ROME: The road to the Paris Olympics starts for many athletes at the June 7-12 European athletics championships in Rome where a raft of top stars will aim to hone their form ahead of national trials.
AFP Sports looks at five talking points at a championships that will be held at Rome's Stadio Olimpico, host to the 1960 Games.
It would take a brave punter to bet against Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis soaring to victory in the men's pole vault.
The US-born Swede touches down in Rome fresh from sealing the world indoor title and bettering his own world record, now standing at 6.24 metres. Competition is often over and won before he moves on to attempt a new record.
"I am in a good shape at the moment and I am feeling good," Duplantis said after going close to 6.25m three times at the Stockholm Diamond League meet at the weekend.
"I know that there is some more to do and I am just trying to gather as much information as possible from my jumping. If I jump above 6m and I feel I have a good shot, I give it a try at the world record level. I am just trying to put together the best jump that I possibly can."
The Norwegian duo of Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Karsten Warholm will head to the Italian capital as strong favourites in their respective events.
Ingebritsen will race the 1500m and 5,000m, events he won at both the 2018 and 2022 European champs, while world record holder Warholm is seeking a third continental crown in the 400m hurdles.
"Every day I feel better and better," said Ingebrigtsen, who dived across the line to win the 1500m at the Oslo Diamond League last week.
"About the defending the titles at the Europeans and Olympics - I think yes."
Warholm was edged in the same meet by Brazilian rival Alison Dos Santos, but will be firm favourite in an all-European field.
"There is plenty to work on and that is the important take away," Olympic and three-time world champion Warholm said.
"I am on a very good path. I am really looking forward to Rome which will be awesome and I can't wait."
There's little more satisfying than Femke Bol in full flow and it is tough to see past the Dutchwoman claiming victory in the Italian capital.
The 400m hurdles specialist arrives in Rome after a busy indoor season, in which she set a new world indoor record in the 400m flat in Glasgow in March, and a starring role at the world relays in the Bahamas.
"I wanted to put in a good training block to be as fresh as possible for the Olympic Games, and given that the Europeans are inbetween too, this seemed to be the best plan for us," Bol said after victory in Stockholm.
The 24-year-old won treble gold in the 2022 Munich Euros, claiming victory in not just the hurdles, but also the 400m and as part of the 4x400m relay team.
Marcell Jacobs stunned the world when he scorched to Olympic 100m gold at the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games.
The Italian set an European record of 9.80 seconds to seal victory, followed up by a second gold as part of the 4x100m relay.
He followed that success up by winning the 2022 world indoor 60m title and the European 100m gold later the same year.
A series of injuries ensued, but Jacobs has shown his resolve and tellingly changed coach in Olympic year, moving to the United States to work under Rana Reider.
"It was important to get a good feeling in my race," Jacobs said after finishing fourth in Oslo in 10.03sec, yet to break the 10sec mark this season.
"I did that and I'm starting to get in shape to run the best in my home town in Rome at the European Championships in front of my people."
Keely Hodginkson is one of a strong group of British middle-distance runners, male and female, who will threaten the podiums not only in Rome but also Paris.
Although the likes of Laura Muir, Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman are absent from the Euros, Hodgkinson headlines a strong British contingent.
"That final in Paris is going to be insane," she said after winning the 800m in Eugene in a blistering 1:55.78.
"I just hope to be a part of it and really challenge for the top place. Just the depth we have right now. Like there's new people coming left, right and centre all over the world!"