The 27th edition of the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham enters its crucial fourth day on Thursday, August 13, featuring a packed schedule of medal events, high-stakes qualifiers, and intense tactical battles across both morning and evening sessions, according to Eurosport. For Italian sports fans, attention centers heavily on middle-distance standouts Eloisa Coiro and Francesco Pernici in the 800-meter events, alongside a strong contingent of athletes chasing podium spots in the field and on the track.
Coiro Chases Final After Historic Record Run
Eloisa Coiro returns to the track for the women’s 800-meter semifinals at 13:10 local venue time (UTC), carrying immense momentum after breaking a long-standing Italian record in her opening heat, as reported by La Notizia Giornale. Coiro clocked 1:57.56 to finish second behind Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson, shaving a tenth of a second off Gabriella Dorio’s national mark of 1:57.66 that had stood since 1980. “Ora non mi metto più limiti,” Coiro told reporters after the race. Securing a spot among the continent’s top eight will require another exceptional performance against a stellar field that includes Switzerland’s Audrey Werro, who arrived in Birmingham with a season’s best of 1:53.98.
Pernici Targets Men’s 800-Meter Podium in Evening Session
Later in the day, Francesco Pernici takes to the track at 22:28 local time for the men’s 800-meter final. The 23-year-old from Brescia secured his place among the medal contenders by clocking 1:43.84 in his semifinal, just 24 hundredths of a second shy of the 1:43.60 Italian record he established in July. The semifinal race highlighted the staggering depth of the field, with Ireland’s Mark English setting a European Championships record of 1:43.49 ahead of Britain’s Ben Pattison and France’s Corentin Le Clezio.
Saraceni and Derkach Lead Italian Hopes in Triple Jump Final
Field events offer another prime opportunity for the Italian team during the evening session, starting at 20:40 local time with the women’s triple jump final. Erika Saraceni and Dariya Derkach advanced through the qualification round with the two best marks overall, according to La Notizia Giornale. Saraceni posted a personal best of 14.50 meters on her second attempt, improving her previous mark from the Italian Championships in Florence by nine centimeters. Derkach secured her spot immediately with a first-jump effort of 14.42 meters. While finals start with a clean slate, their qualifying dominance places both athletes firmly in contention for the podium.
Full Thursday Schedule and Where to Watch
The morning session gets underway at 11:33 local time with the continuation of the decathlon 110-meter hurdles featuring Dario Dester and Alberto Nonino. Other morning events include the women’s high jump qualifications featuring Marta Morara, Idea Pieroni, and Aurora Tavernini at 11:55, the men’s 200-meter first round with Mame Moussa Dezza and Eduardo Longobardi at 12:05, and the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase heats involving Ala Zoghlami, Osama Zoghlami, and Ahmed Abdelwahed at 12:30. Women’s 400-meter semifinalists Alice Mangione, Anna Polinari, and Giancarla Trevisan take to the track at 13:45, followed by the men’s javelin qualifications with Simone Frattini and Giovanni Fina.
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The evening block features decisive medal showdowns alongside the decathlon concluding events, concluding with the women’s 200-meter final at 22:50 local time. Comprehensive live coverage of the championships is broadcast across Europe via Eurosport, HBO Max, and Discovery+, featuring specialized features such as Multiview and Key Moments for simultaneous event tracking, as detailed by Eurosport.
Action continues Friday with subsequent rounds and remaining finals as the 27th European Athletics Championships head toward their weekend conclusion. Share your thoughts on the Italian team’s medal prospects in the comments below.
