The ones to watch at the European Championships
Published:
Glasgow plays host to the first European Championships, a new multi-sport event.
The Scottish capital will see elite sports stars from across Europe in the likes of Aquatics, Cycling and Rowing take centre-stage.
For many, athletics is the menu’s main course. And despite this being held in Berlin, you will be able to watch all the action live on the BBC in the UK.
All the athletes will be looking to impress in this inaugural event and we take a look at who you could be talking about over the next few weeks…
Olympic stars on show
One of the stand-out names in Glasgow will be Max Whitlock. The double Olympic pommel horse champ will headline a 10-strong British gymnastics squad.
25-year-old Whitlock is an ambassador for the championships and will be the one to beat in the Scottish capital.
He vowed to increase the difficulty after only claiming silver at this year’s Commonwealth Games. Whitlock will have to fight off the man who beat him in that final, Rhys McClenaghan.
Team GB’s women will be led by Becky Downie. Now 26-years-old, Downie has been through the highs of being a two-time European winner and falling injured in Romania last year.
She will be back here in Glasgow to reclaim her Uneven bars crown from Belgian Nina Derwael.
Team GB take on Schippers
Beth Dobbin may have designs of moving to 400m in ‘a year or two’. But first she will want to follow up from smashing the 200m British record.
The 24-year-old will go to Berlin brimming with confidence following her win in Birmingham at the British trials.
She will be up against GB team-mate and European champ Dina Asher-Smith as well as Dutch star Dafne Schippers.
Reece Prescod seeks success in the men’s 100m.
The 22-year-old shocked the world by beating world champion Justin Gatlin in the 100m at the Shanghai Diamond League.
Following the retirement of Usain Bolt there’s a big void to be filled in the sprinting world.
Prescod looks like the man that can challenge for 100 metre supremacy.
Cycling champ Kenny in action
Over in the velodrome, household name Laura Kenny will take to the track in Glasgow.
Kenny returned with a silver medal at the UCI Track Cycling World Champs in the Netherlands.
The ten-time European winner will have to fend off the challenge of the Italians in the team pursuit.
Commonwealth champ Willmott features
The Aquatics centre will have a host of big-names swimming for gold. But it could be the year Aimee Willmott really stamps her authority in the pool.
She was pipped to second by Hannah Miley victory in the 400m individual medley in 2014.
But Willmott will come in to the competition as one of the favourites after upstaging Miley and winning gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
All Odds and Markets correct as of date of publication
