On Thursday, the European U23 Athletics Championships began in Bergen (Norway), with a total of 18 Lithuanians participating. On the evening session of the first day of the competition, 5 of our teams started – all of them finished the championship after the qualification stage.

The closest to reaching the semi-finals was Neda Lasickaitė, who improved her personal record, who completed the 100 m hurdles in 13.72 seconds. and took 7th place in his qualification run. Among all participants, the result of the Lithuanian was 26th, and 24 representatives of the barrier race won a ticket to the semi-finals. The result of the last participant to enter was 13.66 seconds.

“Before the run, I heard the results and hoped that maybe I would be able to get to the semi-finals, but unfortunately. I’m glad that at least I managed to achieve a personal record. In this competition, the largest number of participants in the entire championship, it was real. I really hoped for it, I am probably disappointed about it. However, I am happy for the experience gained,” said N. Lasickaitė after the qualification run.

The athlete, who made her debut at the European Championships, also spoke about the breakthrough. This year, N. Lasickaitė improved not only the personal records of the 60 m hurdles (8.41 seconds) and the 100 m hurdles (13.47 seconds, with a permissible wind of 13.72 seconds), but also the 60 m (7.80 seconds) and 100 m (12.30 seconds) career results.

“Most of the stress was before the start, and when you came to the track, it looked like an ordinary race. An interesting and new experience. I am grateful to coach Martas Skrabulis for the improved results. In addition, I started to look at sports differently myself, because I was tired that the last two years were not as good as I expected. I am very happy that this year we are able to realize everything. A lot of motivation, thoughts are also spinning about other international championships, but everything is little by little. Until this season, winter was always better, but now summer is not bad at all,” said N. Lasickaitė.

Gabija Klimukaitė also started in the 100 m hurdles qualification. The athlete covered the distance in 14.27 seconds, took the 8th place in her run, and demonstrated the 44th result among all participants. In 2021, the Lithuanian competed in the World and European U20 Championships, competed in the U20 World Championship in 2022, and in 2023 she tried her hand at the European U23 Championship. The athlete’s best performance came in 2021 in Nairobi, Kenya, when she took 12th place at the U20 World Championships.

“I am satisfied. There were people to whom I promised that I would smile and enjoy this competition, and that’s what I managed to do. As for the result, I was hindered by a lot of barriers, but this is the kind of match. You can be wrong ten times. There were those mistakes, but I’m happy to be here. The run is good, the leg was a little late, we faced an opponent, but everything happens. The experience is very felt compared to the first championships. I feel much calmer on the day of the competition, I stand more firmly on the track. Whatever happens, you have to enjoy such competitions, because they don’t attack every day and not every year. There are hardly any such championships left, so I will get everything I can,” G. Klimukaitė reviewed her performance.

This year, the athlete improved a whole bunch of personal records: 200 m indoors (25.82 seconds), 60 m (7.84 seconds), 200 m (24.95 seconds), 60 m barrier run (8.48 seconds) and 100 m barrier run (13.70 seconds, with a permissible wind – 13.80 seconds). G. Klimukaitė is grateful to the coach and the competitor who pushes her to improve: “A big thank you to coach Marius Vadeikis for his sincere and purposeful work towards the result. A very improved competitor Neda Lasickaitė also contributed. I’m glad that there is someone to run with. I am grateful to her.”

Kasparas Bačianskas, who made his debut at the European Championships, appeared in the javelin throw qualification. In the best attempt, the Lithuanian javelin flew 60.85 m (57.90-59.52-60.85), and this result allowed him to take 20th place. 12 athletes made it to the final of the event, and the result of the last one was 69.93 m. The personal record set by K. Bačianskas this year is 69.41 m.

“The feeling of being here is very good, but I was not lucky to throw. The warm-up was good, but later I didn’t feel the throw at all, my shoulder felt a bit. I feel lost. Probably the excitement and anxiety put their foot down, still the first such big competition. I gained experience, motivation, saw other good shooters, so I will continue to work and hope to perform even better in the future,” said K. Bačianskas.

Two Lithuanian representatives took part in the high jump qualification – Satera Balčaitytė took 22nd place (1.73 m) and Evelina Bukauskaitė – 27th (1.68 m). 14 participants made it to the final of the competition, and the result of the last one was 1.81 m. S. Balčaitytė’s career record is 1.81 m, and E. Bukauskaitė’s – 1.80 m.

“I felt good enough. The legs were good, the jumping was good, but somehow it didn’t work. Anticipation is not that and that’s all. The initial one was overcome, and no more jumps could be made. When I was in the hotel, there was a lot of excitement, but when I arrived at the stadium, I didn’t feel it anymore. It was a joy to participate. A completely different competition. You can’t compare it with those that are happening in Lithuania. Next level. Everything here is exactly the same as on TV. I can’t believe my eyes,” said European Championship debutant E. Bukauskaitė.

The athlete set a personal record this year, on May 20, and later failed to come close to this result: “I jumped 1.80 m at the beginning of the season, and the rest of the season was poor. Probably we shouldn’t have expected anything too much today after such a weak season. I can’t train at full strength because I have problems with both Achilles. We’ll find out with the coaches and I hope it will be better next season.”

The European U23 Championship is broadcast live on the Eurovision Sport portal. The competition in Bergen will take place until Monday.

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Photo by Alfredas Pliadis