Henriette Jaeger wins the 400m at the European U23 Championships in Bergen (© Getty Images)
Championship records were broken in 12 disciplines at the European U23 Championships, which concluded on Sunday (20) after four days of action in the Norwegian city of Bergen.
Home star Henriette Jæger took almost a second off a championship record that had stood for 20 years in the women’s 400m. The world indoor bronze medallist produced a dominant run to win in 49.74, just 0.12 shy of the Norwegian record she set in Oslo last month. 2022 world U20 champion Yemi Mary John of Great Britain was second in 50.50, also inside the previous championship record.
Jæger almost claimed another title just three hours later, but she was beaten into the runner-up spot in the 200m by Britain’s Success Eduan, who won by 0.04 in 22.74.
Two-time European U20 champion Audrey Werro earned her first continental title at the U23 level in convincing style, taking the women’s 800m in 1:57.42 to smash the championship record by 1.52 seconds. Spain’s Rocio Arroyo took silver in 1:59.18.
Germany’s Owe Fischer-Breiholz powered to victory in the men’s 400m hurdles in 48.01. Turkey’s Ismail Nezir took silver (48.33) and Slovenia’s Matic Ian Gucek claimed bronze (48.34) as all three medallists finished inside Karsten Warholm’s previous championship record (48.37).
The championship record was also revised in the women’s event as Britain’s Emily Newnham won by more than a second in 54.09 from Germany’s Vanessa Balde (55.36).
Another one-lap championship record fell with Jonas Phijffers of the Netherlands winning the men’s 400m in 44.82.
Records were broken in all four of the relay disciplines. France won the men’s 4x100m in 38.43, while Spain continued their recent relay success by taking the men’s 4x400m in 3:02.02. Great Britain won both of the women’s relays, clocking 42.92 in the 4x100m and 3:26.52 in the 4x400m.
World indoor champion Saga Vanninen successfully defended her heptathlon title, adding almost 200 points to her PB and smashing the championship record with 6563. It also broke the Finnish record that had stood since 1991. Britain’s Abigail Pawlett was second with a PB of 6320.
The top four athletes in the men’s 3000m steeplechase all finished inside the previous championship record. Poland’s Maciej Megier held off Stefan Nillessen, winner of the 1500m earlier in the championships, to take gold in 8:20.17.
Laros doubles, Germany sweeps throws medals
While Nillessen narrowly missed out on double gold, compatriot Niels Laros ensured there was a Dutch double.
The world and Olympic 1500m finalist, who turned 20 earlier this year, showed his versatility by winning the 5000m (13:44.74) and 800m (1:44.36).
In a sensational first round of the men’s 800m, Italy’s Francesco Pernici smashed the championship record – the oldest men’s track mark on the books – with 1:44.06, closely followed by Britan’s Henry Jonas (1:44.10) and Laros, who clocked a PB of 1:44.19. In total, seven men in the first round bettered the previous championship record (1:45.21). But Laros was a clear winner when it mattered the most, winning the final by 0.61 from Britain’s Justin Davies.
Germany achieved two podium sweeps, both in the throws. Steven Richter won the men’s discus title with 64.67m ahead of Mika Sosna (63.42m) and Marius Karges (62.20m). On the first day of the championships, Nina Chioma Ndubuisi took the women’s shot put title with 17.73m from German teammates Jolina Lange (17.04m) and Helena Kopp (16.90m).
Elsewhere in the throws, Serbia’s Adriana Vilagos was victorious in the women’s javelin with 62.41m, while Aileen Kuhn contributed to Germany topping the medals table thanks to her 72.53m hammer victory.