The final entries for the European Athletics Team Championships Second League in Tel Aviv, Israel, on 24-25 June are now available here.
The name that will capture everyone’s attention is Rio 2016 Olympic Games javelin champion Sara Kolak, who will be aiming to get maximum points for Croatia in their bid for a return to the First League they last graced in 2011.
However, she is not the only Olympic medallist who will be in action in Tel Aviv with a strong Hungarian team able to boast of Rio shot put bronze medallist and 2016 European silver medallist Anita Marton who, for good measure, will have a relatively rare outing in the discus as well.
The men’s discus should be one of the feature events of this year’s Second League with Lithuania – who will be aiming immediate promotion to the European Athletics Team Championships First League after being relegated in 2015 – having the in-form Andrius Gudžius in their team.
Gudžius threw a European-leading personal best of 68.61m earlier this month but the loaded field also includes Austria’s Rio sixth-place finisher Lukas Weißhaidinger and two other men who have thrown over 63 metres this season: Hungary’s Zoltan Kovago and Cyprus’ Apolostolis Parellis.
On the track, one of the standout performers should be Serbia’s multiple former U20 and U23 champion Amela bTerzic who is entered for the 1500m and 3000m and favourite for both distances.
Hungary’s Balázs Baji, the 2016 European 110m hurdles silver medallist is the top name in his specialist event.
Hosts Israel probably have their sights set on maintaining their place in the Second League rather than promotion but can look to potentially maximum points from European silver medallist Hanna Minenko and 3000m steeplechase favourite Noam Neeman.