Olympic medallists were among those to be crowned European Games champions as the first individual medals in athletics were decided yesterday in Silesia.

The first of 38 gold medals on offer at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzow was claimed by Femke Bol of the Netherlands, whoset a championship record on her way to victory in thewomen’s 400m.

Bol raced home in a time of 48.92 to finish ahead of home favourite Natalia Kaczmarek and add to the European Championships gold she won in Munich last summer.

The Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist was competing as part of her Dutch national team on the first of three days of competition in the First Division of the European Team Championships in athletics.

It follows three days of competition in the Second and Third Divisions, with athletes from all three phases eligible to secure individual medals based on their times, heights and distances recorded at the Games.

In total, 48 countries are represented in athletics, with 16 reigning European champions on the start list for the European Games, which are doubling – for the first time – as the stage for the prestigious continental team championship.

The team medals will be the last to be awarded following the final First Division event – the 4 X 400m mixed relay scheduled on Sunday, 25 June.

Friday’s competition saw 12 European Games titles decided,with 18 nations represented on the podiums and nine achieving golds.

The new champions included home star Ewa Swoboda, whosecured a popular win for Poland in the women’s 100m, and Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Kristin Pudenz, who was victorious in the women’s discus for Germany.

Overall, Italy enjoyed the most success in the SilesianStadium on Friday as Samuele Ceccarelli won the men’s 100m, Sara Fantini took gold in the women’s hammer throw and Tobia Bocchi claimed the triple jump crown.

Friday 23 June: Full athletics results

Women’s 400m

Gold: Femke Bol (Netherlands)

Silver: Natalia Kaczmarek (Poland)

Bronze: Andrea Miklos (Romania)

Women’s hammer throw

Gold: Sara Fantini (Italy)

Silver: Bianca Ghelber (Romania)

Bronze: Silja Kosonen (Finland)

Women’s shot put

Gold: Auriol Dongmo (Portugal)

Silver: Yemisi Ogunleye (Germany)

Bronze: Axelina Johansson (Sweden)

Men’s 400m

Gold: Havard Ingvaldsen (Norway)

Silver: Joao Coelho (Portugal)

Bronze: Liemarvin Bonevacia (Netherlands)

Women’s 5000m

Gold: Agate Caune (Latvia)

Silver: Nadia Battocletti (Italy)

Bronze: Hannah Nuttall (Great Britain)

Men’s 800m

Gold: Ramon Wipfli (Switzerland)

Silver: Filip Snejdr (Czechia)

Bronze: Mehmet Celik (Turkey)

Men’s triple jump

Gold: Tobia Bocchi (Italy)

Silver: Necati Er (Turkey)

Bronze: Vladyslav Shepeliev (Ukraine)

Men’s 3000m steeplechase

Gold: Daniel Arce (Spain)

Silver: Emil Blomberg (Sweden)

Bronze: Zak Seddon (Great Britain)

Women’s discus throw

Gold: Kristin Pudenz (Germany)

Silver: Daisy Osakue (Italy)

Bronze: Melina Robert-Michon (France)

Women’s 100m

Gold: Ewa Swoboda (Poland)

Silver: Rani Rosius (Belgium)

Bronze: N’Ketia Seedo (Netherlands)

Men’s 100m

Gold: Samuele Ceccarelli (Italy)

Silver: Raphael Bouju (Netherlands)

Bronze: Jeremiah Azu (Great Britain)