Ignite: A European Athletics Series

In this special bonus episode of Ignite, Grace Davies sits down with Peter Sanderson to discuss her musical career.

After emerging on talent show The X-Factor, Grace's career has taken many turns, leading her to reocrd the official song for the European Championships in Rome.

She'll be performing "Illuminate" at the closing ceremony.

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Written by: Peter Sanderson and Garry Hayes

Produced by: Garry Hayes

Series mix: Teyler Hayes

Our series music is released under license

For tickets to the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, visit https://roma2024.vivaticket.it/

This is Katarina Johnson-Thompson’s story. In her words.

She's been one of Great Britain's shining lights in track and field ever since bursting onto the heptathlon scene as a teenager. And now at 31 years old, Katarina Johnson-Thompson's career is reaching its zenith as she embarks on the final frontier - winning European and Olympic gold.

The Liverpool-born star has stood atop the podium at the Commonwealth Games and indoor championships, while she's also been a world champion. So with those final two competitions continuing to elude her, KJT's mission this summer is clear.

If she completes the set, she will emulate her idol Jess Ennis, too, while cementing her own legacy in athletics.

What does Roma 2024 hold for the British star?

 

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Written by: Peter Sanderson and Garry Hayes

Produced by: Garry Hayes

Series mix: Teyler Hayes

Our series music is released under license

For tickets to the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, visit https://roma2024.vivaticket.it/

This is Dina Asher-Smith’s story. In her words.

When the continent's elite athletes arrived at the European Championships in Berlin in 2018, they would have been hoping for personal success that would catapult their careers to new heights.

But what we saw instead was something on a whole other level as Berlin became a Championships for the ages. The likes of Mondo Duplantis and Jakob Ingebrigtsen announced themselves to the world with gold-medal winning performances that are still spoken about today.

And so too did Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, who completed a hat-trick of golds in the 100 metre, 200 metre and 4x1 relay.

It was Dina’s moment and now she’s back, this time in Rome attempting to reclaim her European crown as the dominant sprinter on the continent.

She's faced many challenges since Berlin, so what does Roma 2024 hold for her?

 

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Written by: Peter Sanderson and Garry Hayes

Produced by: Garry Hayes

Series mix: Teyler Hayes

Our series music is released under license

For tickets to the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, visit https://roma2024.vivaticket.it/

It's been six years since Armand Duplantis - Mondo to his family, friends and adoring fans - burst onto the scene to take pole vault gold at the European Championships in Berlin.

He was just 18 and the world of athletics was blown away by this unassuming teenager who not only took the field by storm that unforgettable night, but has since gone onto to define his sport and send all records before him tumbling.

Mondo has now broken the pole vault world record an incredible eight times, his most recent record-breaking performance coming in China in April this year. For context, the great Sergey Bubka's record of 6m 14cm has stood since 1994 before Mondo come of age to scale heights previously seen as impossible.

Mondo's latest world record is 6m 24, out jumping Bubka by 10cm. He is a sensation and now another European gold in Rome awaits Mondo before he heads to Paris to defend his Olympic title.

This is Mondo's story. In his words.

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Written by: Peter Sanderson and Garry Hayes

Produced by: Garry Hayes

Series mix: Teyler Hayes

Our series music is released under license

For tickets to the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, visit https://roma2024.vivaticket.it/

She arrived at Munich 2022 as a dominant force rising through the European ranks, but still in search of a first major crown on the continent. Not every fan of athletics would've known her, yet come the end of the European championships, Yaroslava Mahuchikh made sure she was a known personality on the circuit as she claimed high jump gold.

Fast forward to Roma 2024 and the Ukraine star is the athlete her rivals all want to beat. They have her in their sights, but as she reveals in this open and personal account of her story to high jump domination, Yaroslava's unique approach ensures she's only ever three steps from glory.

This is Yaroslava's story. In her words.

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Written by: Peter Sanderson and Garry Hayes

Produced by: Garry Hayes

Series mix: Teyler Hayes

Our series music is released under license

For tickets to the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, visit https://roma2024.vivaticket.it/

Norwegian track sensation Jakob Ingebrigtsen has a love affair with the European Championships. It was six years ago in Berlin when he annoucned himself to the world when, aged just 17, he shocked the field to take 1500m and 5000m gold.

Since then he's added Olympic gold to his record and defended his European titles in Munich in 2022. But it hasn't mean Ingebrigtsen has avoided challenges from a British team determined to match him stride for stride. That culminated in back-to-back defeats at the World Championships as Jake Wightman and Josh Kerr did just enough to squeeze him into second in 2022 and 2023.

But as he heads into Rome, Ingebrigtsen says he is laser focused on completing a "threepeat" to ensure he cements his legacy on the European track. Can he do it?

This is Jakob's story. In his words.

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Written by: Peter Sanderson and Garry Hayes

Produced by: Garry Hayes

Series mix: Teyler Hayes

Our series music is released under license

For tickets to the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, visit https://roma2024.vivaticket.it/

He's one of the stars of Great Britain's sprint team, but Zharnel Hughes knows the challenges that face any elite athlete.

From the pain of Amsterdam 2016 when injury impacted his competitive spirit, to bouncing back to be crowned Euroepan champion for the 100 metres in Berlin 2018, Hughes is a man full of character and endeavour.

His success has been defined by effort and application, utilising a friendship with sprint legend Usain Bolt to drive him to glory. And he he has manifested it all, so what is he conjuring up for the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships?

This is Zharnel's story. In his words.

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Written by: Peter Sanderson and Garry Hayes

Produced by: Garry Hayes

Series mix: Teyler Hayes

Our series music is released under license

For tickets to the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, visit https://roma2024.vivaticket.it/

For every elite athlete, there's one rival they must all overcome: their own self-doubt.

And Dutch 400-metre sensastion Femke Bol is no different, despite her dominance on the track. Bol has broken world records and stunned those competing against her, but to do it all she needed to defeat those inner thoughts that made her question if she had the ability to do it at all.

How does one do that? Where does the courage come from? And how to keep overcoming it to remain at the top of your sport?

This is Femke's story. In her words.

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Written by: Peter Sanderson and Garry Hayes

Produced by: Garry Hayes

Series mix: Teyler Hayes

Our series music is released under license

For tickets to the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, visit https://roma2024.vivaticket.it/

When Keely Hodgkinson steps onto the track inside Rome’s Olympic Stadium this summer, she’ll be carrying the weight and expectation of a nation on her shoulders. 

The reigning 800 metre European champion is fully aware that she enters the arena with all eyes on her, but remains unfazed by what lies ahead.

But how did she get here? What are the challenges she faced? And who inspired the British athlete to lace up her running spikes once more after she gave up on athletics in her formative years?

This is Keely's story. In her words.

Written by: Peter Sanderson and Garry Hayes

Produced by: Garry Hayes

Series mix: Teyler Hayes

Our series music is released under license

For tickets to the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, visit https://roma2024.vivaticket.it/

Known as a master tactician of middle distance running, Jake Wightman is a man who comes steeped in athletics tradition and culture. He's watched the Olympics from afar, even been a fan in the stadium... and now he's in Tokyo to finally get his shot at Olympic gold.

This is his story, told in his words.