Archive · 15 Aug 2026

Drone Crash Delays Heptathlon Hurdles at European Athletics Championships

Drone Crash Delays Heptathlon Hurdles at European Athletics Championships

At a big sports competition called the European Athletics Championships, a small flying camera called a drone crashed into a hurdle and fell onto the track.

This happened right before women were about to run the 100-metre hurdles part of the heptathlon.

The drone was flying overhead to take videos of the race, but it came too close to the hurdles.

Pieces of the drone spread across the track, so the officials had to stop and clean up.

The athletes had to wait before the race could start.

One of them was Katarina Johnson-Thompson from Great Britain, who is a very good heptathlete.

After the delay, she ran really well and finished fifth in her race.

That put her in 10th place overall in the whole competition.

Right now, Adrianna Sulek-Schubert from Poland is in the lead, with Kate O'Connor from Ireland just one point behind.

Sources