During the opening day of the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, Italian long jump world champion Mattia Furlani suffered a serious injury during qualification, landing awkwardly at 7.73 meters before being wheeled out of the Alexander Stadium by medical staff, according to multiple reports from t-online.de and n-tv.de.
Mattia Furlani Exits Alexander Stadium in Wheelchair
The 21-year-old Italian athlete arrived at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham as a major medal contender. After leaping 7.73 meters on his opening qualification attempt, Furlani grabbed his right leg and began limping heavily. Unable to take his remaining two jumps, he received immediate attention from medical personnel who transported him out of the venue in a wheelchair.
Reporting from t-online.de and n-tv.de noted that the injury raised immediate concerns about its severity. Furlani entered the competition with strong credentials, having secured the world championship title in Tokyo last year with a mark of 8.39 meters, followed by an Olympic bronze medal in Paris. His season-best mark of 8.43 meters positioned him as the fifth-ranked jumper in Europe coming into the meet.
German Champion Simon Batz Ruled Out Prior to Qualification
Furlani was not the only prominent name to suffer misfortune on the opening day in Birmingham. German national champion Simon Batz withdrew from the competition before qualification even began after sustaining a thigh injury during warm-ups.
Batz, who captured the German national title with a jump of 8.29 meters, expressed deep frustration over the sudden setback in comments reported by n-tv.de and t-online.de. Speaking to the broadcaster ARD, Batz said he felt “super” during preparations and believed he could have contended for top positions. He called the mandatory withdrawal “umso bitterer”—all the more bitter.
The German team experienced further pre-competition losses in Birmingham, with runner Mohamed Abdilaahi and high jumper Tobias Potye also scratching their events due to injuries.
Yemisi Mabry Advances Strongly in Shot Put Qualification
While the long jump events saw high-profile injury exits, the German squad found success in the throwing events. Olympic shot put champion Yemisi Mabry—formerly known as Ogunleye—secured an effortless path to the final.
Mabry launched the shot 19.25 meters on her very first attempt, comfortably surpassing the automatic qualification standard of 18.20 meters. She advanced with the top mark of the round, setting up an appearance in the medal round. She is joined in the final by German teammates Nina Chioma Ndubuisi, who placed ninth with 17.71 meters, and Katharina Maisch, who finished eleventh with 17.64 meters.
