# Slovak participation in European Athletics Championships

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/slovak-participation-in-european-athletics-championships
> Updated: 2026-08-11T11:01:55.000Z. Sources: 16. Developments: 3.

Emma Zapletalová has secured the gold medal in the 400m hurdles at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham. The 26-year-old Slovak athlete, who entered the competition as the heavy favorite, finished with a time of 52.91 seconds, placing ahead of Great Britain’s Emily Newnham (53.33s) and Portugal’s Fatoumata Bintou Diallo (53.55s).

Despite her victory, Zapletalová expressed some dissatisfaction with her performance, noting she had aimed for a personal best and made a mistake at the ninth hurdle. This error forced her to take sixteen steps instead of her preferred fourteen or fifteen. Her coach, Bram Peters, highlighted the intense mental and physical preparation necessary to manage the pressure of being a favorite. This achievement marks the second gold medal for Slovakia in the history of its independence at the European Athletics Championships, following Libor Charfreitag’s hammer throw win in 2010.

Parallel to the athletic results, the championships have faced criticism regarding the atmosphere at Alexander Stadium. Reports indicate that nearly 10,000 seats remained empty during the first final evening, with top-tier tickets priced as high as £150. Critics and former athletes have suggested that these high costs, combined with a lack of local promotion, may be impacting accessibility, spectator attendance, and the event’s future hosting bids.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-11: Emma Zapletalová wins gold in 400m hurdles at European Championships

Emma Zapletalová won gold in the 400m hurdles at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, clocking 52.91 seconds to secure Slovakia's second independent European athletics gold.

16 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/emma-zapletalov-reaches-400m-hurdles-final-in-birmingham

### 2026-08-09: Emma Zapletalová enters European Athletics Championships as 400m hurdles favorite

Emma Zapletalová enters the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham as a top favorite in the 400m hurdles, aiming to secure Slovakia's second gold medal in the era of independence.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/emma-zapletalov-enters-european-athletics-championships-as-400m-hurdles-favorite

### 2026-07-29: Slovak athletes qualify for European Athletics Championships in Birmingham

Thirteen Slovak athletes and two relay teams qualified for the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, with stars like Emma Zapletalová and Matej Baluch among them; more may still be added.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/slovakia-secures-15-athletes-for-european-athletics-championships-in-birmingham

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Cite as: Slovak participation in European Athletics Championships. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/slovak-participation-in-european-athletics-championships