BBC Sport

Great Britain's Elise Thorner, speaking to BBC Sport about competing at the 2022 European Athletics Championships: "I remember it so well.

"It was just a huge moment for me. This is where I want to be and I was so far from where I wanted to be.

"I went there so scared, quite young and so much to learn."

France's Alice Finot, the reigning European champion, is also a serious contender here.

But Elise Thorner has a real chance of a medal. A confident smile for the camera as she lines up on track.

Paula Radcliffe
Former women's marathon world record holder on BBC One

Elise Thorner has a huge opportunity. She has really hit that purple patch this year at the right time.

Image source, EPA

Colin Jackson
Two-time world 110m hurdles champion on BBC One

Very good from Owen Ansah. The first time I have seen him operate, and from what I have seen, he is pretty impressive. He looked very strong down the final 20-30m that could be troublesome.

Image source, Getty Images

Onto the first final on the track as we head to the women's 3,000m steeplechase final.

Great Britain’s Elise Thorner has improved by 23 seconds over the past 15 months, won Commonwealth silver a fortnight ago and has the two fastest times in Europe this season.

The 25-year-old led her heat in Birmingham from gun to tape but believes she’ll likely need to break Lizzie Bird’s national record of 9:04.35 to become the first British athlete, male or female, to become European champion in this event.

Germany’s Gesa Felicitas Krause is the only two-time winner of this event, in 2016 and 2018, and took silver in Rome two years ago. Compatriot Lea Meyer was silver medallist in 2022 and has run the third fastest time by a European this year.

It's Owen Ansah's semi-final!

The German comes through in 20.04 seconds, equalling his personal best and running the fastest time in Europe this year.

William Reais of Switzerland runs a season-best 20.35 to finish second, a time equalled by Italy's Filippo Dezza in third, for whom it is also a personal best.

That's enough for Dezza to move forward to Friday's final as a fastest non-automatic qualifier, alongside Portugal's Delvis Santos (20.23).

Meanwhile Great Britain's Ebuka Nwokeji finishes seventh in 20.83.

Onto semi-final three with Great Britain's Ebuka Nwokeji running in this one.

The 19-year-old came through this morning's first round, finishing fifth in the first heat in 20.95 seconds, the 12th fastest of 13 athletes who progressed.

He runs in lane four tonight, while Owen Ansah, the German athlete who took bronze in the 100m, is in lane seven.

Image source, Getty Images

And we've got even more field action with the women's pole vault about to get going.

Wilma Heltela (formerly Murto), the 2022 champion, has re-established herself among Europe’s elite with a season’s best of 4.81m to lead the entry lists.

Switzerland’s Angelica Moser is the current European champion indoors and out, while France’s Marie-Julie Bonnin won the world indoor title in Nanjing last year.

There's no British athletes in this event either after Gemma Tutton went out in Tuesday's qualifying.

BBC Sport

Great Britain's Zharnel Hughes, speaking to BBC Sport: "It was pretty good. Happy how I executed it. I did what I was exactly told to do. It was fun.

"Commonwealths are behind me now. What happened at Commonwealths is I got a cramp. I have recovered, I am here to run, and I am here to compete.

"I have been sitting back and watching the guys compete. It is finally good to come out here and experience the crowd."

Image source, Getty Images

Our first final of the evening session, the women's triple jump, got underway at around 20.00 BST - slightly delayed from the original start time, but slightly ahead of the rescheduled time after some athletes were delayed getting to Alexander Stadium due to traffic issues caused by fires in the Birmingham area.

A year after winning the European under-20 title, Italy’s Erika Saraceni looks in shape to earn her first major senior medal.

In only her second competition of the year after hernia surgery, she topped qualifying with a PB of 14.50m – ahead of compatriot Dariya Derkach, the 2023 European indoor silver medallist.

Other contenders in a wide-open field include two-time European long jump champion Ivana Spanovic of Serbia and emerging Belgian Ilona Masson.

There's no British athletes in this event, while Europe’s top triple jumper this year, Diana Ana Maria Ion of Romania, also failed to qualify for the final.

Colin Jackson
Two-time world 110m hurdles champion on BBC One

It looks like Zharnel Hughes has returned to form so well. He is running like he is confident and that is the key factor.

Steve Cram
BBC athletics commentator at Alexander Stadium

That is much, much better from Zharnel Hughes. He could have gone under 20 seconds if he wanted to.

Image source, Getty Images

Easy does it for Zharnel Hughes and Timothe Mumenthaler, the two favourites cruising into the final.

The Brit narrowly beats the Swiss sprinter to first place in this semi, qualifying in a time of 20.05 seconds.

The final will take place tomorrow evening.

Steve Cram
BBC athletics commentator at Alexander Stadium

Zharnel Hughes needs to rediscover some form. This is a semi-competitive semi-final here. It will keep him honest.

Zharnel Hughes goes in lane eight.

He breaks into a big smile as his name is announced, and waves to the home crowd.

Onto the second semi-final in the men's 200m - where we hope and expect to see Britain's Zharnel Hughes qualify for the medal event.

The reigning European champion, Timothe Mumenthaler, also goes in this one.

Colin Jackson
Two-time world 110m hurdles champion on BBC One

Eseosa Fostine Desalu looked very strong and in control. Comfortable and nice and bendy. Good solid sprinting. There is no stress at any stage and he has that lovely transition. He gets flung off the bend.

Image source, Reuters

Eseosa Fostine Desalu of Italy takes the first semi-final in the men's 200m with a time of 20.08 seconds.

The 32-year-old had the fastest season-best in this field and he comes through her pretty comfortably.

Oskars Grava of Latvia is second with 20.27 - the first two from each race go through to tomorrow's final automatically, with the two fastest non-automatic qualifiers from across the three semi-finals joining them.

Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill
Three-time world heptathlon champion on BBC One

Zharnel Hughes has a fantastic opportunity here today.

He talks about legacy, and he is at that stage in his career where it is important to put a stamp on your sport and know you're coming away from it in the best possible shape.

We now head to the track for the first time this evening, with the men's 200m semi-finals about to get under way.

13 athletes came through this morning's qualifying, and they're joined by the 11 highest-ranked runners join the competition.

Great Britain's Zharnel Hughes won this title in 2022 and is the continent’s quickest 200m runner this year - he's joined by team-mate Ebuka Nwokeji who came through this morning's races.

Italian Fausto Desalu, 32, ran a 20.11 sec personal best last month, while the new European 100m bronze medallist Owen Ansah ran 20.13 at the recent German championships.

US-based 20-year-old Sean Aigboboh set an Irish record of 20.27 in April, while Timothe Mumenthaler of Switzerland is the defending European champion and is another with high hopes of making Friday's final.

Image source, Getty Images