Mondo Duplantis wins European Championships gold in pole vault – Amy Hunt shines with four titles

Hunt sets new record with four gold medals

Hunt, who had previously attracted international attention primarily as a sprinter, showed top form in Stockholm. Her times over 100 and 200 metres were among the fastest of the entire season, and she also blended seamlessly with her teammates in the relay. After her final appearance, the Briton was visibly moved and spoke of an "unforgettable competition" that had only been made possible for her through the strong team performance.

The men's pole vault competition largely proceeded as expected. Duplantis took an early lead in the field and steadily raised his opening heights. His rivals, including France's Baptiste Thiery, kept pace at times but had to give way at the higher heights. In the end, Duplantis secured a commanding victory that fulfilled the expectations of the Scandinavian crowd.

Thiery takes javelin gold – Inglander surprises in hurdles sprint

The women's long jump complemented the programme on the final day and added another international flavour. Italy's Larissa Iapichino, who had already been considered a favourite, prevailed in a tight duel against Britain's Jazmin Sawyers. Both athletes produced jumps beyond the 6.80-metre mark, with Iapichino achieving the decisive improvement on her final attempt.

Swedish hurdler Desire Inglander provided one of the positive surprises of the home European Championships with her performance in the semi-final. The 21-year-old significantly bettered her personal best and, on that basis, secured her place in the final. Inglander subsequently described the home event as "a huge opportunity" that she had wanted to seize and, by her own account, had also seized.

The men's javelin traditionally concluded the European Athletics Championships programme late in the evening. Baptiste Thiery, who had been considered one of the medal contenders beforehand, secured the title with a throw close to the 90-metre mark. The competition thus provided a conciliatory end to a European Championships that had taken place at a high sporting level.

Atmosphere in Stockholm: positive conclusion from organisers

The organisers drew a largely positive conclusion in the evening. Both the spectator numbers in the stadium and the media reach had exceeded expectations, according to the Swedish Athletics Federation. The fact that, with Duplantis, a Swedish global star won the pole vault title and, with Hunt, an outstanding British athlete provided sporting highlights had lent the event additional international renown.

For European Athletics, the conclusion is therefore of a European Championships that combined sporting class with local flavour. With Duplantis, Hunt, Iapichino, Thiery, and Inglander, five athletes stood out, whose performances in Stockholm provided a variety of accents.

The next European Championships will be held in two years; an exact host city has not yet been determined, according to the European federation.

Immediately after her fourth gold, Hunt announced that she now wanted to focus on the coming competition season. The focus would be on cooperation with her relay teammates as well as on further improving her individual performances over 100 and 200 metres. In a brief statement, Duplantis referred to his long-term preparation and thanked the home crowd, who, in his own words, had "carried him to the final attempt."