Derkach strikes triple jump gold as Italy collects sixth medal at European Athletics Championships

Derkach's golden night

Dariya Derkach won Italy's first gold medal in the women's triple jump at the European Outdoor Athletics Championships, leaping 14.60m on her fourth attempt at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium on Thursday, 13 August. The 33-year-old, born in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, and raised in Campania since age nine, led from her opening jump of 14.53m and never relinquished first place. Belgium's Saliyya Guisse took silver with 14.46m, and Bulgaria's Aleksandra Nacheva earned bronze with 14.40m. The triple jump competition was delayed 35 minutes after a traffic accident on the only road leading to the stadium held up a bus carrying some of the athletes.

Derkach's winning mark of 14.60m set a new personal best and stood as the best European distance of the season. The gold capped a comeback from a difficult 2025, during which she underwent three operations on her Achilles tendons. She had previously won silver at the 2023 European Indoor Championships in Istanbul, but the outdoor title had eluded her across a career spanning three Olympics and three World Championships. Derkach became an Italian citizen in 2013 and trains in Formia under coach Alessandro Nocera.

It's the best night of my career. I've overcome everything so far, but my desire to succeed has been stronger.

Italy's medal tally

Derkach's gold was Italy's sixth medal of the championships and their third gold, following Leonardo Fabbri's shot put victory and Nadia Battocletti's 5,000m triumph. The Azzurri also collected silvers from Zane Weir (shot put) and Sara Fantini (hammer), plus a bronze from Micol Majori (5,000m). Italy sat second in the medal table behind hosts Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Italian finalists across events

In the men's 800m final, Francesco Pernici finished fifth in 1:45.77, a race won by Ireland's Mark English in 1:45.26. Eloisa Coiro qualified for the women's 800m final with a third-place semifinal finish in 1:57.74, within two tenths of the Italian record of 1:57.56 she set in the heats two days earlier.

It's been a year that I've known I'm at a certain level, the semifinal was difficult, I'm tired, but happy and content with how I ran. It will be a beautiful final, I have nothing to lose and everything to gain, you dream!

Fausto Desalu and Filippo Dezza both reached the men's 200m final, Desalu winning his semifinal in 20.08 and Dezza setting a personal best of 20.35. Giovanni Frattini became the first Italian in 44 years to reach the European javelin final, throwing 80.54m. Nine Italians advanced from the morning session: Osama Zoghlami won his 3,000m steeplechase heat in 8:34.52, joined by Yassin Bouih (8:36.25) and Ala Zoghlami (8:36.52). High jumpers Asia Tavernini and Idea Pieroni both cleared 1.91m to reach their first European final. On 14 August, Pietro Arese (1,500m, 3:41.94), Matteo Oliveri (pole vault, 5.60m), and Paola Padovan (javelin, 56.90m) added their names to the finalist list.

What's ahead

On Friday evening, 14 August, Coiro will contest the 800m final alongside Keely Hodgkinson and Femke Broeders-Bol, while Desalu and Dezza race in the 200m final. Battocletti will seek a second gold in the 10,000m, having already won the 5,000m. Gianmarco Tamberi will compete in the high jump on the same evening, with Italy fielding four athletes in a European final for the first time. The lineup includes Matteo Sioli, who holds a personal best of 2.30m and has two Diamond League wins in 2026. The 3,000m steeplechase final is scheduled for Sunday, 16 August.