The Dutch national team, nicknamed ‘Oranje,’ has taken a commanding lead at the European Team Championships, sitting over 30 points ahead of their closest rivals, Spain and Italy. Their stellar performance on Day 2 included three individual victories and a superb collective effort, contributing to a total of six Championship Records being broken.
The Netherlands finished atop the placing table after a truly historic second day. Two of the six new Championship Records were set by Dutch athletes, helping the ‘Oranje’ squad amass 165.5 points. Spain is currently in second with 134 points, while Italy is a close third with 133 points.
Track Records Tumble in Vallehermoso Stadium
The 400m women’s race kicked off the track events at Vallehermoso Stadium and proved to be one of the championships’ highlights, featuring European athletics sensation Femke Bol and Spanish rising star Paula Sevilla. The race lived up to expectations, with Bol shattering her own European Team Championships record with a blistering 49.48, the best European performance of the season. Olympic bronze medalist Natalia Bukowiecka secured second place for Poland with a season-best of 50.14, earning 15 points. Paula Sevilla added 14 points for Spain with a personal best of 50.70.
The men’s 400m also saw a record-setting pace. Great Britain’s Samuel Reardon achieved the best performance in Championship history with 44.60, placing him seventh on the European U23 all-time list. Ukraine’s Oleksandr Pohorilko broke his national record with 44.81, and Hungary’s Patrik Simon Enyingi matched his country’s record with 44.84. Manuel Bea contributed six points to Spain’s tally with a time of 45.89.
Field Event Triumphs
The initial two field contests also saw intense competition. In the men’s hammer throw, a personal best duel between Ukraine’s Mykhaylo Kokhan and Germany’s Merlin Hummel saw Kokhan claim 16 points with an impressive 81.66m against Hummel’s 81.27m. Hungary’s Bence Halász also surpassed the 80-meter mark, finishing third with 80.63m. Spain’s Kevin Arreaga finished 12th with 69.19m.
The women’s shot put also produced a new European Team Championships record, once again for the Netherlands. Two-time European champion Jessica Schilder became the only athlete in the competition’s history to throw over 20 meters, achieving a monumental 20.14m. Olympic champion Yemisi Ogunleye secured 15 points for Germany with 19.58m, and Fanny Ross earned 14 points for Sweden with 19.38m. Spain’s Belén Toimil showcased her experience, achieving a meritorious 17.61m, the best performance by a Spanish athlete in Championship history.
Mid-Distance and Steeplechase Highlights
In the 5000m, Olympic medalist Nadia Battocletti lived up to expectations, winning 16 points for Italy with an impressive final lap in 58 seconds, stopping the clock at 15:56.01. Spanish record holder Marta García took second with 15:58.53, overcoming the Netherlands’ Diane van Es, who finished with 15:59.41.
The men’s 800m brought Spain their first victory in Madrid 2025. Mohamed Attaoui dominated Heat A from the start, clocking 52 seconds for the first 400m and unleashing a brutal kick in the last 200m. The Spaniard shattered the Championship record by over a second with a time of 1:44.01. Italy’s Francesco Pernici secured second with a personal best of 1:44.39, followed by France’s Corentin Magnou with 1:45.06.
Karl Bebendorf earned Germany 16 points in the 3000m steeplechase with a strong final kick that Spain’s Dani Arce couldn’t match. Bebendorf also broke the Championship Record with 8:20.43. Arce finished second with 8:22.04 in a tight battle with France’s Nicolas-Marie Daru (8:22.39).
Jorinde van Klinken delivered the Netherlands their third victory of the evening (and fourth of the Championships) in the discus throw, launching the artifact 64.61m. This was over three meters further than her immediate challengers, Germany’s Shanice Craft (61.53m) and Portugal’s Liliana Cá (60.49m). Inés López added seven points to Spain’s ranking with a best throw of 55.12m.
Sprint Showdowns Conclude Day 2
The final events of Day 2 were the 100m races for both men and women. These four electrifying races once again witnessed a Championship Record being broken. Hungary’s Boglárka Talács set a new National Record of 11.06. Poland’s Ewa Swoboda was second with 11.13, and the Netherlands’ Minke Bisschops finished third with a personal best of 11.17. Spain’s Maribel Pérez placed tenth with 11.31. In the men’s 100m, Great Britain’s Eugene Amo-Dadzie earned 16 points with a time of 10.07, followed by the Netherlands’ Elvis Afrifa and Poland’s Oliwer Wdowik, both achieving personal bests of 10.11. Guillem Crespí added seven points for Spain with a Spanish season-best of 10.26.
