At the events of the European Athletics Federation held in Georgia for three days – convention and congress – important topics of sport for the queen of sport were discussed. In the resort of Batumi, located on the shores of the Black Sea, representatives of 49 countries shared their experience, and the meeting was crowned with the Golden Tracks awards.

Every year, the European athletics community gathers at the European Athletics Convention to discuss current affairs after the season, and every two years, if it is not an election year, a congress is held at the same time. The Lithuanian Athletics Federation was represented at the events by President Eimantas Skrabulis, Secretary General Nijolė Medvedeva, Vice-President Brigita Virbalytė and Speaker Vilija Smilgevičienė.

“Naturally, a tradition has formed that conventions and congresses are held, because most of the world’s athletics is generated on the European continent – athletes win many medals in top-level competitions, and two-thirds of important competitions take place here. Europe is creating and is a clear leader in world athletics. The community gathers, openly discusses and this is very important, because we are like one family,” says Eimantas Skrabulis, President of the Lithuanian Athletics Federation.

New rating calculation system introduced

This year, the European Athletics convention covered topical topics ranging from athletics to athletics for all. “Athletics for All”) to the implementation of competition formats, good governance principles and sustainability policies. Participants performed various practical tasks in groups, listened to experienced lecturers and discussed. The new rating calculation system introduced by World Athletics attracted great interest. In athletics competitions of all ranks, athletes will receive fewer points for the places taken than before, while in the competitions of A, B and C levels, the 12 best athletes will receive points instead of the 1st-8th places.

“Interestingly, we have heard about changes in the rating system, but only in the future we will see if it will be favorable to athletes. It is strange that points are reduced for competitions at all levels, from the highest ranking to the national championships and the lowest level competitions. It is really difficult to say what positive change this will make so far,” says Nijolė Medvedeva, Secretary General of the Lithuanian Athletics Federation.

The changes in the calculation of ratings will come into force from 2026.

Changes in the European Championship program

On the second day, the European Athletics Congress held elections for the vacant one seat in the European Athletics Council. The winner was the Greek Panagiotis Dimakos, who overtook the Swiss Christoph Seiler and the Ukrainian Olha Saladukh.

“Certain trends are forming in the European athletics community and this cannot be underestimated. The elections have once again shown that the Balkan countries are highly consolidated, while Western and Northern Europe or the Baltic countries operate more independently. You will never make a decision alone, you need partners, a team. The election results signal that Western Europe, which has the best traditions of athletics, needs to wake up from a deep sleep and fight to make the sport better,” says Eimantas Skrabulis, President of the Lithuanian Athletics Federation.

Dimakos will serve on the council for the remainder of his four-year term, until 2027. European Athletics Congress.

The European Athletics Congress has also officially approved the changes to the European Athletics Championships program. Representatives of sport walking will no longer compete in the 2026 championship in Birmingham in the distances of 20 km and 35 km, but in the distances of half marathon and marathon, and the mixed 4×100 m relay will also be included in the championship program.

The Baltic countries – Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – signed a cooperation agreement for 2026, as they do every year. Baltic Championships and Competition Regulations.

The best in Europe – F. Bol and A. Duplantis

The European Athletics Federation’s reception in Batumi on Saturday evening was crowned with awards for the best athletes on the continent. However, the world’s brightest athletics stars – Femke Bol and Armand Duplantis – could not come to the Golden Tracks awards celebration.

The queen of the 400 m hurdles F. Bol became the first woman in the history of the Golden Tracks awards to win the Athlete of the Year award three times (2022-2023, recognized as a rising star in 2021). This year, the representative of the Netherlands won two gold medals at the European Indoor Athletics Championships in Apeldoorn (mixed 4×400 m and women’s 4×400 m relay events), three more awards were added to the medal dowry at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo – gold in the 400 m hurdles, silver in the mixed 4×400 m relay race, bronze in the women’s 4×400 m relay race. Recently, F. Bol announced that he will compete in the 800 m race from next season.

Sweden’s A. Duplantis also won the title of Athlete of the Year for the third time. The pole vaulter won the World Championships both indoors and outdoors this year, and raised the world record to 6.30 m.

This year’s rising stars were the 800 m runner Audrey Werro from Switzerland and the decathlete from Poland Hubert Troščianka.

Next year, the European Athletics Convention will be held in Lausanne.