Our previews for the events at Munich 2022 have held up pretty well, which makes us think – are major championship becoming more predictable?

With three championships in little over a month, some may strangely be looking forward to going back to events with pacemakers, one off-races with pretty much the same athletes in every meet, many of them wearing the same kit and all that changes is the venue.

These events will happen without the needs of heats and the danger of some athlete you have barely heard of suddenly challenging for a high place.

While many find the average Diamond League meeting lacking something special – apart from Zurich and Monaco – is championship racing itself getting predictable?

We looked at our Euro predictions done a few days before the championships started in Munich and saw how accurate we were at guessing the result.

This doesn’t suggest we are very good at doing it but more accurately how often the favourites succeed.

We predicted 24 of the 48 winners but a further 11 of our choices gained medals. Where we did not get the winner on a further 18 occasions, the winner was in our top three.

We predicted eight British golds and 21 medals but got six and 20 respectively – and it would have been close if not for misfortune in the last two women’s events.

The Commonwealth Games saw a similar rate – with 23 of the 46 wins being correctly chosen in our preview – although only in one event, the women’s marathon (where our choice did not compete), did we not either select an athlete who did not make the top three or the eventual winner was not in our chosen top three, suggesting the Commonwealths was even more predictable or had less prospective medallists.

Men

100m
Close on the first two times. Reece Prescod disappointed.
Prediction: 1 Jacobs ITA 9.96; 2 Hughes GBR 10.01; 3 Prescod GBR 10.03; 4 Azu GBR 10.06
Actual: 1 Jacobs 9.95; 2 Hughes 9.99; 3 Azu 10.13; 7 Prescod 10.18

200m
2018 winner Ramil Guliyev pulled up injured and world indoor champion Blessing Afrifah was in lane one but Zharnel Hughes would have won anyway. We underestimated the very reliable Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake.
Prediction: 1 Guliyev TUR 19.96; 2 Afrifah ISR 20.01; 3 Hughes GBR 20.05; 4 Filippo Tortu ITA 20.09; 5 Dobson GBR 20.13
Actual: 1 Hughes 20.07; 2 Mitchell-Blake 20.17. 3 Tortu 20.27; 4 Dobson 20.34 (20.21sf)

400m
The winner was predictable and we were close on time but underestimated the two other medallists.
Prediction: 1 Hudson-Smith GBR 44.55; 2 Bonevacia NED 44.91; 3 K Borlee 45.05; 4 Karol Zalewski POL 45.16; 5 Alex Haydock-Wilson GBR 45.35
Actual: 1 Hudson-Smith 44.53; 2 Petrucciani 45.03; 3 Haydock-Wilson 45.17; 4 Bonevacia 45.17; 5 D Borlee 45.39; 6 Zalewski 45.62

800m
A very poor prediction with our chosen top three all eliminated in the semis and the eventual winner was ignored but he was ranked outside the top 30 on summer times and we underestimated second but clutching at straws we were only two hundredths of a second out on Benjamin Robert’s time.
Prediction: 1 Dobek POL 1:45.10; 2 Van Diepen NED 1:45.16; 3 Adrian Ben ESP 1:45.35; 4 Robert FRA 1:45.40; 5 Pattison GBR 1:45.46; 6 Wightman GBR 1:45.50
Actual: 1 Garcia 1:44.85;1 2 Wightman 1:44.91; 3 English 1:45.19; 5 Robert 1:45.42; 6 Pattinson 1:45.63

1500m
Obviously this one went more to the form book and we also got Stonier’s fifth correct.
Prediction: 1 Ingebrigtsen NOR 3:31.67; 2 Garcia ESP 3:32.56; 3 Heyward GBR 3:33.12; 4 Gourley GBR 3:33.65; 5 Stonier GBR 3:33.88
Actual: 1 Ingebrigtsen 3:32.76; 2 Heyward 3:34.44; 3 Garcia 3:34.88; 5 Stonier 3:35.97; 8 Gourley 3:38.40

5000m
The first two were as expected but luckily the first three athletes times were all within a second of our predictions though Yeman Crippa did better than we thought in terms of position.
Prediction: 1 Ingebrigtsen NOR 13:21.65; 2 Katir ESP 13:22.45; 3 Mechaal ESP 13:22.86; 4 Mohumed GER 13:23.45; 5 Crippa ITA 13:23.86; 7 Dever GBR 13:24.35
Actual: 1 Ingebrigtsen 13:21.13; 2 Katir 13:22.98; 3 Crippa 13:24.83; 14 Mechaal 13:35.92; 21 Dever 13:45.89

10,000m
The winner was predictable but otherwise poor forecasts as the second and third were a shock and the British chances were well overestimated.
Prediction: 1 Crippa ITA 27:41.27; 2 Gressier FRA 27:42.65; 3 Scott GBR 27:48.23; 4 Kimeli BEL 27:49.76; 5 Cairess GBR 27:50.01; 6 Atkin GBR 27:51.40
Actual: 1 Crippa 27:46.13; 2 Mezngi 27:46.94; 3 Schrub 27:47.13; 11 Cairess 28:07.37; 12 Scott 28:07.72; Kimeli, Atkin dnf

3000m steeplechase
Our predicted winner came second and close on the actual winner’s time but the Finn’s position was three out!
Prediction: 1  Abdelwahed ITA 8:17.65; 2 Belhadj FRA 8:19.05; 3 Arce ESP 8:21.45; 4 Raintanen FIN 8:22.04; 8  Coleman GBR 8:27.56
Actual: 1 Raintanen 8:21.80; 2 Abdelwahed 8:22.35; 3 Zoghlami 8:23.44; 4 Arce 8:25.00; 10sf Coleman 8:39.22

Marathon
The race winner Richard Ringer was our chosen second but otherwise a very poor prediction.
Prediction: 1 Lamdassem (ESP) 2:11:45; 2 Ringer GER 2:12:10; 3 Tesfarmariam SWE 2:12:45; 4 Meucci ITA 2:13:01; 5 Naert BEL 2:13:20; 10 Mo Aadan GBR 2:14:45
Actual: 1 Ringer 2:10:21; 2 Teferi 2:10:23; 3 Ayale 2:10:29; 6 Lamdassam 2:10:52; 13 Meucci 2:14;22; 30 Aadan 2:17:34; Tesfamariam dnf

110m hurdles
The top two and sixth place (and the nationality of third) correct on a fairly predictable result.
Prediction: 1 Martinez ESP 13.21; 2 Martinot-Lagarde FRA 13.24; 3 Zhoya FRA 13.27; 4 Czykier POL 13.29; 5 Joseph SUI 13.20; 6 Pozzi GBR 13.32
Actual: 1 Martinez 13.14; 2 Martinot-Lagarde 13.14; 3 Kwaou-Mathey 13.33; 6 Pozzi 13.66; 8 Zhoya 16.51

400m hurdles
Warholm was faster than we expected and the winning margin was a lot bigger but we did get the top three and fifth right.
Prediction: 1 Warholm NOR 47.50; 2 Happio FRA 47.56; 3 Copello TUR 48.30; 4 C Bengtstrom SWE 48.61; 5 J Abuaku GER 48.71
Actual: 1 Warholm 47.12; 2 Happio 48.56; 3 Copello 48.78; 5 Abuaku 48.79

High Jump
Heights were down on the form book due to unfavourable wet conditions but Gianmarco Tamberi won anyway.
Prediction: 1 Tamberi ITA 2.31; 2 Protsenko UKR 2.31; 3 Przbylko GER 2.31; 4 Gasch SUI 2.28; 5 Potye GER 2.28; 10 Clarke-Khan GBR 2.25
Actual: 1 Tamberi 2.30; 2 Potye 2.27; 3 Protsenko 2.27; nh Clarke Khan (effectively 9th equal)

Pole Vault
No prizes for guessing the champion here but the championships record should also have probably been foreseen and the minor placings were nothing like our expectations in breezy conditions.
Prediction: 1 Duplantis SWE 6.00; 2 Zernikel GER 5.85; 3 Renaud Lavillenie FRA 5.85; 4 Vloon NED 5.80; 5 Lita Baehre GER 5.80; 12 Coppell GBR 5.65
Actual: 1 Duplantis 6.06; 2 Lita Baehre 5.85; 3 Lillefosse 5.75; 7 Lavillenie 5.65; 9 Zernikel 5.50; Coppell nq

Long Jump
The top two were as expected though but for a very marginal foul, originally allowed, Jacob Fincham-Dukes would have delightedly ruined out predictions.
Prediction: 1 Tentoglou GRE 8.43; 2 Montler SWE 8.23; 3 Caceras ESP 8.15; 4 Juska CZE 8.12; 5 Pommery FRA 8.07; 10 Banigo 8.02
Actual: 1 Tentoglou (GRE) 8.52; 2 Montler 8.06; 3 Pommery 8.06; 4 Caceras 7.98; 5 Fincham-Dukes 7.97; 9 Juska 7.66; 10 Banigo 7.66

Triple Jump
The first two were as expected but Ben Williams did better than forecast but jumped two centimetres less!
Prediction: 1 Pichardo POR 17.67; 2 Dallavalle ITA 17.19; 3 Ihmeje ITA 17.12; 4 Compaore FRA 16.98; 5 Pontvianne FRA 16.91; 9 Williams GBR 16.68
Actual: 1 Pichardo (POR) 17.50; 2 Dallavalle 17.04; 3 Pontvianne 16.94; 6 Williams 16.66

Shot
Filip Mihaljevic did better than anticipated as did Armin Sinancevic, but our expected top five all made the top six.
Prediction: 1 Stanek CZE 21.87; 2 Mihaljevic CRO 21.65; 3 Bukowieki POL 21.23; 4 Haratyk POL 21.19; 5 Ponzio ITA 21.14; 11 Lincoln GBR 20.14
Actual: 1 Mihaljevic 21.88; 2 Sinancevic 21.39; 3 Stanek 21.26; 4 Ponzio 20.98; 5 Haratyk 20.90; 6 Bukowiecki 20.74; 10 Lincoln 19.90

Discus
Probably the overall best quality of any event in Munich saw a few surprises but Lawrence Okoye’s bronze was arguably the British performance of the championships.
Prediction: 1 Ceh SLO 72.03; 2 Alekna LTU 69.85; 3 Stahl SWE 68.12; 4 Gudzius LTU 67.45; 5 Weisshaidinger AUT 66.35; 6 Okoye GBR 65.55
Actual: 1 Alekna 69.78; 2 Ceh 68.28; 3 Okoye 67.14; 5 Stahl 66.39; 6 Gudzius 65.40

Hammer
Five-time world champion Pawel Fajdek not only lost out on victory to his compatriot Wojciech Nowicki’s world lead but failed to even medal as we had the top five in the wrong order.
Prediction: 1 Fajdek POL 81.45; 2 Nowicki POL 80.84; 3 Halasz HUN 79.87; 4 Kokhan UKR 79.25; 5 Henriksen NOR 78.84; 10 Miller GBR 76.75
Actual: 1 Nowicki 82.00; 2 Halasz 80.92; 3 Henriksen 79.45; 4 Fajdek 79.15; 5 Kokhan 78.48; 8 Miller 77.29

READ MORE: Euro Champs reports, news and photos

Javelin
The top four were all in our top five predictions and we got Weber’s throw to within a centimetre but in a fantastic atmosphere the German won gold in the closest ever fight for first and second.
Prediction: 1 Vadlejch CZE 88.90; 2 Weber GER 87.65; 3 Hofmann GER 86.86; 4 Etelatalo FIN 84.35; 5 Vesely CZE 84.22
Actual: 1 Weber 87.66; 2 Vadlejch 87.28; 3 Etelatalo 86.44; 4 Vesely 84.36; 5 Kuusela 80.20

Decathlon
Kevin Mayer did not get through the first event unscathed but Niklas Kaul, not hindered by incredible support produced the best two combined final events in history to catch runaway leader Simon Ehammer.
Prediction: 1 Mayer FRA 8656; 2 Ehammer SUI 8445; 3 Kaul GER 8432; 4 Uibo EST 8376; 5 Oiglane EST 8324
Actual: 1 Kaul 8545; 2 Ehammer 8468; 3 Oiglane 8346; 4 Nilsson 8327; 5 Uibo 8234; Mayer dnf

20km Walk
Olympic and world champion Massimo Stano was below his best but Alvaro Martin and Perseus Karlstrom did win medals.
Prediction: 1 Stano ITA 1:18:10; 2 Karlstrom SWE 1:18:20; 3 Martin ESP 1:20:03; 4 Brembach GER 1:20:07; 5 Amezcua ESP 1:20:15; 10 Wilkinson GBR 1:21:25
Actual: 1 Martin 1:19:11; 2 Karlstrom 1:19:23; 3 Garcia 1:19:45; 4 Amezcua 1:20:00; 8 Stano 1:21:18; Wilkinson dq

35km Walk
Perseus Karlstrom, so normally reliable, wasn’t here but we did guess medals for Miguel Angel Lopez and Christopher Linke.
Prediction: 1 Karlstrom SWE 2:24:30; 2 Linke GER 2:25:34; 3 Lopez ESP 2:26:00; 4 Quinion FRA 2:26:25; 5 Ojala FIN 2:26:56
Actual: 1 Lopez 2:26:49; 2 Linke 2:29:30; 3 Giupponi ITA 2:30:34; Karlstrom DNF

4×100
Britain’s win was always favoured in an event that can go wrong but Germany and Italy’s demise was not foreseen.
Prediction: 1 GBR 37.90; 2 Italy 38.02; 3 Germany 38.05; 4 France 38.45; 5 Spain 38.60
Actual: 1 GBR 37.67; 2 FRA 37.94; 3 Poland 38.15; Germany dnf; Italy dnq

4x400m
We had Belgium and Britain in wrong order and times were quicker than anticipated.
Prediction: 1 Belgium 3:01.05; 2 Great Britain 3:01.65; 3 Poland 3:01.80; 4 France 3:02.00; 5 Germany 3:02.06
Actual: 1 GBR 2:59.35; 2 Belgium 2:59.49; 3 France 2:59.64; 7 Germany 3:02.51; Poland dnq

Women

100m
We got Gina Luckenkemper’s time right but were way out on positions as a few were unable to replicate their very best form.
Prediction: 1 Asher-Smith GBR 10.89; 2 Neita GBR 10.92; 3 Kambundji SUI 10.95; 4 Luckenkemper GER 10.99; 5 Swoboda POL 11.03
Actual: 1 Luckenkemper 10.99; 2 Kambundji 10.99; 3 Neita 11.00 (10.95sf); 4 Swobada 11.18; 5 Lansiquot 11.21; 8 Asher-Smith 16.03 (11.15 SF)

200m
First and second in wrong order and the next two we selected did not compete though did feature in other events in an event lacking depth.
Prediction: 1 Asher Smith GBR 22.10; 2 Kambundji SUI 22.18; 3 Neita GBR 22.36; 4 Adeleke IRL 22.50; 5 Schwab GER 22.65
Actual: 1 Kambundji 22.32; 2 Asher-Smith 22.43; 3 Karstoft 22.72; 4 Williams 22.85

400m
Clearly to form as we had the first two right and the top six were all in the top six.
Prediction: 1 Bol NED 49.75; 2 Kaczmarek POL 49.98; 3 Klaver NED 50.23; 4 Kielbasinska POL 50.45; 5 Adeleke IRL 50.65; 6 Ohuruogu GBR 50.69
Actual: 1 Bol 49.44; 2 Kaczmarek 49.94; 3 Kielbasinska 50.29; 4 Ohuruogu 50.51; 5 Adeleke 50.53; 6 Klaver 50.56

800m
The first two were no surprise.
Prediction: 1 Hodgkinson GBR 1:57.81; 2 Lamote FRA 1:58.55; 3 Lyakhova UKR 1:59.40; 4 Reekie GBR 1:59.45; 5 Horvat SLO 1:59.51
Actual: 1 Hodgkinson 1:59.04; 2 Lamote 1:59.49; 3 Wielgosz 1:59.87; 5 Reekie 2:00.31; 6 Bell 2:00.68

1500m
Laura Muir and Sofia Ennaoui’s medals were predictable but Ciara Mageean again and Katie Snowden did better than we anticipated.
Prediction: 1 Muir GBR 4:03.65; 2 Ennaoui POL 4:04.01; 3 Sabbatini ITA 4:04.50; 4 Mageean IRL 4:04.65; 5 Klein GER 4:05.23
Actual: 1 Muir 4:01.08; 2 Mageean 4:02.56; 3 Ennaoui 4:03.59; 4 Snowden 4:04.97; 5 Klein 4:05.49; 9 Sabbatini 4:06.04

5000m
We got first, third and fifth correct.
Prediction: 1 Klosterhalfen GER 14:44.56; 2 Grovdal NOR 14:44.86; 3 McColgan GBR 14:46.85; 4 Can TUR 14:53.23; 5 Markovc GBR 14:57.80
Actual: 1 Klosterhalfen 14:50.47; 2 Can 14:56.91; 3 McColgan 14:59.34; 4 Koster 15:03.29; 5 Markovc 15:08.76; 6 Thackery 15:08.79; Gtovdal DNF

10,000m
Yasemin Can’s return to top form caught us out slightly but we got McColgan’s position and were only five seconds out on time.
Prediction: 1 Klosterhalfen GER 30:45.66; 2 McColgan GBR 30:46.56; 3 Grovdal NOR 30:48.23; 4 Judd GBR 30:51.23; 5 Can TUR 30:52.65; 7 Harrison GBR 31:20.45
Actual: 1 Can 30:32.57; 2 McColgan 30:41.05; 3 Salpeter 30:46.37; 4 Klosterhalfen 31:05.21; 6 Harrison 31:46.87; 10 Judd 32:23.98

Marathon
This yet again proved championships marathon predictions, Eliud Kipchoge aside, aren’t straightforward. The first two weren’t expected by us.
Prediction: 1 Brinkman NED 2:26:54; 2 Mayer GER 2:28:01; 3 McCormack IRL 2:29:05; 4 Moreira POR 2:29:12; 5 Dattke GER 2:29:23; 8 Alice Wright GBR 2:30:16
Actual: 1 Lisowska 2:28:36; 2 Parlov Kostro 2:28:42; 3 Brinkman 2:28:52; 4 Dattke 2:28:52; 6 Mayer 2:29:21; 7 McCormack 2:29:25; 22 Wright 2:35:33

READ MORE: Euro Champs reports, news and photos

3000m steeplechase
Our anticipated top two two won medals but the other favourites did less well.
Prediction: 1 Gega ALB 9:16.45; 2 Bird GBR 9:17.05; 3 Pratt GBR 9:21.40; 4 Chiara Scherrer SUI 9:22.45; 5 Mismas Zrimsek SLO 9:23.56
Actual: 1 Gega 9:11.31; 2 Meyer 9:15.35; 3 Bird 9:23.18; 4 Konieczek 9:25.15; 5 Guvenc 9:25.58; 7 Pratt 9:35.31

100m hurdles
We didn’t anticipate Sember’s rare error but Pia Skrzyszowska would have been hard to beat even with a clear run.
Prediction: 1 Sember GBR 12.51; 2 Visser NED 12.59; 3 Skrzyszowska  POL 12.62; 4 Kambundji SUI 12.69; 5 Kozak HUN 12.75
Actual: 1 Skrzyszowska 12.53; 2 Kozak 12.69; 3 Kambundji 12.74; 4 Visser 12.75; 8 Sember 13.16

400m hurdles
The first two were always obvious though Bol’s margin was bigger than we expected.
Prediction: 1 Bol NED 52.80; 2 Tkachuk UKR 54.01; 3 Kloster NOR 54.12; 4 Ryzhykova UKR 54.36; 5 Gallego ESP 54.60; 7 Knight GBR 54.91
Actual: 1 Bol 52.67; 2 Tkachuk 54.30; 3 Ryzhykova 54.86; 4 Gallego 54.97; 3 sf Kloster 55.63; 4 sf Knight 55.39

High Jump
Not a difficult event to predict though heights were way down on expectations as was the form of Eugene bronze medallist Elena Vallortigara.
Prediction: 1 Mahuchikh UKR 2.03; 2 Vallortigara ITA 2.00; 3 Heraschenko UKR 2.00; 4 Topic SRB 1.97; 5 Vukovic MNE 1.95
Actual: 1 Mahuchikh 1.95; 2 Vukovic 1.95; 3 Topic 1.93; 4 Weerman 1.93; Heraschenko 1.93; 7 Lake 1.90; 9 Vallortigara 1.86

Pole Vault
Wilma Murto with three Finnish records was one of the biggest surprises and improvers at the Championship.
Prediction: 1 Stefanidi GRE 4.70; 2 Sutej SLO 4.70; 3 Bruni ITA 4.65; 4 Retzius NOR 4.65; 5 Lisa Gunnarson SWE 4.60; 9 Molly Caudery GBR 4.50
Actual: 1 Murto 4.85; 2 Stefanidi 4.75; 3 Sutej 4.75; 4 Holm/Moser 4.55; 7 Bruni/Caudery 4.55; 12 Retzius 4.25

Long Jump
Surprisingly Malaika Mihambo did not win but the expected challengers were all in contention. We were both two centimetres and positions out on Jazmin Sawyers.
Prediction: 1 Mihambo GER 6.97; 2 Sagnia SWE 6.87; 3 Vuleta SRB 6.85; 4 Bekh-Romanchuk UKR 6.81; 5 Sawyers GBR 6.78
Actual: 1 Vuleta 7.06; 2 Mihambo 7.03; 3 Sawyers 6.80; 4 Bekh-Romanchuk 6.76; 5 Iapachino 6.62; 6 Sagnia 6.61

Triple Jump
Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk was better than anticipated but we got all the top six (including Metzger) in our selections and close with the third to sixth distances.
Prediction: 1 Bekh-Romanchuk UKR 14.56; 2 Mamona POR 14.45; 3 Eckhardt-Noack GER 14.39; 4 Makela FIN 14.36; 5 Minenko ISR 14.35; 6 Metzger GBR 14.29
Actual: 1 Bekh-Romachuk 15.02; 2 Makela 14.64; 3 Minenko 14.45; 4 Eckhardt-Noack 14.43; 5 Mamona 14.41; 6 Metzger 14.33

READ MORE: Euro Champs reports, news and photos

Shot
All the top five were chosen and most in the right order though Jessica Schilder was better than we expected.
Prediction: 1 Schilder NED 19.56; 2 Dongmo POR 19.45; 3 Roos SWE 19.06; 4 Van Klinken NED 18.87; 5 Gambetta GER 18.65; 11 Strickler GBR 17.97
Actual: 1 Schilder 20.24; 2 Dongmo 19.82; 3 Van Klinken 18.94; 4 Roos 18.55; 5 Gambetta 18.48; 12 McKinna 16.29 (17.33q)

Discus
One largely to the form book though Kristin Pudenz came surprisingly close to denying Perkovic’s record sixth successive title.
Prediction: 1 Perkovic 69.23; 2 van Klinken NED 67.34; 3 Craft GER 65.45; 4 Pudenz GER 64.87; 5 Vita GER 64.65
Actual: 1 Perkovic 67.95; 2 Pudenz 67.87; 3 Vita 65.20; 4 Van Klinken 64.43; 7 Craft 62.78; 9 Lally 57.08

Hammer
In Anita Wlodarczyk’s absence one of the most disappointing events in Munich and not entirely to form.
Prediction: 1 Fantini ITA 74.86; 2 Kopron POL 73.45; 3 Skydan AZE 73.24; 4 Tervo FIN 72.95; 5 Ghelber ROU 72.85
Actual: 1 Ghelber 72.72; 2 Rozanska 72.12; 3 Fantini 71.58; 4 Skydan 70.88; 8 Tervo 67.85

Javelin
Teenagers Elina Tzengko and Adriana Vilagos surprised the old guard and the form book.
Prediction: 1 Muze LAT 63.25; 2 Tzengko GRE 62.65; 3 Spotakova CZE 62.45; 4 Jasiunaite LTU 61.90; 5 Kolak CRO 61.75
Actual: 1 Tzengko 65.81; 2 Vilagos 62.01; 3 Spotakova 60.68; 4 Szilagyi 60.57; 6 Jasiunaite 58.95; 7 Muze 58.11

Heptathlon
Nafi Thiam’s assault on the Championships record and a decent total fell apart with a poor long jump while Anouk Vetter’s challenge also ended there with injury but otherwise close to form.
Prediction: 1 Thiam BEL 6887; 2 Vetter NED 6756; 3 Sulek POL 6595; 4 Vidts BEL 6498; 5 Kalin SWE 6445; 10 O’Dowda 6301
Actual: 1 Thiam 6628; 2 Sulek 6532; 3 Kalin 6515; 4 Vidts 6467; 7 O’Dowda 6187; Vetter DNF

20km Walk
It was not anticipated that the 35km winner Antigoni Drisbioti would double up but our selection for first followed home the Greek.
Prediction: 1 1 Zdzieblo POL 1:28:02; 2 Perez ESP 1:28:10; 3 Feige GER 1:29:45; 4 Cabecinha POR 1:29:55; 5 Olyanovska UKR 1:29:59; 12 Lewis 1:34:01
Actual: 1 Drisbioti 1:29:03; 2 Zdzieblo 1:29:20; 3 Feige 1:29:25; 4 Olyanovska 1:29:46; 8 Cabecinha 1:31:56; Perez dq

35km Walk
For such a long, often unpredictable event, with disqualifications this was surprisingly similar to what was anticipated.
Prediction: 1 Drisbioti GRE 2:43:50; 2 Gonzalez ESP 2:45:02; 3 Henriques POR 2:49:35; 4 Niedzialek POL 2:50:10; 5 Madarasz HUN 2:51:16
Actual: 1 Drisbioti (GRE) 2:47:00; 2 Gonzalez 2:49:10; 3 Madarasz 2:49:58; 5 Niedzialek 2:53:12; 9 Henriques 2:58:34

4×100
Britain failed to get the baton round for the first time in a decade but otherwise it was fairly predictable but we badly underestimated Poland.
Prediction: 1 Great Britain 41.85; 2 Germany 41.98; 3 Switzerland 42.35; 4 Spain 42.55; 5 Italy 42.65
Actual: 1 Germany 42.34; 2 Poland 42.61; 3 Italy 42.84; 4 Spain 43.03; GB DNF (42.83 ht)

4×400
Close to the form book but Bol’s 48.52 anchor swayed the verdict to Netherlands.
Prediction: 1 Poland 3:21.45; 2 Netherlands 3:22.05; 3 Great Britain 3:22.23; 4 France 3:25.54; 5 Belgium 3:26.05
Actual: 1 Netherlands 3:20.87; 2 Poland 3:21.68; 3 Great Britain 3:21.74; 4 Belgium 3:22.02; 5 Germany 3:26.09