{"id":256990,"date":"2026-08-10T07:00:38","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T07:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/10\/hodgkinsons-800m-showdown-headlines-mouthwatering-european-championships\/"},"modified":"2026-08-10T07:00:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T07:00:38","slug":"hodgkinsons-800m-showdown-headlines-mouthwatering-european-championships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/10\/hodgkinsons-800m-showdown-headlines-mouthwatering-european-championships\/","title":{"rendered":"Hodgkinson\u2019s 800m showdown headlines mouthwatering European Championships"},"content":{"rendered":"

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T<\/span>hey say betting is a mug\u2019s game. But here are two predictions to take to the bank. The European Athletics Championships<\/a> this week in Birmingham, with the BBC shoving its considerable heft behind it, will be far bigger than people expect. And the women\u2019s 800m final on Friday night, featuring three of the best female stars in any sport, should shine as brightly as a supernova.<\/p>\n

The list of great athletes who will grace the Alexander Stadium in the coming days is long and lustrous. Mondo Duplantis, Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Yaroslava Mahuchikh are all Olympic and world champions and world record holders. Amy Hunt, Matt Hudson-Smith and Katarina Johnson-Thompson should also do Britain proud. But no event is more anticipated than the women\u2019s 800m.<\/p>\n

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\nQuick Guide<\/span><\/p>\n

European Athletics Championship: day-by-day guide<\/h4>\n

<\/svg><\/span>Show<\/span><\/span><\/summary>\n

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Monday 10 August<\/b><\/p>\n

Amy Hunt is a warm favourite for the women\u2019s 100m (9.50pm), but no British athlete has won more European golds than DIna Asher-Smith, the defending champion. Elsewhere, Norwegian superstar Jakob Ingebrigtsen returns from an Achilles injury in the men\u2019s 5,000m (8.40pm) and there\u2019s also an intriguing 4x400m mixed relay final (9.40pm).<\/p>\n

Tuesday 11 August<\/b><\/p>\n

Keely Hodgkinson begins the defence of her women\u2019s 800m title (12.05pm). The big event of the night is the men\u2019s 100m, where Italian Marcel Jacobs is the favourite to defend his crown (9.45pm), with Britain\u2019s Romell Glave his closest challenger. The women\u2019s 110m hurdles (9.30pm) should also be a cracker.<\/p>\n

Wednesday 12 August<\/b><\/p>\n

Local lad Matt Hudson-Smith is expected to win the men\u2019s 400m gold for a third time (8.50pm), while Emily Newnham should medal in the women\u2019s 400m hurdles (9.08pm), although Slovakia\u2019s Emma Zapletalova is the wide-margin favourite.<\/p>\n

Thursday, 13 August<\/b><\/p>\n

Hodgkinson goes\u00a0 in the women\u2019s 800m semi-finals (12:10pm). A stacked evening card includes a men\u2019s 800m final (9.28pm) where Max Burgin and Ben Pattison should feature and the women\u2019s 200m where Hunt (9.50pm) will be favourite. In the women\u2019s steeplechase (8.30pm), Britain\u2019s Elise Thorner should cap a breakout season with gold.<\/p>\n

Friday 14 August<\/b><\/p>\n

All eyes will be on the women\u2019s 800m final (9.45pm), which could be the race of the year. In June Swiss star Audrey Werro ran the third fastest time in history to beat Hodgkinson in Stockholm. Can the Brit get her revenge? Former 400m hurdles world champion Femke Broeders-Bol is a live threat too. Elsewhere Karsten Warholm should win another men\u2019s 400m hurdles (8.40pm).<\/p>\n

Saturday, 15 August\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Nafi Thiam\u2019s withdrawal with injury means there will be a new heptathlon champion for the first time since 2016 and Katarina Johnson-Thompson will hope to take advantage (7.45pm). Britain also have medal chances in the men\u2019s and women’s 4x100m relay (9.33 and 9.48pm), a strong men\u2019s 1500m featuring Jake Wightman (9.07pm) and the women\u2019s 400m (8.10pm) where Amber Anning should medal.<\/p>\n

Sunday, 16 August<\/b><\/p>\n

Britain will expect a bumper day with Georgia Hunter Bell favourite in the women\u2019s 1500m (9.13pm), along with strong medal chances in the women’s and men\u2019s 4x400m relay (9.33pm and 9.48pm) and the mixed 4x100m relay (8.35pm). Early birds can catch the women\u2019s and men\u2019s marathon (7:30am and 8:10am), while Mondo Duplantis will hope to get his season back on track with gold in the men\u2019s pole vault (7.30pm)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n