader? Saladuha has lot of experience.
SP: Schwanitz with controlled 19+ expected on top.
DT: Perkovic and her solo. Fischer leads the rest.
HT: Also here Wlodarczyk in clear position. Heidler can manage for silver and bronze wide open.
JT: Spotakova wants to defend but strong German group will attack her with Palameika who was good on the circuit.
Hep: Broersen for home fans, Djimou already won this, Kasyanova is World champ.
4×100 m: Britain hopes for top but Germany always with good exchanges, can the others with Schippers help home team to be on the podium? Poland with Swoboda and Ukraine with top depth also there.
4×400 m: Only France can chase Britain. Bronze for Poland or Ukraine?
