European athletics stars gathered at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham for the third day of the European Athletics Championships, featuring high-stakes qualification rounds, multi-event showdowns, and track finals.
As the multi-day competition unfolds, athletes battled headwinds and tactical heats to secure advancement. According to event schedules and live tracking data from the venue, Norwegian multi-event athlete Sander Aae Skotheim navigated the opening phases of the men’s decathlon, while hurdler Karsten Warholm advanced comfortably through his semifinal heat.
Broadcasters such as NRK are providing live television coverage of the championships from Birmingham, ensuring international audiences can follow every event across the multi-day schedule.
Sander Aae Skotheim Positions Himself in Men’s Decathlon
Sander Aae Skotheim opened his decathlon campaign on day three with steady performances across the morning and evening sessions. In the 100-meter opener, Skotheim clocked 10.95 seconds against a heavy -2.1 m/s headwind, keeping him level with a projected 8,610-point scoring schedule according to live analysis tracking.
He followed up in the long jump by leaping 7.80 meters with a -1.1 m/s wind in his third attempt, following an initial foul and a 7.66-meter effort. That strong mark gained him 25 points relative to his baseline schedule. In the shot put, Skotheim recorded a best throw of 14.45 meters, alongside marks of 13.53 meters and 14.10 meters. After three events, Skotheim sat in third position overall with 2,638 points heading into the high jump and 400-meter events during the evening session.
German competitor Leo Neugebauer set the early decathlon pace, winning the long jump with a 7.82-meter leap into a -2.0 m/s wind for 1,015 points, and leading the shot put with a 17.13-meter throw that brought his total to 2,819 points.
Karsten Warholm and Amalie Iuel Advance on the Track
Karsten Warholm secured his place in the men’s 400-meter hurdles final by winning the third semifinal heat comfortably in 48.01 seconds. Warholm recorded the second-fastest time overall in the semifinal round, trailing only Sweden’s Oskar Edlund, who ran a national record of 47.81 seconds to win the first heat.
In the women’s 400-meter hurdles, Amalie Iuel booked her ticket to the final on time. Meanwhile, in the women’s 400-meter qualification rounds, Josefine Tomine Eriksen Aks delivered a personal best of 50.83 seconds to win her heat and advance directly to the semifinals as the top qualifier from her race.
Additional Norwegian competitors faced tough qualification margins at Alexander Stadium. Lakeri Ertzgaard finished 17th in the 400-meter heats with a time of 52.71 seconds, missing out on the top 13 spots required for advancement. Maren Bakke Amundsen placed 16th in the 200-meter heats with 23.50 seconds (-0.9 m/s wind), falling short of the top 12 qualifying slots. In the men’s 800-meter semifinals, Tobias Grønstad took fourth place in his heat with 1:45.26, narrowly missing the automatic and time-based qualifying cutoff led by Ireland’s Mark English, who set a championship record of 1:43.49.
Field Event Highlights and Qualifications
Discus qualification for women saw strong throws across both groups. Sweden’s Vanessa Kamga led the field with a throw of 64.65 meters in group B, earning an automatic spot in the final. Germany’s Shanice Craft followed with 63.46 meters in group A, while Dutch athletes Jorinde van Klinken (62.74 meters) and Alida van Daalen (62.58 meters) also secured direct qualification.
Portuguese thrower Liliana Cá advanced safely with a mark of 61.86 meters, and Spain’s Ines Lopez threw a personal best of 61.45 meters to join the finalists. Other notable contenders, including French veteran Mélina Robert-Michon (60.89 meters) and Germany’s Kristin Pudenz (60.48 meters), successfully navigated the preliminary rounds to set up a competitive discus final.
Next Checkpoints in Birmingham
The European Athletics Championships continue at Alexander Stadium through August 16, 2026, featuring remaining decathlon disciplines, middle-distance finals, and relay events. Viewers can check official start lists and broadcast schedules via NRK TV.
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