After Armand Duplantis, Femke Bol, Karsten Warholm, Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Keely Hodgkinson, another international athletics star has confirmed her presence at the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, scheduled 7-12 June at the Olympic Stadium and the Foro Italico Park (tickets on sale here).
Today European Athletics annunced the participation of Ivana Spanovic, the Serbian long jump queen that won three world golds, five European golds medal, an Olympic bronze medal and six Diamond League editions.
The Olympic Stadium platform in Rome will host an amazing long jump competition, with qualifying in the morning session on Tuesday 11 June and the final scheduled for the final evening of Wednesday 12 June.
The Italian Larissa Iapichino also wants to play a starring role and she is ready to compete in front of the home crowd.
The challenge between Spanovic and Iapichino is in the name of respect: the Italian, who will make her seasonal outdoor debut at the meeting in Athens on Wednesday 15 May, considers the Serb one of her sporting idols.
Spanovic won her first outdoor World title in Budapest 2023 (with a fantastic 7.14), having triumphed twice indoors, in Birmingham 2018 and at home in Belgrade 2022. Iapichino finished ahead of her at the Istanbul 2023 European Indoor Championships, when she won the silver medal with an Italian indoor record of 6.97, while the Serbian took bronze medal. The Italian also managed to beat Spanovic in three Diamond League meetings in Florence, Stockholm and Monaco.
At the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, the two long jump stars will not be the only contenders for the European title. Big emotions at the Olympic Stadium are guaranteed.
Credit photo: Grana\FIDAL