by Larry Eder
This is RunBlogRun’s six deep thoughts on day three of the 2022 European Athletics Championships, held on August 17, 2022. The European Champs are being held August 15-21, 2022, in Munich, Germany.
Each day of the European Championships had well-planned final events, build-ups to multi-events, and a well-choreographed series of both field and track events.
Day three was no exception. The Women’s pole vault had huge drama, as did the women’s hammer throw, and the battles for silver and bronze in the men’s Triple Jump were good as well.
Watching Femke Bol attempt a tough double of 400m flat and 400m hurdles was fun to watch build, and the men’s 110m hurdles, with Asier Martinez and Pascal Martinot Lagarde, was fascinating as well.
The men’s 400-meter flat was won by Matthew Hudson-Smith, a well-respected British athlete who has battled injuries and fitness at various times in his career and took three medals in individual events now in three global championships this year.
The crowds, for a third day, were fantastic. Smaller crowds in the non-finals mornings and big crowds in the evening.
Day Three was fantastic, but so were Days one and two!
Six deep thoughts on Day Three, 2022 European Athletics Championships
1. Wilma Murto came alive at 4.80 meters and ended Katerina Stefanidi’s attempt to defend her title from 2018. Murto set a Finnish NR twice and also gave Finland its first gold medal at a Euro Champs from a Finnish woman since 1994! Katerina Stefanidi, who has won Olympic, World, and European gold, adds silver to her medal room, and Tina Sutej, SLO, took bronze in this tough pole vault.
2. The Men’s TJ has become rather mundane. Pedro Pichardo put a 17.50m out there for gold, and Andrea Dallavalle, ITA, took silver, with Jean-Marc Pontivanne took bronze.
3. In the women’s hammer throw, Florentina Bianca Ghelber of Roumania had come so close before, but this time, the Rumanian star took the gold with 72.72m. Poland’s Ewa Rozanska threw a PB for silver in 72.12m, and Sara Fantini, ITA, took bronze with 71.58m.
4. Matthew Hudson-Smith, GBR, took gold in the 400 meters with a strong run over the last 100 meters, with a time of 44.53. Ricky Petrucciani, SUI, took silver in 45.03 and Alex Wilson-Haydock, GBR, in 45.17.
5. Femke Bol, NED, is now halfway done with her double desire in Munich, taking the 400m in 49.44 EL. Natalia Kaczmarke, POL, took the silver in 49.94, and Anna Kielbasinska, POL, 50.29, took the bronze, giving Poland two medals in the women’s 400 meters.
6. Asier Martinez, ESP, is the bronze medalist at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon last month at the 110m hurdles. In Munich, both Martinez and Pascal Martinot-Lagarde, FRA, had the same time of 13.14. Just Kwao-Mathey, FRA, gave France a second medal in the 110m hurdles at 13.33.
