Rada, Doualla headline stars to watch at the 2025 European Athletics U20 Championships
One of the highlights of last year’s European U18 championships in Banská Bystrica was Rada’s continental best of 49.42, which made him the first European ever to break the 50-second mark over the U18 84-cm hurdles. The 18-year-old is now competing in the senior hurdles and is the top favourite to claim the 400m hurdles title.
Also worth watching in the women’s hurdles is his twin sister, Nina Radova, the 2024 European U18 champion, who’s expected to challenge Tumba, the world U20 gold medallist.
In the men’s 100m, another French athlete, Lenny Chanteur, with a personal best of 10.22 seconds, is the fastest in the field.
Norway’s Håkon Moe Berg aims to achieve a double in the 1500m and 3000m, inspired by Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen. He aspires to follow in the footsteps of his famous compatriot, who won both the 5000m and 3000m steeplechase titles at the 2017 European U20 Championships.
Kelly Doualla ooks set to continue her strong start to international competition in the 100m at Ratinan Stadion.
The Italian, one of the youngest athletes in Tampere at just 15, already holds a European U18 100m best of 11.21 seconds from the European Youth Olympic Festival.
Anastazja Kus is another rising star with the potential to leave her mark in Tampere. The Polish athlete is already a European U18 400m champion.
In the field events, Dutchman Jarno Van Daalen, who won silver at the European Throwing Cup earlier this year, is expected to dominate the shot put. Multi-event athlete Jana Koscak will look to add the U20 title to her European U18 crown from three years ago.