Alexander Stadium pulsed with energy on Tuesday, 11 August 2026, as Day Two of the European Athletics Championships delivered five finals packed with tension, tactical masterclasses, and pure speed. Hosts Great Britain closed the evening in style with a memorable 1-2 in the men’s 100m, while established stars and rising names shared the spotlight across the field and track.
Men’s 100m: British Joy and Jacobs’ Heartbreak
The night’s signature moment belonged to the sprinters. In the men’s 100m final, Romell Glave of Great Britain stormed to gold in 10.09 seconds. Compatriot Jeremiah Azu claimed silver in 10.16, giving the home crowd a dream podium finish. Germany’s Owen Ansah took bronze in 10.19.
The race was overshadowed by the early exit of defending champion and Olympic gold medallist Marcell Jacobs. The Italian, running as one of the favourites, pulled up around the 60-metre mark with a hamstring injury — a cruel repeat of previous fitness struggles. Glave, running strongly from the start, capitalised fully to become European champion on home soil.
Women’s 100m Hurdles: Photo-Finish Perfection
Earlier in the evening, the women’s 100m hurdles produced one of the closest finishes of the championships so far. Nadine Visser of the Netherlands edged Pia Skrzyszowska of Poland by just one-thousandth of a second. Both athletes were given the same official time of 12.67, with Visser securing her first major outdoor title after years of indoor success. France’s Laëticia Bapté completed the podium in 12.73, delivering the performance of her life for bronze.
Visser reflected afterwards on a less-than-perfect race that still proved enough: “It was just enough… I’m so happy.”
Men’s Hammer Throw: Halász Responds Under Pressure
In the field, Hungary’s Bence Halász produced a commanding performance to win the men’s hammer throw. After opening with a strong 80.96m and improving to 81.84m, he faced a late challenge when Germany’s Merlin Hummel threw 81.30m to move into second. Halász answered emphatically with a huge effort that sealed gold. Mykhaylo Kokhan of Ukraine took bronze.
Halász spoke of the shock and satisfaction of the result after a demanding season: “When I released the hammer I was thinking, okay, this is a very good throw… I was shocked when I saw the result.”
Women’s 5000m: Battocletti’s Tactical Masterclass
The women’s 5000m final was a slow, tactical affair that exploded in the closing stages. Italy’s Nadia Battocletti, the defending champion, timed her move perfectly. She unleashed a devastating late surge to retain her title in 15:37.84. Spain’s Marta García claimed silver, with Italy’s Micol Marjori (also reported as Maior/Mayoral in commentary) taking bronze for a strong Italian showing. Ireland’s Sarah Healy finished a creditable fourth.
Commentators noted that the field failed to test Battocletti earlier, allowing her to dictate the race on her own terms and close with authority.
Men’s Long Jump: Tentoglou’s Championship Class
Greek superstar Miltiadis Tentoglou once again showed why he is one of the most reliable big-meet performers in the world. He opened with an impressive 8.27m and later produced an 8.44m jump that proved decisive for gold. Switzerland’s Simon Ehammer took silver with 8.29m, while Bulgaria’s Bozhidar Sarâboyukov claimed bronze with a late 8.26m effort that lifted him onto the podium.
Tentoglou described the win as especially meaningful in his comeback season, noting the difficult jumping conditions.
A Strong Day for the Hosts and the Contenders
Great Britain’s sprint double provided the perfect home highlight, while Italy, the Netherlands, Hungary and Greece all claimed major titles. The championships, running from 10–16 August at Alexander Stadium, continue to showcase Europe’s depth across sprints, distance and throws.
Day Two offered everything athletics fans love: injury drama, photo finishes measured in thousandths of a second, tactical distance running, and pure power in the throwing circle. With several more high-profile finals still to come, Birmingham 2026 is already delivering memorable moments.
