Belgian Nafi Thiam extends heptathlon dominance as four Olympic champions win European titles on night four in Munich

Olympic champions Nafi Thiam, Italian Gianmarco Tamberi, Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Poland’s Wojciech Nowicki all won gold medals in convincing fashion on night four at the European Athletics Championships in Munich, Germany.

Showcasing the strength and star power of European Athletics, all four athletes added the Munich 2022 titles to their Olympic gold medals from Tokyo last summer.

The Belgian star Thiam was untouchable in the women’s heptathlon, staking her claim, as arguably, the greatest female heptathlete of all-time. Her long braids flapping behind her and exuding confidence with a stone-faced demeanor, Thiam cruised to gold with an easy-looking effort in the closing 800 meters.

Thiam entered the seventh and final event with a 172-point advantage over nearest challenger Adrianna Sulek of Poland and never looked back. She jogged across the finish in 2:17.95 and tallied 6,628 points for the victory, 96 clear of Sulek’s 6,532. Anna Kalin of Switzerland took bronze, scoring a new national record of 6,515.

“I am really, really happy because I was quite exhausted after the first day and the second day was really difficult for me,” Thiam said, after the grueling two-day test of stamina. “I had pain all over my body, but still managed to give my best.”

It was the start of an early birthday celebration for Thiam as she turns 28-years-old on Friday. She completed her ‘hat trick’ of major title doubles as she now owns two European titles, two Olympic titles and two world titles.

“I have won Olympic, World and European title in less than a year. This is quite amazing, I am in the clouds,” she said.

Last summer in Tokyo, Thiam became only the second women to defend an Olympic heptathlon title after Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1988 & 1992). Thiam’s personal best score of 7,013 ranks third all-time in the event, but still 278 points off Joyner-Kersee’s world record mark of 7,291, set at Seoul 1988.

Flamboyant, fun and entertaining as ever, Italian fan favorite Tamberi claimed gold in the men’s high jump with a winning leap of 2.30m. He cleared the bar with a textbook arch and swift kick of the legs on his second attempt.

Similar to Tamberi’s euphoric Olympic celebration with fellow gold medalist Mutaz Essa Barshim in Tokyo, the fun-loving Italian also leaped into the arms of European Championships bronze medalist and friend Andriy Protsenko tumbling on the mats with the Ukrainian.

“It was an amazing, amazing night - I felt this vibe inside me because of the crowd and because of the atmosphere,” Tamberi said, relishing the triumph.

“I knew that we could really jump high and everyone in the stadium became part of the competition just by the way they were supporting us. My goal is always to try and involve everyone so they can have fun, because they paid for a ticket to have fun, and to be part of the competition.

For Tamberi, it was his second European title following a victory in 2016. However, the determined Italian said there is still business to be taken care of.

“I missed a chance at World Outdoor Championships, and to win that outdoor gold medal is all that is on my mind,” he said. Of course, the Paris Olympic Games is my second goal, but to win the gold and the World Championships means that I would have medaled in all competitions.”

Norwegian distance running standout Ingebrigtsen completed his European Championships double-double. He took command early in the men’s 1500 meters and with victory never in doubt, crossed the line in a championship record time of 3:32.76

Ingebrigtsen also won the men’s 5,000m two nights ago. The 2022 double matched his previous double, accomplished in Berlin 2018, at the age of 17.

Ingebrigtsen and his two brothers now own six European Championship distance running titles, combined for more than any other single country.

Nowicki of Poland won the men’s hammer throw with a fifth round heave of 82.00 meters, a world leading performance. His Polish teammate and five-time world champion Pawel Fajdec ended a disappointing fourth. The meet marked the first time that Fajdec has missed out on a medal in a major competition in five years.

German Olympic long jump champion Milaika Mihambo almost became the fifth Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion to strike gold on night four in Munich. The crowd favorite came up just three centimeters short of victory, settling for a silver medal despite being urged on by the friendly crowd.

Mihambo was outjumped by Serbian Ivana Vuleta, who won gold with a second attempt, season best leap of 7.06 meters.

Germany’s Konstaze Klosterhalfen thrilled the home crowd with a victory in the women’s 5,000m, stopping the clock in 14:50.47, more than six seconds faster than her nearest competitor. It was an inspiring performance considering Klosterhalfen just overcame a bout with COVID-19.

After four of eight days of competition in the books, host nation Germany is atop the medal table with 11 medals, including five gold. Spain and Poland each have seven medals, including two gold.

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