TOKYO — The 2025 Athletics World Championships are producing unforgettable moments, with European athletes stealing the spotlight at the top of the podium. Spain’s María Pérez’s dominant double victory in race walking, Sweden’s Armand “Mondo” Duplantis breaking yet another world record in pole vault, and Italy’s Mattia Furlani making history in the long jump headline the championships so far.

🇪🇸 María Pérez completes historic race walking double

Granada-born María Pérez reaffirmed her global dominance in race walking. In extreme heat and humidity, she stormed to gold in the 35 km walk with a time of 2:39:01, claiming her third world title. Italy’s Antonella Palmisano, the Olympic champion, finished more than three minutes behind.

Just days later, Pérez extended her legend by also winning gold in the 20 km walk with a time of 1:25:54, completing a historic double in Tokyo and cementing her status as one of the all-time greats of the discipline.

📏 Duplantis soars to a new world record

Sweden’s Armand Duplantis once again wrote history in the Tokyo stadium. He cleared 6.30m to set a new pole vault world record, while securing his third world title. With this mark, Duplantis has now broken the world record an astonishing 14 times, underlining his place as one of the greatest talents athletics has ever seen.

🌟 Furlani, the youngest ever world long jump champion

Italy celebrated the rise of Mattia Furlani, just 20 years old, who claimed gold in the long jump with a personal best of 8.39m. The Italian became the youngest world champion in the event’s history. Already a medallist at the European Games, Furlani confirmed in Tokyo that he is the new star of the discipline.

🥇 Other European triumphs in Tokyo

• Jimmy Gressier stuns in the 10,000m
  France’s Jimmy Gressier delivered one of the biggest shocks of the championships, taking gold in the 10,000m in 28:55.77, breaking African dominance. Sweden’s Andreas Almgren added to the European success with bronze — his first major international medal.
• Isaac Nader takes 1500m gold
  In a thrilling final, Portugal’s Isaac Nader claimed the 1500m title, defeating Britain’s 2022 world champion Jake Wightman. The win signals Portugal’s emergence as a middle-distance powerhouse.
• Ditaji Kambundji reigns in 100m hurdles
  Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji stormed to the world title in the 100m hurdles, setting a new national record. At just 23 years old, she has confirmed her rise as one of Europe’s sprinting stars.
• Nadia Battocletti, Italy’s double medallist
  Italian distance runner Nadia Battocletti took silver in the 10,000m and bronze in the 5,000m, establishing herself as one of the standout performers of the championships.
• Femke Bol defends her crown in 400m hurdles
  The Dutch superstar confirmed her dominance by retaining her world title in the 400m hurdles.
• Pedro Pichardo back on top in triple jump
  Portugal’s Pedro Pichardo reclaimed the world title with a superb 17.91m, returning his country to gold medal glory.
• Leo Neugebauer leads Germany to decathlon gold
  The German all-rounder became world champion, proving his status as one of athletics’ most complete athletes.
• Daniel Ståhl strikes gold in discus
  Sweden’s Daniel Ståhl once again showed his class, winning discus gold to extend Nordic dominance in the event.
• More European medals in the field
  Germany’s Merlin Hummel took silver in hammer throw, while Hungary’s Bence Halász claimed bronze. Czech Jan Štefela also secured bronze in high jump.
• Iliass Aouani brings marathon bronze for Italy
  Italy’s Iliass Aouani captured a historic bronze in the men’s marathon, rounding off a superb championships for the Azzurri.
• Kate O’Connor wins historic silver for Ireland
  Ireland’s Kate O’Connor achieved a historic silver medal in heptathlon, with several personal bests. It marked Ireland’s first track medal at a World Championships in decades.

Europe is enjoying an especially brilliant World Championships, with established stars like Pérez and Duplantis shining alongside young talents such as Furlani, Gressier, Kambundji, Battocletti and O’Connor, symbolising the generational shift at the very top of world athletics