The European Athletics Championships return to Rome for the first time since 1974, with many of the continent’s best and brightest athletes contesting the championships in the Eternal City between 7-12 June.
As the final major athletics competition before the Olympics, the European Athletics Championships are the perfect platform to prepare ahead of Paris 2024.
Here’s all you need to know ahead of the event:
When are the Championships?
The European Athletics Championships start on Thursday 7 June and conclude on Wednesday 12 June.
Who is competing?
A host of British stars will descend on Rome for the European Athletics Championships, with the standout name undoubtedly reigning heptathlon world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson.
The 31-year-old won her second world title in Budapest last year, beating out American Anna Hall, but is yet to achieve the same level of success on the continent, with a silver medal in 2018 her best finish at the European Championships so far.
"It's my first time competing in Rome, the Stadio Olimpico is absolutely incredible. The expectations are the same of everyone, something big is at stake and I want to focus on my performance".
— Roma2024 European Athletics Championships (@earoma2024) June 6, 2024
🗣️ Katarina Johnson-Thompson 🇬🇧#Roma2024 pic.twitter.com/a57VCxr0Gy
Competing in Rome alongside KJT is world and Olympic silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson, who will be favourite to defend the European crown she won in Munich two years ago.
World indoor champion Molly Caudery will contest the pole vault alongside Olympic bronze medallist and British record holder Holly Bradshaw.
Caudery has been in scintillating form so far this year, becoming Great Britain’s first pole vault world champion at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow before clinching her first Diamond League meeting victory in Doha, Qatar last month and will likely be favourite for gold in Rome.
Four-time European gold medallist Dina Asher-Smith will look to add another title to her collection while Daryll Neita flies the flag in the 200m. The pair will combine in the 4x100m relay.
World 100m bronze medallist and reigning 200m European champion Zharnel Hughes will miss out after hurting his hamstring while racing in Jamaica, while European 400m record holder Matthew Hudson-Smith will not compete after choosing to focus on training for Paris 2024 instead.
Also absent are 1500m world champion Josh Kerr and reigning 1500m European champion Laura Muir.
Where can I watch?
All the action and drama will be available on the BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and app.
Sportsbeat 2024