European Championships - New multi-sport event launched in Glasgow
2018 European Championships - Rowing, Lightweight Men's Eight Heat 1 - Strathclyde Country Park, Glasgow, Britain - August 2, 2018 - Team Poland competes. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
(Reuters) - The inaugural multi-sport European Championships were launched in Glasgow on Thursday when the preliminaries of the rowing and gymnastics events kicked off 11 days of action in Scotland and Germany.
For the first time, the continental championships for six different sports -- aquatics, gymnastics, cycling, rowing, triathlon and a new team golf event -- are all being clustered together in and around the same host city, Glasgow.
The only exception will be the athletics championships which start next week in Berlin, but which will still come under the same new European Championships umbrella.
2018 European Championships - Rowing, Lightweight Men's Double Sculls Heat 1 - Strathclyde Country Park, Glasgow, Britain - August 2, 2018 - Tim Brys and Niels Van Zandweghe of Belgium compete. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
The first of the 4,500 athletes competing at the event, which is intended to instil the sort of one-city, multi-sport vibe felt at an Olympic Games, were Europe's top rowers at Strathclyde Country Park 15 miles outside the city.
The qualification for the women's gymnastics team event was also being staged at the SSE Hydro arena while the track cycling championships were due to begin on Thursday evening at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, named after Scotland's most successful Olympian.
The first of 188 gold medals on offer will be awarded on Friday in swimming, synchronised swimming, track cycling and rowing.
2018 European Championships - Rowing, Men's Quadruple Sculls Heat 1 - Strathclyde Country Park, Glasgow, Britain - August 2, 2018 - Athletes compete. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
(Reporting by Ian Chadband; Editing by Toby Davis)
2018 European Championships - Rowing, Men's Double Sculls Heat 3 - Strathclyde Country Park, Glasgow, Britain - August 2, 2018 - Matthieu Androdias and Hugo Boucheron of France compete. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne2018 European Championships - Artistic Gymnastics, Women's Team Qualification, Subdivision 1 - The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Britain - August 2, 2018 Denmark's Victoria Kajoe in action on the balance beam REUTERS/Peter Cziborra2018 European Championships - Rowing, Men's Double Sculls Heat 2 - Strathclyde Country Park, Glasgow, Britain - August 2, 2018 - Simone Martini and Romano Battisti of Italy compete. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne2018 European Championships - Artistic Gymnastics, Women's Team Qualification, Subdivision 1 - The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Britain - August 2, 2018 Cyprus' Anastasia Theocharous in action on the balance beam REUTERS/Peter Cziborra2018 European Championships - Rowing, Lightweight Men's Single Sculls Heat 2 - Strathclyde Country Park, Glasgow, Britain - August 2, 2018 - Lars Wichert of Germany competes. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne2018 European Championships - Artistic Gymnastics, Women's Team Qualification, Subdivision 1 - The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Britain - August 2, 2018 Sweden's Jessica Castles in action on the balance beam REUTERS/Peter Cziborra2018 European Championships - Rowing, Lightweight Men's Single Sculls Heat 1 - Strathclyde Country Park, Glasgow, Britain - August 2, 2018 - Samuel Mottram of Britain competes. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne2018 European Championships - Rowing, Lightweight Women's Single Sculls Heat 2 - Strathclyde Country Park, Glasgow, Britain - August 2, 2018 - Katarzyna Welna of Poland competes. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne2018 European Championships - Artistic Gymnastics, Women's Team Qualification, Subdivision 1 - The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Britain - August 2, 2018 Czech Republic's Kristyna Brabcova in action on the balance beam REUTERS/Peter Cziborra2018 European Championships - Rowing, Lightweight Women's Single Sculls Heat 1 - Strathclyde Country Park, Glasgow, Britain - August 2, 2018 - Clara Guerra of Italy competes. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne2018 European Championships - Artistic Gymnastics, Women's Team Qualification, Subdivision 1 - The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Britain - August 2, 2018 Croatia's Christina Zwicker in action on the balance beam REUTERS/Peter Cziborra2018 European Championships - Artistic Gymnastics, Women's Team Qualification, Subdivision 1 - The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Britain - August 2, 2018 Croatia's Christina Zwicker in action on the balance beam REUTERS/Peter Cziborra2018 European Championships - Artistic Gymnastics, Women's Team Qualification, Subdivision 1 - The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Britain - August 2, 2018 Luxembourg's Aurelie Keller in action on the balance beam REUTERS/Peter Cziborra2018 European Championships - Rowing, Women's Single Sculls Heat 2 - Strathclyde Country Park, Glasgow, Britain - August 2, 2018 - Nurit Bezdesky of Israel competes. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne2018 European Championships - Rowing, Women's Quadruple Sculls Heat 2 - Strathclyde Country Park, Glasgow, Britain - August 2, 2018 - Violaine Aernoudts, Noemie Kober, Camille Juillet and Marie Jacquet of France and Julia Leiding, Frauke Hundeling, Julia Lier and Constanze Duell of Germany compete. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne2018 European Championships - Rowing, Women's Four Heat 1 - Strathclyde Country Park, Glasgow, Britain - August 2, 2018 - Boat holder before the heat. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne2018 European Championships - Great Big Opening Party, Glasgow, Britain - August 1, 2018 - Fireworks explode during The Great Big Opening Party, REUTERS/Peter Cziborra
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