Rome, August 11, 2026 – The gold medal slips away for Marcell Jacobs, who gets injured in the 100 meters final at the European Athletics Championships held in Birmingham. The two-time continental champion stops 40 meters after leaving the blocks due to a muscle problem.
It was supposed to be the night of consecration in the history among the greats of European sprinting, but instead Jacobs finishes second to last in 12″26. The Tokyo Olympic champion slows down halfway through the straight, holding his leg, due to a groin problem, yet still finishes the race in seventh place.
Gold goes to the home favorite, British Romell Glave in 10″09 in a final marked by a 0.4 meters per second headwind. The British double podium was completed by Jeremiah Azu, silver in 10″16, third was German Owen Ansah in 10″19. Far from the leaders was the other Italian Chituru Ali (from Milan, Fiamme Gialle), sixth in 10″34.
I was ready to break anything just to finish the race
Jacobs said this commenting immediately after the injury. “I’m very sorry. Unfortunately, I felt a groin discomfort (which had stopped me in Monte Carlo) while trying the block start before the final. I tried to run anyway, I got there and went on but it just wasn’t possible. I got on the blocks, closed my eyes…”. The Italian added after the 100 meters final. “I knew we could win it again based on how I ran the semifinal, but it’s part of the game – he added –. I’m not one to despair when something worrying happens, but I get back to work and understand the problem to move forward,” he concluded.
Battocletti gold
Double Italian podium in the 5000 meters at the European Athletics Championships. At the ‘Alexander Stadium’ in Birmingham, Nadia Battocletti confirms herself as queen of the continental middle-distance after her triumph in Rome 2024.
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The Trentino middle-distance runner (Fiamme Azzurre) stays close to Anouk Koster until 250 m from the finish, then suddenly accelerates and leaves all rivals behind, from first to last, making an impressive gap and winning in 15’37″84. But the Italian celebration is also thanks to Lombard Micol Majori (Pro Sesto Atletica Cernusco), a surprise bronze in 15’40″65. Silver goes to Spaniard Marta Garcia in 15’39″98. Eleventh place for the other Italian, Federica Del Buono in 15’49″41.
Battocletti will try to repeat the gold in the 10,000 meters as well.
Record-breaking Nadia: “I ran out of tears of joy”
The embrace between the two Italians, both wrapped in the tricolor flag, was moving. “I’m really happy with this result – said Battocletti –. I don’t hide that reaching this event was a bit troubled, and indeed I have to thank my family and my team for this result. I always cry, I get emotional even for victories, and I ran out of tears of joy. But my adventure is not over here, now I celebrate this first big achievement and then I recover for the 10,000 meters.”
Majori surprise: “A dream come true”
The real surprise was Micol Majori. “I didn’t even believe it when I started like that on the final straight. For me it’s a dream come true, it’s all wonderful. I arrived in the best condition, working a lot on the sprint finish. As a girl I won many races like this, and now I found it again at just the right moment. This Italian double is exceptional.”
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