After retaining his European 100m title in Helsinki French sprinter
Christophe Lemaitre remains Europe's best bet to finish on the
podium in the sprints in London.

The European Athletics Championships was a huge success but how will it fare as a preview for the Olympics?

Here is our assessment of how the various European champions may position in London.

At the time of writing, the 100m champion Christophe Lemaitre is incredibly just the 26th fastest in the world¸ but many of those ahead are Jamaicans and Americans who didn't make their respective teams and as long as the Frenchman improves his 10.04 season's best then he should make the final in London. He could even challenge for a medal in the 200m, which he didn't contest in Helsinki, along with the European champion in that event, Churandy Martina.

The now Dutch sprinter is ranked equal third on the strength of his 19.94 win in New York and will be keen to make up for his disqualification in Beijing which cost him a medal.

The 400m champion Pavel Maslak is only ranked 26th with his 45.17 PB but the 21-year-old is improving fast and could be a surprise finalist though Kevin Borlee, who focused on 4x400 gold is Europe's best hope for a medal.

The 800m winner Yuriy Borzakovskiy is not even ranked in the world's top 70 in 2012 but the former Olympic champion is a superb competitor and in a slow run race he could medal though Poland's Adam Kszczot is probably Europe's most likely medallist.

Mo Farah successfully defended his European 5000m title in Helsinki.

Over 1500m, Henrik Ingebrigtsen was a surprise winner in Finland, having been outside the top ten in his European under-23 heat the year before. He won't find it easy even getting through the first round but his kick in slow races may get him close. The distance has always been a speciality of Spanish athletes and it won't be a surprise if 2011 European Athletics Indoor Championships 1500m gold medallist Manuel Olmedo or former European champion Arturo Casado, who has been out of action recently owing to an edema - a build-up of fluid – around the bones in his feet, make it to the finals in London. The home nations Andy Baddeley, who opted out of Helsinki is a more likely European finalist.

At 5000m, the European champion Mo Farah is the world champion and one of the favourites but he will have real opposition from three very strong Kenyan, Ethiopians and Americans. His chance at 10,000m could be even better though the European champion Polat Kemboi Arikan lacks the qualifying time and will instead focus on the 5000m.

The 3000m steeplechase gold medallist Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad is ranked 11th on times this year but as eight ahead are Kenyans, he has every chance of repeating his medal from Beijing, especially as world number one Paul Koech hasn't been selected.
Serguy Shubenkov had a huge breakthrough in Finland and the 21 year-old Russian will certainly make the final if he can repeat his 13.09 semi-time from Helsinki.

The 400m hurdles champion Rhys Williams would need a big PB to even make the final in London but his predecessor and British team-mate, the world champion Dai Greene will be one of the favourites.

Another Briton, the high jump champion Robbie Grabarz is ranked world number two though world leader European indoor champion Ivan Ukhov of Russia is favourite.

In the pole vault, Europe have the six top vaulters and European champion Renaud Lavillenie is a clear favourite, having been in near unbeatable form in 2012.

French pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie has virtually
been unbeatable this season.

In long jump, considering American dominance in the event – they have won 22 of the 27 Olympic golds, it's perhaps surprising that Europe have the world's top three and European champion Sebastian Bayer looks to have the best chance based on his Helsinki form.

The 35 year-old Italian Fabrizio Donato has a good chance of medalling in London if he can match his Helsinki form with little form shown of late by the current world and Olympic silver medallist Phillips Idowu of Britain.

David Storl in the shot is another European who is one of the favourites after his 21.58m win though USA have a very strong trio here while fellow German Robert Harting is a clear favourite in the discus having achieved the top two and four of the top eight throws this year.

In the hammer, Hungarian Krisztian Pars is another European favourite, and he too has four of the top eight marks and world leader Vitezslav Vesely of the Czech Republic starts favourite in the javelin after winning his first major title.

In the decathlon, it is hard to see European champion Pascal Behrenbruch challenging new world record holder Ashton Eaton but he should be battling for a medal.

In the relays, Netherlands have a chance of a minor medal in the 4x100 as have Belgium in the 4x400, though possibly medallists France and Britain respectively may have slightly better chances.

In the women's events, 100m winner Ivet Lalova could final if she can match her Helsinki heat time of 11.06. Over 200m Mariya Ryemyen would need a big improvement to make the final where new Russian champion Aleksandra Fedoriva easily looks the best from Europe after her 22.19 this weekend.

With the seven fastest Europeans in 2012, Russia will also have most of the leading contenders at 400m, along with defending champion Christine Ohuruogu, European champion Moa Hjelmer would need a huge breakthrough even to make the final.

At 800m Helsinki champion Yelena Arzhakova is a definite medal contender as is Türkiye's 1500m winner Asli Cakir though Russia field six different medal contenders in the two events.

The 5000m winner Olga Golovkina has little chance while 10,000m champion Dulce Felix focuses on the marathon.

In the 3000m steeplechase, the Russians duo of world champion Yuliya Zaripova and defending Olympic champion Gulnara Galkina looking the best from the continent, but the chances of newly crowned European champion Gulcan Mingir as a potential medallist cannot be discounted.

Irina Davydova did her growing reputation no harm
when she clinched the European 400m hurdles gold
in a world leading time of 53.77* in Helsinki.

Türkiye also have outside medal hopes in the 100m hurdles through double European champion Nevin Yanit though Briton Tiffany Porter is the fastest this year.

At 400m hurdles, Irina Davydova was one of the Championships brightest stars but compatriot Natalya Antyukh took over the world lead after last week's Russian Championships.

Ruth Beita won the high jump in Finland but Anna Chicherova heads another strong Russian trio, who have superior marks to the Spaniard.

Jirina Ptacnikova is a medal contender at the pole vault, along with around eight other Europeans. France's long jump winner Eloyse Lesueur looks less of a contender where the three Russians – Anna Nazarova, Yelena Sokolova and Olga Kucherenko look particularly strong.

Ukraine's Olha Saladuha though is one European champion who should start favourite after her 14.99m victory in the triple jump in Helsinki.

Nadine Kleinert won a low quality shot in Finland but could medal but won't remotely challenge world leader Nadzeya Ostapchuk of Belarus who is joint favourite along with Valerie Adams of New Zealand.

Europe could clean sweep in the discus where Helsinki winner Sandra Perkovic of Croatia has a great chance, and that's also the case in the hammer as has another champion Anita Wlodarczyk of Poland though in both events, Russia boasts the world leaders.

Ukraine's javelin champion Vira Rebryk may not be a certainty on the podium but as she showed in Helsinki she is well capable of springing a surprise at the big stage. Nevertheless Mariya Abakhumova, Barbora Spotakova and Helsinki silver medallist Christina Obergfoell remain the best bets for medals in London.

In the heptathlon, Ida Antoinette Nana Djimou impressed in Finland but other Europeans led by the previous European champion Jessica Ennis, defending Olympic champion Nataliya Dobrynska and world champion Tatyana Chernova are more likely contenders.

In the 4x100, Germany will be close to medals based on Helsinki form but the Ukranians have much stronger squad. The latter won the 4x400 in Finland but have little chance in London, though the Russians will be joint favourites along with the USA.

* Davydova's time of 53.77 was improved to 53.40 by Nataliya Antyukh at the Russian Championships in Cheboksary on 4 July.

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