The Italy Athletics Federation is sending a 130-member squad to the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham for the European Athletics Championships, which begin today (August 10, 2026), with ambitions to defend a staggering medal haul and prove that the 2024 Rome championships were no fluke.
Why This Matters
• Leonardo Fabbri competes in the shot put final tonight at 20:33 Birmingham time (21:33 in Italy), entering as the world-leading thrower with a 22.74m mark this season.
• Marcell Jacobs aims for a historic third consecutive European 100m title tomorrow, having recently dipped back under 10 seconds after reuniting with coach Paolo Camossi.
• Nadia Battocletti seeks to repeat her double gold performance from Rome 2024, despite a disrupted training block in May and June due to physical setbacks.
• Italy won 24 medals (11 gold, 9 silver, 4 bronze) at the last European Championships in Rome—the nation's best-ever performance at the continental championships.
Shot Put Superstar Targets Italian Sweep
Leonardo Fabbri, the Florentine thrower who owns the best mark on the planet this year, made no secret of his confidence on the eve of competition. "Fortunately, I'm the man to beat," he told reporters Sunday after testing the throwing circle at Alexander Stadium. "The platform feels good—it gives me confidence. I can't wait to get out there and launch it far."
But Fabbri's dream extends beyond individual glory. He wants to see three Italian flags on the podium alongside him. "I'm dreaming of an Italian trio on the podium, starting with my training partner Zane Weir," he said. The Italian shot put contingent also includes Nick Ponzio and Riccardo Ferrara, making a clean sweep theoretically within reach—a scenario that would be unprecedented at this level.
Fabbri enters as the defending European champion and heavy favorite. His 22.74m throw earlier this season not only leads the world but also underscores Italy's depth in field events, a domain where the Azzurri have quietly built a powerhouse program over the past Olympic cycle.
Jacobs Chases History Despite Sleepless Night
Marcell Jacobs, the Olympic 100m champion from Tokyo, skipped Sunday's pre-event press conference—a move that briefly raised eyebrows until Italian national team director Antonio La Torre clarified the situation. "No mystery here," La Torre explained. "He struggled to sleep and preferred to spend the morning in bed."
The 100m heats begin tomorrow, with the final set for evening. Jacobs is chasing a third straight European sprint title, having won in 2022 and 2024. His return to form this winter, after reuniting with longtime coach Paolo Camossi, culminated in breaking the 10-second barrier again—a psychological and physical milestone that had eluded him in recent seasons.
His main challengers include British champion Romell Glave and bronze medalist from Munich 2022 Jeremiah Azu, both racing with home crowd support. But Jacobs arrives as the continent's fastest man this year, and his preparation appears sharper than at any point since his Tokyo triumph.
Battocletti's Comeback After Spring Setback
Nadia Battocletti, the double European champion from Rome 2024, approaches Birmingham with a mix of serenity and tenacity. Between May and June, the Trentino runner battled physical difficulties that threatened her championship preparation. "I went through a tough patch, but it's behind me now," she said Sunday. "I've done everything to arrive ready, physically and mentally."
The 24-year-old holds personal bests of 14:23.15 in the 5,000m and 30:38.23 in the 10,000m, both set in 2025. Her recent résumé includes Olympic silver in the 10,000m at Paris 2024, world championship medals in Tokyo 2025 (silver and bronze), and indoor world gold in the 3,000m earlier this year in Toruń.
"Arriving as European champion is different from how I came to Rome two years ago," Battocletti reflected. "These years have changed everything for me. This is also a new adventure." She acknowledged feeling "coddled" during her difficult period, a sign of the support system that helped her refocus on the Alexander Stadium's oval.
Iapichino, Furlani, and Field Event Firepower
Larissa Iapichino, who recently broke her mother Fiona May's long-standing Italian long jump record, enters as the favorite in the women's event. The 22-year-old's leap of 7.04m earlier this season has positioned her as one of Europe's premier jumpers, and the Birmingham runway offers her a chance to claim continental supremacy.
Meanwhile, Mattia Furlani, the world long jump champion, faces a tougher road after a biceps femoris injury in May disrupted his preparation. While rivals were hitting peak form through June and July, Furlani was rehabbing. Qualification rounds begin today, and the 19-year-old will need to summon his championship pedigree to advance comfortably.
In the triple jump, Andy Diaz—the Italian-Cuban who switched allegiances—starts as the clear favorite, though Andrea Dallavalle could provide a home-nation challenge for medals. Gianmarco Tamberi, the high jump showman and Olympic champion, will compete alongside Matteo Sioli, both capable of clearing 2.30m on a good day.
Women's Sprints and Race Walking Depth
Zaynab Dosso faces a challenge in the women's 100m, where she enters without the form that earned her a podium finish two years ago. The sprinter endured a chaotic spring, marked by a solo apartment move that stretched from March to June. "I haven't had the approach we imagined," she admitted. "But being an underdog is fun for me. It represents this moment. I like to hunt."
Her semifinal and potential final are scheduled for tonight, with little margin for error against a deep European field.
Italy's race walking squad may deliver the most reliable medals. Francesco Fortunato and Antonella Palmisano are favorites in the 20km events, while Sofia Fiorini leads the marathon race walk entries. Federica Curiazzi and Eleonora Giorgi also feature prominently in the marathon walk lineup, giving Italy multiple podium shots in the discipline.
Sara Fantini in the hammer throw, Fausto Desalu in the 200m, and Yeman Crippa in the 10,000m round out a diverse Italian roster designed to score across disciplines.
What This Means for Italian Athletics
The Birmingham championships represent a critical test for Italy's athletics federation, which has transformed from a middle-tier European power into a medal machine over the past five years. The Rome 2024 haul of 24 medals—including 11 golds—set a high bar, achieved with home crowd energy and near-perfect conditions.
The recent success mirrors the breakthrough performance at the Under-20 World Championships in Eugene, where Italian teenagers won three golds in a single day—including a world record in the mixed 4x100m relay—injecting fresh energy into the senior ranks. Stars like Daniele Inzoli (U-20 long jump champion) and sprinter Kelly Doualla signal that Italy's pipeline extends well beyond this week's competitors.
Replicating that success on foreign soil, against resurgent Great Britain and Germany, will validate the depth and maturity of the Italian program. National director La Torre framed the challenge clearly: "The top athletes must try to score goals, but there are also the special observers—those who can transform a great team into a memorable expedition."
For residents watching from home, Birmingham offers a rare chance to see Italy compete as a track and field superpower. The championships run through August 16, with evening finals scheduled for prime-time viewing. RAI will broadcast the championships, ensuring Italian audiences can follow their athletes throughout the competition. Whether Fabbri lands his Italian shot put sweep, Jacobs secures his historic sprint triple, or Battocletti reclaims her distance throne, the narrative is clear: Italian athletics is no longer an underdog story—it's the standard to beat.
