European Indoor Athletics Championships – The perfect place for the rising stars If the smaller nations take this event to grab some extra attention, the main European athletics powers take the Indoor Champs to promote newcomers, to give the taste of top c ompetition to their youngsters and Belgrade 2017 saw all that The mandatory absence of Russia would always pave way for others to shine and get podium spots, being the Eastern European powerhouse the biggest athletics contender in the ‘Old Continent’. Yet, Belgrade 2017 witnessed some confirmations, several surprises, young guns making a name and high profiled athletes putting on top quality performances. There were also disappointments, as always, but the focus should be on the positive sides. The home crowd had a second day disillusion with their shot put thrower Kolasinac, candidate to a medal, missing out on the final, but all was forgotten with the closing individual event, as expected, with home favorite Ivana Spanovic not only winning the long jump but establishing at each jump a new national record and becoming the third all-time athlete in the indoor long jump! 43 countries have already claimed medals in the history of the European Athletics Indoors, some of them extinct in their previous forms, like the USSR, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and of course the two Germanys, East and West. Between 1970 and 1990 the event was yearly and not always respecting the 200 meters running track. In 2002 the European Athletics Federation changed the event to uneven years, coinciding in the year with the Athletics Worlds Outdoors, having a three year hiatus in between and starting the uneven year event in 2005.
Several big European names, headed by Dafne Schipers, opted out of Belgrade 2017, already focusing completely towards the World Championships which will be held early in August in London. The Belgrade 2017 top athlete, if a choice had to be made, was the Scottish Laura Muir, doubling the long distance 1500/3000 m, both with qualification races, and winning the two, adding new Competition Records in both. Laura Muir is a girl in top form at 23 and aiming to defy the African long distance runners in the London Worlds. MEN 60 M Since 1985 Great-Britain and Northern Ireland doesn’t fail to grab at least one gold in the men European Indoor Championships. In the 60 meters Mike McFarlane (85), Linford Christie (88 and 90), Jason Livingston (92) Colin Jackson (94), Jason Gardener (00, 02, 05 and 07), Dwain Chambers (09) and Richard Kilty (15) confirm the domination in the fastest athletics sprint event and Kilty didn’t disappoint, defending his 2015 title with success and the European Lead mark of the year. The Brits only lost the gold four times since the inception of the biannual hiatus for the competition.
Kilty won as expected but the presence of Volko and Hamilton in the final 60 m podium was certainly a surprise. Photo: Marko Djurica SITA/AP
There was however a huge surprise in this 2017 final. The Slovak Jan Volko, second year senior, blasted the National Record to 6’58 seconds and won the first ever silver medal for his country in the European Indoor Championships, only the fourth in Slovakia’s history, succeeding the
Shot Put thrower Konopka, also a surprise European champion in 2007 and one of the Veldakova twins, Dana, twice bronze in the Long Jump (09 and 11). Volko is the youngest ever men competitor in the European Indoors for the country and the 11th all-time finalist. Another big surprise arrived from Sweden. Not only did the Swedes produced an all new three finalists for the country in this event, all of them with roots outside the Nordic nation, Sulayman Bah with Gambian ancestry, Odain Rose and Austin Hamilton both with Jamaican roots. It was the youngest of the three, Austin Hamilton, to top perform, grabbing bronze with his best ever time and surpassing the High Jumper Patrick Sjoberg as the youngest ever male medalist for Sweden in the European Indoors, with 19 years and 148 days, the third only of the country to win a medal in the men 60 meters, after the silver for Garpenborg in 77 and Peter Karlsson’s bronze in 96. 400 M With just 26, Czech Pavel Maslak is chasing history, for the third time in a row he wins the individual 400 meters event and grabs bronze in the relay. Only the Germans Wessinghage and Mogenburg and Soviet sprinter Borzov, all competing during the yearly event, have more medals than this Czech and Maslak is the first ever man to get three medals in the 400 meters at the European Indoors, doing so with three titles! In this century and millennium only in 2009 did the Czechs missed out on having at least one European champion.
Maslak shows off his third European Indoor title. Photo: Associated Press
Like in the 60 meters, the final didn’t produce a surprise winner but the medals were a bit unexpected with the Spaniards, the Irish Gregan, the Slovenian Janezic, the German Koch and
the Czech Tesar starting out as favorites behind Maslak but none getting to the final top three. The Belgian Borlée brothers opted out of the individual competition. Rafal Omelko established his all-time best to maintain Poland as a reference in the 400. He grabbed the silver, going in the footsteps of names like Badenski (silver in 70 and gold in 72), Podobas (bronze in 73), Madry (bronze in 76), Gesicki (bronze in 77), Podlas (silver in 78), Mackowiak (bronze in 98), Plawgo (winner in 02). Truth be told, Omelko won bronze in 2015, however the recent performances from Husillos (under 46’), Lucas Bua (46’23’’) and others put them ahead in the line for the medals. The second semi was somewhat slow and excluded several candidates. In the final the Pole achieved a 46’08’’ to get one step up from 2015. Dutch Liemarvin Bonevacia sprinted towards a National Record with 46’26’’ and a bronze medal for the Netherlands, the first ever for the country – men or women – in the 400 meters! Benjamin Lobo Vedel also deserves a reference, putting is best performance to get the 4th spot for Denmark ahead of Lucas Bua and Samuel García, both from Spain, two candidates for the medals ending almost half a second behind the Dane. In the relays Omelko was part of the Polish champion side, improving from the 2 nd in 2015 and repeating the 2002 success. Belgium, winner in 2015, had Kevin and Dylan Borlée in the relay to get the 2017 silver. Maslak leaded the Czechs to a 3rd consecutive bronze, still unable to repeat Muzik’s 2000 ‘team’ title. 800 M In a normal slow race, Adam Kszczot confirmed his credits and got the European title in the 4 track laps event. After missing out on the 2015 Prague event, the Pole returned to grab his third title, the fourth in a row for Poland (Lewandowski was 2nd in 2011 and won in 2015). Like in the 400 meters, also the 800 show great Polish runners, names like Czapiewski (champion in 02), Kaldowski (bronze in 96), Janus (bronze in 1990) and Kupzyk (bronze in 71) also went to podiums in years before. The Czechoslovak Plachy (once champion, twice third in the 70’s),
The celebration of the medalists in the 800 m. Photo: L’Équipe
Spanish men Antonio Paez (twice champion and once third in the late 70’s and early 80’s) and Colomán Trabado (first, second and third once in the 80’s), Hungarian Paroczai (twice silver and once bronze between 79 and 81) and the Dutch Rob Druppers (once champion and twice silver between 87 and 89) all claim three medals in the 800 meters but Kzczot made history by becoming the first to win it three times. The absence of Bosnian Amel Tuka from the final, the one thought to be able to shadow the Pole, to defy him for the European throne, left Ksczot even more comfortable. Kévin López was the biggest disappointment from the final, finishing last when he was a clear candidate. Here we had another surprise silver, with the Dane Andreas Bube taking full advantage of the very slow final to give Denmark the first medal since 2011, the sixth ever medal for the country. This was also the men first track medal for the Danes, after Joachim Olsen two medals in the Shot Put and Morten Jensen 2011 bronze in the Long Jump. Wilson Kipketer is a good example of athletes disregarding the European Indoors or Denmark would have already collected several medals from someone who stills holds the world indoor record in the 800 meters! With Kévin Lopéz failing, it was Álvaro de Arriba to keep the Spanish tradition in the middlelong run, catching the bronze medal, keeping the habit. Spain won at least one men medal in the 800 meters event in 70, 79, 81, 82, 83, 86, 90, 92, 94, 96, 02, 05, 07, 11, 13 and 17 at the European Indoors. 1500 M After the silver (2011) and gold (2015) in the 800, Marcin Lewandowski was the favorite for the 1500 and he confirmed it, achieving his third podium at the European Indoors, first in the 1500 meters. Henryk Szordykowski, four times winner (70, 71, 73 and 74), was emulated by Lewandowski as a champion, but others won medals for Poland in this event. Nearly 21 years old (March 11th 1996) Kalle Berglund from Sweden is at his best and entered with the second mark, confirming it with silver medal. 1988 was the only year when Sweden had a medal in the men 1500, Ronny Olsson’s silver. After the 2015 Holusa European title, Filip Sasinek got bronze for the Czechs. With 21 years old and 54 days, Sasinek becomes the youngest ever medalist for Czech Republic, beating 2015 Sorm’s
Lewandowski can claim European titles in two disciplines. Photo: Decabild
age. Sasinek became the youngest ever competitor for the country in 2015. Usual presence in the podium, Spain failed again to put a man there, Marc Alcalá was 4th, going back to 2011 with Olmedo their last medal in the 1500 meters. 3000 M With the likes of Azeri’s Ibrahimov, French Amdouni, Germans Orth and Ringer, Spaniard Mechaal or the Turks, it was always going to be tough for the oldest of the Ingebritsen brothers to claim the crown. Tradition was respected and Spain won gold with Adel Mechaal. Spain missed out on the podium in the previous edition after achieving it with names like Higuero, Jesús España, Reyes Estévez, Antonio David Jiménez, Alberto García, Pancorbo, Anacleto Jiménez, Jose Luis González or Abel Antón, between 1990 and 2017, only missing out before in 2000 too. Henrik Ingebrigtsen gave Norway the first European Indoors men medal in this millennium in 2015. This year he was one of the main favorites to the triumph and ended in 2 nd, the best ever Norwegian result in the competition. Richard Kinger gave Germany the bronze medal. Since the unification only Kim Bauermeister, title in 1994, had achieved that in the men event.
The clear happiness of Mechaal with the 3000 m win in Belgrade 2017. Photo: Associated Press
60 M Hurdles This was one of the most open events in the competition. Between the Frenchmen, the Englishmen, Svoboda, Baji and Ortega anything could happen.
After the French triplet in 2015 they run and jumped towards the final dreaming of doubling it. What had never happened before could become an even more extraordinary feat. In the end Darien and Manga came just short of the podium with Pascal Martinot-Lagarde grabbing silver, after being crowned European champion in 2015 and having the bronze in 2013.
Pozzi has big shoes to fill with Colin Jackson as example. Photo: Andrej Cukic/EPA
The title, however, went to Great-Britain, with Andy Pozzi succeeding to the awesome Colin Jackson, who had won it in 1994 and 2002. 2011 champion Petr Svoboda repeated his 3rd spot of 2009. Orlando Ortega missed again on a medal, only finishing the final in 7th, behind the young Cypriot Trajkovic. Shot Put David Storl entered the Shot Put event as the biggest favorite. Kolasinac was a home expectation for a medal. Champion in 2013, silver in 2015, the Serbian missed out on the final. But this was just the start of an amazing outcome that surprised everyone and produced one of the best finals in years. Majewski is the biggest name in Poland but the, still, teen Bukowiecki (turns 20 at March 17 2017) is proving to be a name to start remembering. After becoming the youngest ever male representative of Poland in the European Indoors two years ago, Bukowiecki threw 21,97 meters, putting himself in the top of the tops and really threatening to beat Majewski to the 22 meter mark.
You’d think the surprises were over… but they weren’t. Not only did Storl lose a ‘promised’ gold, he also failed to get the silver. The Czech Stanek hit 21,43 meters to establish a new personal best and succeed his compatriot Prasil, also in the final, bronze medalist in 2013 and 2015. The Portuguese Tsanko Arnaudov also extended the National Record to 21,08, surpassing the 21 meter mark for the first time indoor, and getting a very honorable 4th place in a tough competition.
After breaking the youth records, Konrad Bukowiecki confirms he’s arriving to lead the Shot Put world. Photo: The News.pl
This was also the confirmation of the renewal, on one hand, and the use of the European Indoors to promote newcomers. Storl and Prasil were the oldest in the final, both with only 26 years old, still a lot of years ahead of them at top. Long Jump The biggest surprise of the entire event was here. It wasn’t a very good final in terms of marks but the upset came in the final jumps, a true thriller, with Albanian Smajlaj overcoming his own marks to equal holder Torneus in the front, winning gold with the second best jump. Izmir Smajlaj feat is as enormous as Albania never even got a finalist before, women or men! Hearing the National Anthem and watching the flag rise high above all is something really amazing and will surely enhance the development of the athletics in the country.
The Swede Tornéus is the first, since the two year gap inception between the European Indoors, to achieve three consecutive podiums in the Long Jump, grabbing the second silver, after the one in 2013 and the gold in 2015. The qualifying jump of Nykyforov, with 8,18 m, put the Ukrainian as a top contender to the European crown but in the final he merely got bronze, following the footsteps of Zyuskov, bronze in 2005. After the injuries and so, it was nice to see Andrew Howe back in the main events, but he failed to reach the final. Italy was the biggest loser with three candidates to the win and barely present in the final. With a 8,08 m winning mark this was the shortest long jump title of the century and millennium.
Izmir Smajlaj was undoubtly the hugest surprise of Belgrade 2017, a totally unexpected European title in the Long Jump, the first ever medal for Albania in this event. Photo: Youtube
Triple Jump Viktor Sanejev, 70-72 and 75-77, achieved twice three titles in the row and, in the biannual event, Leonid Voloshin also defended his 92 title with success in 94, but no other did so until the Portuguese Nelson Évora won 2015 and doubled the title in 2017, just months after changing coach, now working under supervision of former jumper Yvan Pedroso. 2009 European champion and 2011 silver, veteran Fabrizio Donato still has it and grabbed silver at 40. Hess gave Germany the first medal since Friedek’s title in 2000. At 20 he’s the face of the next generation, another one confirming his youth performances. When Donato got the silver in 2011 he already had become the oldest ever Italian to do so in the European Indoors, now he extends it from 34 to 40 years and circa 200 days or so.
The two Frenchmen, Raffin and Pontvianne, were on top form and clear favorites judging on their indoor season, but they failed high and were even outclassed by Latvian Misans, overcoming 17 meters for the first time.
The name Évora rises truly high and long in the Athletics World! The Portuguese celebrates another victory. Photo: RTP
High Jump After completely failing, almost destroying the material, at 2,27 meters, the favorite Bednarek didn’t seem ready to complete the previews and win the High Jump, but he passed the height at the last attempt and went on to win at 2,32 m. Just a couple of years after the contests that led to believe Sottomayor’s record would fall, we’re back at low wins.
Bednarek contributed to an amazing Belgrade 2017 for the Polish delegation. Photo: TVP Sport
In one of the several events dominated by the Russians we have to go back to the great Polish High Jumper Partyka for a Polish medal or title in this event (Partyka won in 1990 and 1998). Another ‘Pole’ – of ancestry, the British Robbie Grabarz got the silver medal in an event which isn’t at all favored by the Brits, mimicking Dalton Grant in 1989 and the first to get to the podium since Bernard in 2007, the 4th all-time. Seliverstau was a candidate too and confirmed it with a bronze for Belarus, the 5 th ever male medal in the European Indoors, the youngest ever to do so. Pole Vault Three days of joy involved the Polish team, accumulating titles and medals and confirming its status of a sports power, now developing again in several sports like cycling and having world top leagues in handball and volleyball. Lisek entered the 6 meters ‘club’ and confirmed his form with the win and European title, with the same mark (5,85 m) that got him bronze two years ago. The absence of the four times consecutive winner Renaud Lavillenie eased the way to Lisek, however Filippidis is showing himself at top form with 30 years old and established a new National Record at 5,85 to get the silver, the first ever medal for the Greeks in this event. Wojciechowski gave Poland another medal, the bronze! Heptathlon Plaziat won the first two men heptathlon in the European Indoors (92 and 94), now Kévin Mayer, silver in 2013, put France back on the top of the podium in this combined event and made it with a European Record of 6479 points. Antonio Peñalver was bronze in 1992 and Jorge Ureña puts Spain for the second The European Record for Mayer is even more impressive as he didn’t have a close time ever in the competition to further push him higher. Photo: 20 Minutes podium with the silver. Tomas Dvorak and Roman Sebrle took the combined event to new heights in the 90’s and the 00’s, now it’s time for Helcelet to bring the Czech Republic back to the top three. Dudas was another hope for a Serbian medal, but he was disqualified from the 1000 meters and dropped from the 5th place to 14th.
This is how the men-only medal table finished and the points system adopted 5-3-1 added up, proving Poland as the dominating nation, by far, winning almost half the events contested. G S Poland Great-Britain Czech Rep Spain France Sweden Albania Portugal Italy Slovakia Denmark Norway Belgium Greece Germany Netherlands Ukraine Belarus
Pol 6 GBr 2 Cze 1 Esp 1 Fra 1 Swe Alb 1 Por 1 Ita Svk Dnk Nor Bel Gre Ger Ned Ukr Blr
1 1 1 1 1 2
B
Pts
1
34 13 12 9 8 7 5 5 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 1
4 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1
Below is the table of the finalists with the points 6-5-4-3-2-1, given that the Indoor finals have only six contenders in several of the track events. 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Pts Poland Czech Rep Spain France Great-Britain Sweden Germany Portugal Denmark Slovakia Italy Albania Netherlands Ukraine Norway Belgium Greece
Pol Cze Esp Fra GBr Swe Ger Por Dnk Svk Ita Alb Ned Ukr Nor Bel Gre
6 1 1 1 2
1 1 1 1 1 2
1 4 1
1 1 2 2
1 3
1
1
1 2 2 2 2
1 1
1 1 1
1 2
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 2 3
1 1
48 31 25 24 21 21 16 9 8 7 7 6 6 6 5 5 5
Belarus Azerbaijan Bulgaria Austria Latvia Croatia Switzerland Cyprus Turkey Serbia Montenegro
Blr Aze Bul Aut Lat Cro Sui Cyp Tur Srb Mne
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
4 3 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 1
WOMEN 60 M Polish teen star Ewa Swoboda is promising to shadow Dafne Schipers and duel with the Dutch for the sprint European domination and rivalry with the Caribbean and North Americans. The 19 year old was one of the favorites and got bronze, behind new British National Record holder Asha Philip and Ukrainian Povh. Mujinga Kambundji was also a podium favorite, but only got to 4th.
Asha Philip and Olesya Povh had to give their best ever to surpass Ewa Swoboda in the 60 meters final. Photo: Eurosport
Since Bev Kinch’s title in 1984 Britain hadn’t got the European crown in the women 60 meters. Champion in 2011, Olesya Povh returns to the podiums in the European Indoors. Ewa Swoboda aims to overcome Irena Szewinska (74 and 75) and Daria Korczynska (2007) but for the 2017 event she only matched them with the bronze medal. 400 M
Swiss girl Léa Sprunger was on form and the title was expected to be decided between her, Czech renowned Hejnova and Brit Doyle (née Child). Nevertheless it was French Floria Guei, with a new personal best, to grab the win, ahead of Zuzana Hejnova and Polish Justyna Swiety, while Léa Sprunger only got 4th. 2011 European champion Rosolova was back from injury but fell in the qualification. Guei won the first ever women title in the European Indoors for France, the first medal in this event since Viviane Dorsile’s bronze in 94. Well known, Zuzana Hejnova wins her first medal at the European Indoors. A powerhouse in the men, Poland saw Justyna Swiety won the first ever medal for the country in the women’s 400 meters European Indoors.
On one or another hand, an all new 400 meters women podium in Belgrade 2017. Photo: sports.fr
Poland won the 400 relay ahead of GB and Ukraine. 800 M If Léa Sprunger finished crying, her compatriot Selina Buchel gave Switzerland the title in the 800 meters, where she was one of the favorites, truth be told, and with a National Record. Silver went to Britain with Oskan-Clarke also doing her best ever performance to take 2nd. Anita Hinriksdottir, only 21 but already for years showing herself with the best. The Icelandic girl finally got a medal at senior level. Buchel successfully defended her 2015 crown, the first ever to do so. Anita Hinriksdottir is the first Icelandic to get a medal in a race event, the 5th to give Iceland a medal.
1500 M At the start of the event if Albania was going to win a first medal that was expected to come from Luiza Gega and she wasn’t too far from it, finishing the 1500 in 5th. But this was going to be Laura Muir Championships and the Scot set a new Competition Record to give GB the first 1500 medal since Mary Stewart’s title in 1977! Brigitte Kraus (88) was the last German medal until Konstanze Klosterhalfen 2017 silver. Sofia Ennaoui continues the Polish tradition and gets bronze.
This trio represents the next generation of European long distance runners. Photo: Associated Press
Sweden’s Meraf Bahta was one of the defeated, finishing 4th, just outside the medals. 3000 M The 23 year old Scot was determined to make history and doubled the 1500 title with the 3000 one, in both establishing new Competition Records. There was a surprise second with Turkish Yasemin Can breaking the National Record to overcome the opponents to silver. Eilish McColgan, daughter of Liz McColgan, won bronze. Only in 1983, USSR, did a country win two medals in the same European Indoors women 3000 race. Aged 40, Spaniard Nuría Fernández beat the Age World Record in the qualification, putting it under 9 minutes with 8.58’20’’ and thus qualifying for the final.
Muir and McColgan making history for Britain. Photo: BBC/EPA
60 M Hurdles In the hurdles fast track all the girls proved form with Germany winning gold and bronze having in between them Belarussian Alina Talay. Ukrainian Plotitsyna had her best to grab 4th in what was the farewell of all-leader Susanna Kallur, who still got to the final. Injuries prevented the Swedish twins, Susanna and Jenny, to go even further in the hurdles.
Susanna Kallur ended up stealing a little of the show for the German victory. It was the goodbye to a formidable hurdler. Photo: Inside the Games
Susanna Kallur was European Indoor Champion in 05 and 07, the first title just ahead her twin sister Jenny. Alina Talay grabbed silver after winning the previous two editions. This is the first time since 1986 that Germany gets two hurdlers in the podium. Shot Put It was expected to be a walk in the park for Hungarian Anita Marton‌ and it was, defending successfully her 2015 title. Bulgarian Radoslava Mavrodieva and Belarussian Yulia Leantsiuk also confirmed good form to win silver and bronze respectively, only shifting from the 2015 podium where Leantsiuk was silver and Mavrodieva bronze.
If we didn’t see the background scenario we would think it was the Prague 2015 podium. Photo: AP
Note on Fanny Roos, the Swede was 4th equaling the Swedish National Record. Long Jump The highest moment for the local crowd and one of the best jumps in the 21st century came at the end of the European Indoors, when local Ivana Spanovic confirmed all her credits with a 7,24 National Record jump, making her the third ever woman in the Indoor Long Jump! She defended her 2015 title with honors. Sue Hernshaw won the Long Jump for Britain in 1984 but since then no other Brit got to the podium in this event. Lorraine Ugen jumped to National Record to get the silver. Claudia Salman-Rath won bronze for Germany. Klyshina, the only Russian present, competed as individual but failed to live up to her 2011 and 2013 European titles, finishing 4th.
The amazing jump of 7.24 m from Ivana Spanovic! Photo: Youtube
Triple Jump This was a very open event, the German girls, the Romanians, the Pole Jagaciak, Portugal’s Mamona and Greek Papahristou were all contenders for the title.
The gorgeoug Triple Jump podium. Photo: Getty Images/Alexander Hassenstein
It was Kristin Gierisch to prevail; she had the all-time best in the event participants – and gives Germany the first ever European Indoors title in the Triple Jump, only the second ever medal.
Patrícia Mamona puts on a good show and wins silver, overcoming the amazing bronze from Ana Oliveira in 1990. Paraskevi Papahristou also gives Greece a second ever medal in the Triple, after Olga Vasdeki bronze in 96. High Jump It was a matter of time until Airine Palsyte confirmed at the highest level her qualities. This happened sooner than expected and Lithuania got the High Jump gold ahead of the eternal Ruth Beitía and Ukrainian Yuliya Levchenko, the surprise bronze. Licwinko was the biggest Polish disappointment, failing to get into the final when she entered the event as a medal candidate. It’s the second ever medal for Lithuania after the silver for Austra Skujyte in the 2011 Pentathlon. For the veteran Spaniard it was the 6th European Indoor medal, returning to the podium after missing it in 2015.
The gather of different generations in the High Jump. Photo: En Mayúscula
Pole Vault Stefanidi confirmed her form and won the Pole Vault for Greece, improving from her silver in 2015. German’s tradition is back after missing out in the previous two events, the German side finished again in the podium with Lisa Ryzih grabbing 2nd place with a personal best. Angelica Bengtsson repeated the 3rd spot of 2015, this time sharing it with 21 years old Ukrainian Maryna Kylypko.
The four girls of the Pole Vault podium. Photo: Getty Images
Pentathlon Nafissatou Thiam didn’t give a chance to her competition but it was a very good performance from Austrian Ivona Dadic with a new National Record of 4767 ahead of the Hungarian pair, both Gyorgyi Zsivoczky-Farkas and Xenia Krizsan putting on their best ever results. Nadine Broersen was the disappointment, expected to be the one defying the Belgian conquest. Belarussian Maksimava, silver in 2013, was also way behind the top.
Nafissatou Thiam was clearly the number 1 of the Pentathlon. Photo: European Athletics.
Great Britain led the women’s board, ahead of Germany and Poland. G S Great-Britain Germany Poland Hungary Greece Ukraine France Switzerland Serbia Lithuania Belgium Belarus Czech Rep. Turkey Bulgaria Portugal Spain Austria Iceland Sweden
GBr Ger Pol Hun Gre Ukr Fra Sui Srb Lit Bel Blr Cze Tur Bul Por Esp Aut Isl Swe
3 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
B 3 3 1 1 3
1
1 1
24 19 8 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 5 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 1
The two traditional western powers, alongside France, lead the women’s board of finalists with Poland leveling with Ukraine for 3rd. 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Great-Britain Germany Poland Ukraine Sweden Hungary Switzerland Greece Belarus Spain France Belgium Serbia Lithuania Czech Rep. Austria Turkey
GBr Ger Pol Ukr Swe Hun Sui Gre Blr Esp Fra Bel Srb Lit Cze Aut Tur
3 2 1
3 2 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 2 3 3 1 1
1 1 2 3 1 1
1 3
1 1
1 1 1 1
2 44 4 40 2 23 23 1 16 13 11 10 9 2 9 8 6 6 6 1 6 1 6 5
Portugal Bulgaria Netherlands Iceland Italy Russia Denmark Albania Norway Estonia Finland
Por Bul Ned Isl Ita Rus Dnk Alb Nor Est Fin
1 1 1
1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
5 5 5 4 3 3 2 2 2 2 1
26 countries entered the medals’ board where Poland finished top, a new country to lead the European athletics Indoors. Overall Medals Poland Great-Britain Germany Czech Rep France Spain Greece Belgium Portugal Sweden Ukraine Hungary Albania Switzerland Serbia Lithuania Belarus Slovakia Denmark Norway Italy Turkey Bulgaria Austria Netherlands Iceland
Pol GBr Ger Cze Fra Esp Gre Bel Por Swe Ukr Hun Alb Sui Srb Lit Blr Svk Dnk Nor Ita Tur Bul Aut Ned Isl
G S
B
7 5 2 1 2 1 1 1 1
1 4 2 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 1
4 1 5 4
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2
1 1 1 1 1
1 1
2 4 1
1 1
42 38 21 15 13 12 9 8 8 8 7 6 5 5 5 5 5 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 1
Poland leads both the medals table as well as the finals board, ahead of GB and Germany. Overall Poland Great-Britain Germany Czech Rep Sweden Spain France Ukraine Greece Portugal Hungary Belarus Switzerland Belgium Netherlands Denmark Italy Austria Albania Bulgaria Serbia Slovakia Norway Lithuania Turkey Iceland Azerbaijan Latvia Russia Croatia Estonia Cyprus Montenegro Finland
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Pol GBr Ger Cze Swe Esp Fra Ukr Gre Por Hun Blr Sui Bel Ned Dnk Ita Aut Alb Bul Srb Svk Nor Lit Tur Isl Aze Lat Rus Cro Est Cyp Mne Fin
7 5 2 1 1 2 1 1 1
1 4 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1
1 1
4 1 5 4 2 1 4 1 1 2
2 1 1 4 2 2 2
3 5 3 2 3 1
2 2 4 2 1 4 3
1 1 1
1
1 1 1 1
2 1
1
1 1 1 1 1
1
2 1 1
1
1
1
1 1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
71 65 56 37 37 34 32 29 15 14 13 13 12 11 11 10 10 9 8 8 7 7 7 6 6 4 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1
This event had the downside of the starts in the inline speed track, too many fake false starts that should have been resolved in day 1 but persisted until the last day.