Greek long jumper Miltiadis Tentoglou had a difficult season in 2025 that saw him miss the European Championships due to illness and later struggle with injury. But he returned in 2026 to reclaim his place at the top. And he did just that, with his fourth European outdoor victory in a row – one that should make the gold even more valuable after all he had been through. Or so we would think.

On August 11, Tentoglou won the European outdoor long jump title following his previous triumphs in 2018, 2022 and 2024.  Soon after the victory, however, his post-event interview took an unexpected turn. When a reporter asked about his medal, Tentoglou suddenly realized that he had left the gold medal behind.

“No, they gave it to me, but I left it there. Sorry,” Tentoglou said. He then added, “Guys, I left it there too,” before the interviewer joked about the possibility of the situation ending in disqualification. Tentoglou then asked, “Can I take it? Sorry, sorry,” before leaving the interview to retrieve his medal.

The blunder followed Tentoglou’s gold medal-winning performance in a men’s long jump final at the 2026 European Athletics Championships. He went 8.27m in the opening round, 8.19m in the second round and then again jumped with 8.27m in the third round. But Simon Ehammer of Switzerland was ahead with 8.29m and Tentoglou had to muster a bigger response.

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He found it when it mattered most. Tentoglou produced a superb 8.44m on his fourth attempt, moving 15cm clear of Ehammer and taking control of the competition. Bulgaria’s Bozhidar Saraboyukov finished third with 8.26m. Tentoglou could not improve on his fourth-round effort in his final two attempts, but his 8.44m remained the winning mark and secured another European crown.

The victory also carried a historic achievement. Tentoglou became the first athlete in European Championships history to win four gold medals in the long jump, surpassing Igor Ter-Ovanesyan, who had been crowned European champion three times, in 1958, 1962 and 1969. Tentoglou also became the 27th male or female athlete in European Championships history to reach four gold medals.

However, even though it turned out to be an unexpected moment for Tentoglou’s fourth European medal, the championships also had a highly emotional medal moment.

Emily Newnham’s emotional European silver tribute to her mother

Emily Newnham ran the 400m hurdles event at the European Championships in Birmingham on August 12. She went into the race with strong momentum after reaching the final by finishing second in her semifinal in 54.32 seconds.

The young Briton had already had a breakthrough in 2025 with a championship record win in the European U23 400m hurdles in Bergen in 54.08 seconds. The senior European final, however, provided her with another big opportunity. She delivered when it mattered most, crossing the finish line in 53.33 seconds to claim silver. The performance was a personal best and moved her to second on the British all-time list for the event, giving her a first senior European individual medal on home soil.

But the result carried an even deeper meaning for Newnham. After the race, she dedicated the medal to her mother, who has been dealing with health issues. She said, “Mum, I love you so much. You’re my inspiration this year. Keep fighting – you’ve got this.”

For Newnham, the silver was the reward for a rapid rise from European U23 champion to senior European medallist.