With five months to the start of the competition, we remind historic Italy winning in Silesia 2023.
It’s only five months waiting to best athletics in Europe to arrive to Madrid, with a European Team Championships that Will gather in Vallehermoso Stadium best national teams of the Old Continent in a unique and special event: a team competition, one athlete per country in each event, in which every ranking may be determinant for the final standings.
Last edition, held in Silesia (Poland) in 2023, was historic by two reasons: First, because it crowned Italy as European Champion for first time in almost 60 years of competition. And second, because Spain got his best historical ranking since men and women compete together, climbing to fourth position of the final standings with many memorable performances.
Italy’s victory was settled by seven individual wins of Italian athletes (five men, two women) and on the highest average level they showed as a team. The ‘azzurri’ got into the top 3 in 16 of 37 events, and only in 9 they couldn’t get to top 8. Such regularity helped them to sum 426,50 points, 24 ahead Poland, winners on last two editions.
Among seven Italian victories, we must highlight Samuele Ceccarelli in 100 meters, with a new personal best of 10.13, and Alessandro Sibilio in 400m hurdles, achieved with a Championship Record of 48.13. On their events also won high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi, who won World Championships just two months later, and distance runner Nadia Battocletti, silver medalist on 10,000m in París 2024, who claimed all the points for Italy In 5,000m. Rest of ‘Azzurra’ wins came in female hammer throw (Sara Fantini), and male triple jump and shot put, thanks to Tobia Bocchi and Zane Weir.
Poland and Germany, two of the historic giants of European Team Championships, filled in Silesia’s Stadium podium. Local athletes shone in female events, with wins of their big stars as Ewa Swoboda and Piza Skrzusowska in 100m (dash and hurdles). Germans, on the other part, outstood as a team despite not having any of their stars on the squad.
What about Spain? On a superb third day of competition, Spain got to fourth place of the standings, much better than the fifth place that, until that day, was his best historic ranking. Spain got an overall 352 points, less than 15 points ahead of their three immediate chasers: two historic national teams as Great Britain (fifth) and France (seventh), and another one that starts to be one (Netherlands, sixth place).
Spanish squad showed his muscle on middle distance and long distance, with wins of Thierry Ndikumwenayo in 5,000m, Dani Arce in 3,000m steeplechase, and Esther Guerrero and Mohamed Katir in 1,500m. Also shone Quique Llopis (second in 110m hurdles), and third position of Fatima Diame in long jump and 4x100m female relays. Same ranking for two athletes that are present, but also future, of Spanish athletics: Águeda Marqués in 5,000m and Marta Serrano in 3,000m steeplechase.
Lastly, Silesia will be always remembered as the comeback to international competition of Ana Peleteiro, just six months after giving birth to her daughter. Was the first step of a historical return that would top next season with indoor World Championships bronze and outdoor triple jump European Champion.
Also, in Silesia 2023 seven Championship Records were broken: Norwegian Håvard Bentdal in 400m, Spanish Mohamed Katir in 1,500m, Swiss Jason Joseph in 110m hurdles, Italian Alejandro Sibilio in 400m hurdles, Polish Ewa Swoboda in 110m, Dutch Femke Bol in 400m and Czech Republic national team in 4×400 mixed relays.
What is to come in Madrid 2025? May we see Spain, finally, up in the top 3 of a European Championships? Will any national team defeat Italy, last years’ trending team? How many records Will be beaten on the green track of Vallehermoso Stadium? Don’t let them tell you and be witness of it from 27th to 29th June. Tickets available here.
