Sporting Crowned Back-to-Back Champions, Women Secure 16th Consecutive Title

Sporting successfully defended their national outdoor track and field championship title in Coimbra this Sunday, triumphing over rivals Benfica in the men's division. In the women's competition, the 'Lionesses' asserted their overwhelming dominance, securing their 16th consecutive trophy.

The Sporting men's team, who in 2025 broke Benfica's 14-year championship streak, entered the second day of events with a five-point lead and managed to maintain it. The competitions were held across the Estádio Cidade de Coimbra and the Sobral de Ceira Throwing Training Center.

Sporting's victory was built on crucial wins in direct confrontations with their Lisbon rivals. In the 400-meter hurdles, Diogo Barrigana outpaced Mikael de Jesus, while in the 800 meters, David Garcia edged out Thomas Garcia. In the 110-meter hurdles, Francisco Marques overtook Sisínio Ambriz in the final stretch.

Adding to these results, Emmanuel Eseme secured a comfortable win in the 200 meters, and Iceland's Johnsson Orn dominated the hammer throw for Sporting. The title was effectively sealed in the 400-meter relay, where the Alvalade team won decisively, with the championship already all but guaranteed.

Benfica, for their part, managed to secure important victories, though not enough to overcome the deficit. Vladyslav Lavskyi dominated the high jump, with Sporting's Gerson Baldé finishing third. In the discus throw, national record holder Emanuel Sousa won comfortably, in an event where Sporting's Edujose Lima placed only fifth. Tiago Pereira, in the triple jump (15.50m), and Isaac Nader, in the 3,000 meters, also delivered wins for the 'Eagles'.

In the women's division, Sporting's superiority was undeniable, with seven victories in ten events on the second day. Sofia Lavreshina (400-meter hurdles), Jessica Inchude (shot put), Tatjana Pinto (200 meters), Arianne Morais (javelin throw), Joana Barreto (pole vault), Jéssica Barreira (110-meter hurdles), and the 400-meter relay team all contributed to their 16th consecutive title.

The only event of the day not won by an athlete from the Lisbon derby was the 3,000-meter steeplechase, claimed by Spain's Bakr Mohsine of Marinha Grande. In the women's triple jump, victory went to Lucinda Gomes of Estreito.

Notably, the Benfica women's team, competing in the 3rd division after an absence in 2025, made a remarkable recovery, climbing from 12th to 5th place overall. In the same division, but for the men, former Olympic champion Nelson Évora contributed to Juventude Ilha Verde's victory by winning the triple jump event with a mark of 15.40 meters.