The 2026 European Athletics Championships got underway in Birmingham on Monday, August 10, with the first day’s evening session taking center stage, according to rtve.es.
Spanish public broadcaster rtve.es provided live coverage of the evening program, which marked the opening day of competition at the event. The championships are being held in the English city of Birmingham, as confirmed by multiple outlets tracking the event.
The opening day drew attention to several headline athletes expected to feature prominently across the meet. rtve.es highlighted names such as pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis, Spanish race walker María Pérez, and British middle-distance runner Keely Hodgkinson as stars to watch during the championships. The list reflects a field that includes both established world champions and rising European talents.
Spanish interest also centered on Asier, an athlete from Navarra, who entered competition on the first day, according to Noticias de Navarra. The regional outlet noted his participation as part of the broader Spanish contingent in Birmingham.
One notable theme surrounding the event, as reported by El País, is the unusually high quality of the field. The newspaper described the European Championships as being almost on par with a World Championships, given the depth of talent competing. That assessment underscores the level of competition expected over the coming days.
The championships are set to continue with further sessions, including morning and evening programs across multiple days. For fans following the action, the next key moment will be the second day’s events, where medal races in several disciplines are expected to take shape.
