The European Championships in Rome featured thrilling battles on the track and celebrations in the stands. Ten champions crowned in Italy are joining the Monaco lineup, promising a great show for the spectators at Stade Louis II.
In the sprint events, Dina Asher-Smith, who is gaining momentum this year, will be one to watch. Her impressive track record makes her a serious contender for the 100m victory. In the 400m hurdles, Norwegian star Karsten Warholm will attract all the attention. The world record holder is very familiar with the stadium's track, having twice broken the meeting record. Bonus: he won last year in 46.51 seconds, setting the Wanda Diamond League record in the process.
In middle-distance, Gabriel Tual will face a tough challenge in the 800m. The recent European champion in this event, the Frenchman ran a perfect race to secure his international win. In Monaco, he will meet Marco Arop, the reigning world champion with a personal best of 1:42.85. "I am very happy to be back after my injury," said Tual. "We all know the reputation of this meeting and what the athletes achieve here: I am coming to give it my all and chase a big time. I can't wait to compete against the best. The form since the Europeans is still there, I want to confirm it!"
In the longer distance, Jakob Ingebrigtsen has confirmed his presence. The Norwegian, who won gold in both the 1500m and 5000m in Rome, will fine-tune his preparations to defend his Olympic crown in Paris. On the women's side, Ciara Mageean, the European champion in the 1500m, will test herself in the 2000m.
The women's 5000m will also be a must-see. The start line will feature a duel between reigning champion Nadia Battocletti and her runner-up, Norwegian Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal. In Rome, both won two medals: gold in the 5000m and 10,000m for the Italian versus gold in the half-marathon and silver in the 5000m for the Norwegian...
In the field events, the show will not be lacking. Gianmarco Tamberi thrilled the Olympic Stadium in Rome two weeks ago with his 2.37m jump, igniting the crowd. In Monaco, on the same runway where he set the Italian record, he will fine-tune his preparation and put on a show for the supportive fans. In the triple jump, Ana Peleteiro-Compaoré will be the one to watch. The Spaniard is in Olympic form this year, with a season-best just two centimeters shy of her national record (14.87m, 2021). In javelin, a new duel will be exciting to follow. It will pit Victoria Hudson, the reigning European champion, who is in excellent form this season with a best throw of 66.06m (NR), against Japan's Haruka Kitaguchi, the reigning world champion. Promising!
