Portugal to send record 55 athletes to European Championships in Birmingham

Portugal is set to send its largest-ever delegation to the European Athletics Championships, scheduled to take place in Birmingham from August 10 to 16. The Portuguese Athletics Federation (FPA) today unveiled a list of 55 athletes, surpassing the 50 who competed in Rome2024.

The Portuguese contingent is spearheaded by world champions Isaac Nader (1,500 meters), Pedro Pichardo (triple jump), Agate de Sousa, and Gerson Baldé, with the latter two crowned indoors at Torun2026. Pichardo, who reclaimed his outdoor world title in Tokyo2025, and Baldé, also part of the 4x100-meter relay team, are among the nation's top medal hopefuls.

Following a Rome2024 campaign that yielded no titles but three medals (silver for Pichardo and bronze for Agate de Sousa and Liliana Cá in discus), the National Team boasts a strong lineup. The squad includes several recent national record holders, such as João Vieira (half marathon race walk), José Carlos Pinto (5,000 meters), Jéssica Barreira (heptathlon and 100-meter hurdles), Pedro Buaró (pole vault), Sofia Lavreshina (400-meter hurdles), Tatjana Pinto (100 meters), and the 4x100 mixed and 4x400 men's relay teams.

One of the standout names on the roster is race walker João Vieira, who, at 50 years old, will become the Portuguese athlete with the most European Championship appearances, reaching eight. Only French discus thrower Mélina Robert-Michon, 47, surpasses him with nine participations.

The record number of athletes is largely due to the unprecedented qualification of five relay teams. In addition to the 4x100 and 4x400 meters (men's and women's) that competed in Rome, a new 4x100-meter mixed relay team has qualified, involving a total of 12 athletes dedicated to these events.

However, the FPA list also notes some significant absences. Leandro Ramos (javelin), Samuel Barata, and Susana Santos (marathon) were not included despite meeting qualifying standards. Etson Barros, who had qualified for the 3,000-meter steeplechase, is also out as he recovers from a serious car accident in April. Conversely, the return of Tiago Luís Pereira, silver medalist in the triple jump at the Glasgow2024 Indoor World Championships, is a welcome addition.

Leading the delegation, as is tradition, will be Domingos Castro, president of the FPA. Portugal, which only missed the 1946 Oslo edition, has accumulated a total of 41 medals at the European Athletics Championships, comprising 16 gold, 15 silver, and 10 bronze.

European Championship Squad

• Women

• 100 meters: Tatjana Pinto (Sporting) and Arialis Martínez (Benfica).

• 400 meters: Carina Vanessa (Sporting).

• 1,500 meters: Patrícia Silva (Sporting) and Salomé Afonso (Benfica).

• 10,000 meters: Mariana Machado (Sporting de Braga).

• 400-meter hurdles: Fatoumata Diallo (Benfica) and Sofia Lavreshina (Sporting).

• 3,000-meter steeplechase: Laura Taborda (Sporting de Braga).

• Long jump: Agate de Sousa (Benfica).

• Shot put: Jessica Inchude (Sporting), Auriol Dongmo (Sporting), and Eliana Bandeira (Individual).

• Discus throw: Liliana Cá (Sporting) and Irina Rodrigues (Individual).

• Marathon: Vanessa Carvalho (Sporting de Braga), Mónica Silva (CD São Salvador do Campo), and Sara Duarte (CD São Salvador do Campo).

• Half marathon race walk: Vitória Oliveira (Benfica).

• Marathon race walk: Joana Pontes (GA Fátima).

• Heptathlon: Jéssica Barreira (Sporting).

• 4x100 meters: Tatjana Pinto (Sporting) and Arialis Martínez (Benfica), Rosalina Santos (Sporting), Lorène Bazolo (Sporting), Beatriz Castelhano (Sporting), and Catarina Lourenço (Salesianos).

• 4x400 meters: Carina Vanessa (Sporting), Fatoumata Diallo (Benfica) and Sofia Lavreshina (Sporting), Clara Martinha (Sporting), and Catarina Lourenço (Salesianos)

• Men

• 100 meters: Delvis Santos (Sporting).

• 200 meters: Delvis Santos (Sporting).

• 400 meters: Omar Elkhatib (Sporting), João Coelho (Sporting), and Ericsson Tavares (Benfica).

• 1,500 meters: Isaac Nader (Benfica), José Carlos Pinto (Sporting), and Nuno Pereira (Sporting).

• 5,000 meters: José Carlos Pinto (Sporting).

• 110-meter hurdles: Edson Gomes (Juventude Vidigalense).

• 400-meter hurdles: Diogo Barrigana (Sporting) and Mikael Jesús (Benfica).

• 3,000-meter steeplechase: Lourenço Rodrigues (Juventude Ilha Verde) and Leandro Monteiro (Sporting).

• Pole vault: Pedro Buaró (Benfica).

• Long jump: Gerson Baldé (Sporting).

• Triple jump: Pedro Pablo Pichardo (Individual) and Tiago Luís Pereira (Sporting).

• Shot put: Tsanko Arnaudov (Sporting).

• Discus throw: Emanuel Sousa (Benfica).

• Marathon: Carlos Costa (Vizela Corre).

• Half marathon race walk: João Vieira (Sporting), Eduardo Camarate (Benfica), and Tiago Ramos (Sporting).

• 4x100 meters: Gerson Baldé (Sporting), Delvis Santos (Sporting), Paulo Pereira (Sporting de Braga), André Prazeres (Benfica), David Landim (Benfica), and Gabriel Maia (Jardim da Serra).

• 4x400 meters: Ericsson Tavares (Benfica), Omar Elkhatib (Sporting), João Coelho (Sporting), Pedro Afonso (Benfica), Ricardo dos Santos (Benfica), and André Franco (Benfica).