2026 European Athletics Championships 4x400m relay first round: Italy men storm to record time, Netherlands and Team GB through to both finals

On day five of the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, held on Friday 14 August, the men's and women's 4x400m relay heats determined finalists. Italy's men set a championship and national record of 2:58.10 in the opening heat, over a second ahead of defending champions Belgium, who ran a season's best of 2:59.35. Team GB, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Italy all qualified for both the men's and women's 4x400m finals.