European Championships

European Athletics Championships is a bi-annual event and the greatest athletics competition around Europe, rooted back in 1934. Inaugurated in Italian city Turin with the participation of 226 male athletes from 23 nations. Women athletes competed first for European titles at Vienna 1938 in a separate event, but the championships merged in the very next edition after World War II. 

European Championships held every four years until 2010, changing "even years" with the Olympics. Starting from 2010 Barcelona, European Athletics Federation has changed the frequency of the event to every two years. 

The championships were dominated by Soviet and East German athletes by four decades until 1990, then more evenly competitions occurred. Great Britain took the lead in Budapest 1998 first time in nearly 50 years, France (2010) and Poland (2016) also achieved their bests in recent times. As Russia barred the competition from 2016 editions, their potential medals went to Germany, Great Britain, Poland, Netherlands and France.

The French capital Paris awarded the European Championships first time in 82 years for the 2020 edition, however it was cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic.

European Athletics Champs hits first time over 1000 contestants in an unforgettable 1978 event at Prague's Strahov Stadium with attendance of 1004 athletes from 29 nations. In a historic perspective, the highest attendance was in Zurich (2014) and Berlin (2018) with 1439 competitors. Participation nations figure reached 50 since 2012 Helsinki.

MOST MEDALS AT EUROPEAN CHAMPS

11 Dina Asher-Smith, Britain (8-2-1) in 6 appearances (2014-26)

10 Irena Szewinska, Poland (5-1-4) in 5 appearances (1966-78)

9 Matthew Hudson-Smith, Britain (5-3-1) in 5 appearances (2014-26)

8 Fanny Blankers-Koen, Netherlands (5-1-2) in 3 appearances (1938-50)

8 Renate Stecher, Germany (4-4-0) in 3 appearances (1969-74)

8 Dafne Schippers, Netherlands (4-3-1) in 4 appearances (2012-18)

8 Femke Bol, Netherlands (6-3-1) in 4 appearances (2012-18)

8 Zharnel Hughes, Britain (6-2-0) in 4 appearances (2016-26)

MOST WINS IN ONE EVENT

7 Sandra Perkovic, Croatia in DT (2010-22)

4 Anita Wlodarczyk, Poland in HT (2012-18)

4 Nadezhda Chizhova, Soviet Union in SP (1966-74)

4 Heike Drechsler, Germany DR / Germany in LJ (1986-1998)

4 Janis Lusis, Soviet Union in JT (1962-74)

4 Collin Jackson, Great Britain in 110H (1990-2002)

4 Steve Backley, Great Britain in JT (1990-2002)

4 Armand Duplantis, Sweden in PV (2018-26)

4 Miltiadis Tentoglou, Greece in LJ (2018-26)

4 Gianmarco Tamberi, Italy in HJ (2016-26)

4 Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Norway in 5000m (2018-26)

MOST APPEARANCES

9 Melina Robert-Michon, France

7 Zoltan Kövago, Hungary

7 Gerd Kanter, Estonia

7 David Söderberg, Finland

7 Jesus Espana, Spain

7 Marian Oprea, Romania

7 Krisztina Papp, Hungary

7 Sandra Perkovic, Croatia

YOUNGEST & OLDEST

Youngest Men's champion: Jacob Ingebrigtsen (NOR), 1500m (2018) with 17 years, 326 days

Youngest Women's champion: June Paul (GBR), 4x100m (1950) with 16 years, 75 days

Youngest Men's medallist: Jacob Ingebrigtsen (NOR), 1500m (2018) with 17 years, 326 days

Youngest Women's medallist: June Paul (GBR), 100m (1950) with 16 years, 73 days

Oldest Men's champion: Jack Holden (GBR), Marathon (1950) with 43 years, 163 days

Oldest Women's champion: Jo Pavey (GBR), 10,000m (2014) with 40 years, 326 days

Oldest Men's medallist: Vainö Muinonen (FIN), Marathon (1946) with 47 years, 235 days

Oldest Women's medallist: Yekaterina Podkopayeva (RUS), 1500m (1994) with 42 years, 64 days

LONGEST WIN STREAKS BY A COUNTRY

7 Soviet Union & Russia in Men's PV (1974-1998)

7 Croatia in Women's DT (2010-2022)

6 Soviet Union & Russia in Men's HT (1974-1994)

6 Germany DR in Women's 4x400m (1971-1990)

5 France in Men's 3000SC (2010-2018)

5 Great Britain in Men's 4x400m (1986-2002)

5 Germany DR in Men's SP (1969-1982)

5 Portugal in Women's Marathon (1982-1998)

5 Soviet Union in Women's SP (1962-1974)

5 Soviet Union in Women's DT (1946-1962)

PODIUM SWEEP (All three medals for the same country)

1934 - Germany (Men's LJ)

1954 - Soviet Union (Women's SP)

1954 - Soviet Union (Women's DT)

1966 - Germany DR (Men's DT)

1966 - Germany (Men's Decathlon)

1969 - Germany DR (Men's SP)

1978 - Soviet Union (Women's 800m)

1982 - Soviet Union (Men's HT)

1986 - Great Britain (Men's 800m)

1986 - Italy (Men's 10,000m)

1986 - Soviet Union (Men's DT)

1986 - Soviet Union (Men's HT)

1990 - Germany DR (Women's 100m)

1994 - Spain (Men's Marathon)

1994 - Ukraine (Men's SP)

1998 - Great Britain (Men's 200m)

1998 - Italy (Men's Marathon)