The European Championships countdown is on
Written by I Dig SportsRoma 2024 eagerly prepares to greet fans from June 7 for an exhilarating prelude to the Olympics
From June 7 to 12, Rome will play host to the finest athletes from across the continent as they compete at the Olympic Stadium and in some of the captivating streets of the city.
The monumental event marks 50 years since Rome last hosted the European Athletics Championships in 1974, and the third time in history that Italy has been chosen as the venue, with the first edition in Turin in 1934.
The upcoming championships will serve as a build-up to the Olympic Games in Paris, which will kick off just six weeks later. It will be a vital opportunity for athletes to test their competition and make preparations ahead of the Games.
Venue
This year, with six consecutive days of competition and 11 sessions in total, spectators will watch the athletes in action from the stands and curves of the Stadio Olimpico in the Foro Italico Park.
Nestled near Romes historic centre and the picturesque Monte Mario hill, the Foro Italico Park is a remarkable architectural heritage site. Known as the most important sports centre in Rome, it embodies the pinnacle of Italian sporting excellence.
At the heart of the Park lies the Stadio Olimpico, which hosts all the home fixtures for football clubs AS Roma and SS Lazio, not to mention national and international competitions, as well as being the home ground for the Italian national football team.
Beyond football, the stadium is also a haven for rugby, hosting Six Nations fixtures and various Test matches.
The Foro Italico also attracts global attention for many other events, such as BNL Italia (IBI) tennis internationals and the celebrated Golden Gala athletics meet. Recent highlights include the European Swimming Championships and the Beach Volleyball World Championships.
There will also be a Fan Village within the park ready to host all the spectators during the championships.
Schedule
The championships, which take place every two years, kicks off with the womens heptathlon starting on the Friday morning.
Friday evening will see the first finals. The womens 20km race walk will mark the beginning of the action, followed by the mens shot put and discus finals in the field. Meanwhile, on the track will be the 4x400m mixed relay final, while the womens 5000m will end the evening.
Saturday night promises an exciting line-up of events. The action starts with the mens 20km race walk, followed by the finals of the mens long jump and womens discus throw. The womens heptathlon will conclude with the 800m whilst spectators can expect multiple showdowns in the womens 100m hurdles, the mens 110m hurdles, and the mens 5000m, ending with the exciting 100m mens final.
As we move on to Sunday, athletes will run around the streets of Rome for the mens and womens half marathon. Later on in the day will see the women competing head-to-head in the high jump final, the mens hammer throw and the womens triple jump. On the track, the night will begin with the womens 3000m steeplechase final followed by the mens 800m, womens 1500m and finally the womens 100m.
The decathlon will begin on Monday as the finals for the womens pole vault, hammer throw and 400m will also take place. The mens events will include the 400m, 3000m steeplechase and the 200m final.
On the penultimate day we will see the mens high jump and triple jump final take place alongside the mens and womens 400m hurdles. The decathlon will finish with the 1500m, as the women will race in the 10,000m final and the 200m final, whilst the womens javelin takes place in the field.
The last day of the championships will see an exciting last few events. In the field, the mens pole vault, javelin and the womens long jump will take place. Meanwhile, on the track we will see the womens 800m final, the mens 10,000m and 1500m finals, as well as the 4x400m and 4x100m relays.
Tickets
Tickets and season tickets are on sale here, with prices starting from 5 plus advance sales fees and service fees for single morning match sessions.
Season tickets are available for the first three days of racing (7-9 June), the last three (10-12 June) and the complete package to follow the entire event (7-12 June).
The Local Organising Committee have extended a special 25% discount on Roma 2024 tickets exclusively for members of the athletics community until May 20.
Premium tickets are also on sale for those who want to enjoy the most exciting challenges from the front row.
Free entry will be allowed for children up to six years of age.