by Alfonz Juck
APELDOORN (NED): The European Athletics Indoor Championships is heading to the Netherlands for the third time. After Rotterdam (1973) and The Hague (1989), Omnisport in Apeldoorn hosts the best European athletes under one roof. We can expect four days of excellent performances ahead of 5000 athletic understanding visitors who will cheer for a strong home team. 607 athletes (plus 19 reserves) from 46 countries participated in the championship. Eight Paris Olympic champions, Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Yemisi Ogunleye, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, and five Dutch mixed relay team members (including Femke Bol) will compete. Title defenders will be present in 14 of 26 disciplines. Debut of mixed 4×400 m and wavelight.
Short Previews Event by Event
Women
60m: Dosso is undefeated, title defender Kambundji clocked EL at Nationals, Van der Weken and Swoboda not giving up, do they produce sub-7 time?
400m: Jæger is fastest this season, Klaver most experienced, for Anning first Euro Indoors since being 19 in 2019, or surprise from Manuel, sub-50 mark is possible.
800m: This is a very open discipline as British stars are missing. Werro and Horvat impressed at the last WIT meets, and Wielgosz, Kolberg, and Coiro should also be considered.
1500m: Hunter Bell is the clear favourite, and Guillemot, Zenoni, Lizakowska, Walcott-Nolan, and Silva are waiting behind.
3000m: Courtney-Bryant and Healy were fast at US meets, Koster and Afonso against Spaniards and other Britons for following positions.
60mH: One of the expected highlights is Bapté, for her first global medal (and title) ahead of Kambundji and local heroine Visser, Skrzyszowska behind, EL within reach.
HJ: Nothing new, just another title for Mahuchikh; WL is expected. Or not that easy? Topić could secure silver and open a clash for bronze with Honsel, Lake, and Onnen in the group.
PV: Moser as favourite, after Caudery’s withdrawal, Šutej is back, Bonnin in good shape, Švábíková and Bruni also there.
LJ: Mihambo is favored for her first indoor title, Iapichino for her first 2025 international appearance, and Assani and Kälin for the bronze.
TJ: Peleteiro leads the lists and is very open behind her, with Salminen and Guillaume looking good.
SP: Great duel between European leader Ogunleye and Schilder, who beat her in Karlsruhe WIT, Portugal’s duo of defending champion Dongmo and Inchude for bronze.
Pen: Based on 2025 results, Vanninen is the favourite, ahead of O’Connor, Ligarska, and Gerevini, while home hopes Oosterwegel and Dokter in their first pentathlon of the year.
4x400m: The Netherlands with Bol is unbeatable. GBR, CZE, and ESP with individual improvements for other medals?
Men
60m: Larsson hopes for his first title, but it is very open, with Azu, strong Germans led by champion Ganter, and fast Spaniard Jordán, who studies in the US.
400m: Could Molnár deliver his most significant success (and sub-45 time)? A group of challengers, Krsek, Szwed, Sito, Spaniards, and Dutchmen.
800m: Crestan was impressive throughout the season. Strong Spaniards (including season leader Canales and national champion García), experienced English, and Kramer should also be counted.
1500m: Ingebrigtsen is clear, and it will be thrilling behind him. Habz, Nader, Gourley and Giles, or Pihlström, look like the strongest contenders.
3000m: Jakob in his season premiere at distance, against powerful field of Mills, Coscoran, Almgren, local heroes Laros and Nillessen, and doubling Habz.
60 mH: This is also a much-awaited event. Szymański, Belocian, and Llopis are strong in the WIT season, but title defenders Joseph and Simonelli, who have not started this season, will be against it.
HJ: Doroshchuk is becoming a world leader, but the competition looks very open. Štefela is back from injury; the surprise may come from Kapitolnik.
PV: Karalis is a step ahead of rivals (as Duplantis is not competing). Challengers include a strong French trio led by Collet, while Renaud Lavillenie is back 16 years after winning his first Euro Indoor title. Title defender Sondre Guttormsen, home hero Vloon, and Şaşma are also there.
LJ: First senior title for Furlani without Tentoglou? Montler and Sarâboyukov were waiting behind.
TJ: A.Díaz, in his only indoor competition this year in Metz, lost to Hess, Dallavalle, and Frenchmen led by Raffin and Gogois are also strong
SP: Fabbri ahead Weir looks clear 1-2, Staněk, Bukowiecki and in-shape Pettersson or Toader for bronze.
Hep: A strong lineup was led by Skotheim and Ehammer, Estonians with Erm, and Germans with Steinforth to attack bronze.
4x400m: The Netherlands, with their wide-quality composition, look like favourites. Other positions are open, but Belgium is the Championships record holder.
Mix-4x400m: This depends on the final relay compositions, but the Netherlands (again with Bol) should win, and Ireland should be the force, too. It’s a meet record; potentially, WR and ER are at stake.
ISTANBUL 2023 FLASHBACK (552 athletes from 47 countries)
MEDALS (21 countries)
NOR 4-1-0, NED 3-3-1, GBR 3-1-2, ITA 2-4-0, BEL 2-1-3, SUI & POR 2-0-1
POINTS (33 countries)
ITA 84, GBR 72.5, NED 69, GER 61, FRA 58, POL 57.5
AGENTS (by individual gold medals)
2 – Florian Clivaz, Caroline Feith, Tero Heiske, Steffen Keil, Alberto Suarez, Daniel Wessfeldt
WORLD RECORDS (1)
Nafissatou Thiam (5055pts, pentathlon)
OTHER EUROPEAN RECORDS (1+0)
OTHER WORLD LEADS (1+3)
Pedro Pichardo (17.60m, triple jump)
Jazmin Sawyers (7.00m, long jump)
Netherlands (3:25.66, 4x400m)
OTHER EUROPEAN LEADS (4+7)
Samuele Ceccarelli (6.48, 60m)
Jason Joseph (7.41, 60m hurdles)
Zane Weir (22.06m, shot put)
Kevin Mayer (6348pts, heptathlon)
Belgium (3:05.83, 4x400m)
Mujinga Kambundji (7.00, 60m)
Auriol Dongmo (19.76m, shot put)
OTHER CHAMPIONSHIP RECORDS (1+2+1 equalled)
Jakob Ingebrigtsen (3:33.95, 1500m)
Netherlands (3:25.66, 4x400m)
Mujinga Kambundji (7.00, 60m)
TITLE DEFENDERS
Yes (11): Jakob Ingebrigtsen (1500m & 3000m), Miltiádis Tentoglou (long jump), Pedro Pichardo (triple jump), Kevin Mayer (heptathlon), Femke Bol (400m), Keely Hodgkinson (800m), Yaroslava Mahuchikh (high jump), Auriol Dongmo (shot put), Nafissatou Thiam (pentathlon) and Netherlands (women’s 4x400m)
No (7): Marcell Jacobs (60m), Óscar Husillos (400m), Tomáš Staněk (shot put), Netherlands (men’s 4x400m), Nadine Visser (60m hurdles), Angelica Moser (pole vault), Patricia Mamona (triple jump)
Not competing (8): Patryk Dobek (800m), Wilhem Belocian (60m hurdles), Maksim Nedasekau (high jump), Armand Duplantis (pole vault), Ajla Del Ponte (60m), Elise Vanderelst (1500m), Amy-Eloise Markovc (3000m), Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (long jump)
SCORE (at the time)
Per the WA World Rankings, Istanbul scored 47,432 points, the highest in the 21st century. It is followed by Toruń 2021 (46,566) and Glasgow 2021 (46,455). Prague 2015 (46,260) is fourth best, ahead of Belgrade 2017 (46,254) and Paris 2011 (46,223).
TORUN 2021 FLASHBACK (660 athletes from 47 countries)
MEDALS (22 countries)
NED 4-1-2, POR 3-0-0, GBR 2-4-6, BEL 2-2-1, FRA 2-2-0, UKR 2-1-0
POINTS (34 countries)
GBR 112.5, POL 90, NED 75.5, GER 68, ESP 63, ITA 51
AGENTS (by individual gold medals)
Daniel Wessfeldt 3, Alberto Suarez 2, Aivar Karotamm 2, Caroline Feith 2
WORLD LEADS (8)
Miltiádis Tentoglou (8.35m, long jump)
Nafi Thiam (4904, pentathlon)
Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (6.92m, long jump)
Lamont Jacobs (6.47, 60m)
Maksim Nedasekau (2.37m, high jump)
Nadine Visser (7.77, 60m hurdles)
Kevin Mayer (6392, heptathlon)
Ajla Del Ponte (7.03, 60m)
OTHER EUROPEAN LEADS (4)
Femke Bol (50.63, 400m)
Wilhem Belocian (7.42, 60m hurdles)
Netherlands 4x400m men (3:06.06)
Netherlands 4x400m women (3:27.15)
CHAMPIONSHIP BESTS (3)
Armand Duplantis (6.05m, pole vault)
Netherlands 4x400m women (3:27.15)
Simon Ehammer 6.75 heptathlon 60 m (equalled)
TITLE DEFENDERS
yes (3): Miltiádis Tentoglou (long jump), Nadine Visser (60m hurdles), Jakob Ingebrigtsen (3000 m)
no: Alvaro de Arriba (800m), Michal Haratyk (shot), Marcin Lewandowski (1500 m), Lea Sprunger (400 m), Paweł Wojciechowski (pole vault), Jan Volko (60m), Milan Trajkovic (60mH), Gianmarco Tamberi (high jump), Jorge Urena (heptathlon), Belgium men 4x400m, Poland women 4×400 m, Ana Peleteiro (triple jump)
rest: did not compete
GLASGOW 2019 FLASHBACK (584 athletes from 47 countries)
EUROPEAN INDOOR RECORDS
2 – 45.05 Warholm equalled, + J. Ingebrigtsen European U20 record
WORLD LEADS
7 – Muir 3000 m 8:30.61, KJT 4983 pentathlon (4th best ever score), Sprunger 400 m sf+f, Tentoglou long jump, Spanovic long jump and Urena heptathlon
ADDITIONAL EUROPEAN LEADS
7 – 21.65 Haratyk, Warholm, Tamberi HJ, Peleteiro triple jump, Visser 60mH, Belgium men 4×400 m and Poland women 4×400 m
MEET RECORDS
5 – Muir 3000 m 8:30.61, in pentathlon 8.09 Ndama, 196 KJT equalled, 2:09.13 KJT, Warholm 400 m
TITLE DEFENDERS
3 + one relay – Muir 1500/3000, Spanovic long jump, Lewandowski 1500 m, Poland women 4×400 m, rest of 12 competing individual Belgrade gold medalists were not successful and 8 were not competing at all.
MEDALS
1. POL 5-2-0, 2. GBR 4-6-2, 3. ESP 3-2-1, 4. NOR 2-1-1-, 5. GRE 1-2-1, 6. NED 1-1-3. In total 25 countries got medals.
POINTS
1. GBR 122,5, 2. POL 72, 3. FRA 72, 4. ESP 69, 5. GER 66.5, 6. UKR 48.5. In total, 34 countries got points.
AGENTS (by gold medals, individual)
Daniel Wessfeldt 2, Valentina Fedyushina 2, Steffen Keil 2, Alfons Juck 2
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