Who will emerge from the class of 2023 as the most impressive under-20 athletes of their generation?

The World Championships in Budapest kick off later this month but if you want to gaze into a crystal ball to catch your first glimpse of the world champions of the future then keep an eye on the European Under-20 Championships in Jerusalem.

The event runs from August 7-10 and is set to feature around 1150 athletes from 44 nations. Former champions at these championships include Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Daley Thompson, Carolina Kluft, Yelena Isinbayeva, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Karsten Warholm, Dina Asher-Smith and many more who went on to be global stars.

It is 60 years since the event began in the shape of the European Junior Games held in Warsaw in 1964. The biennial meeting was known as the European Junior Championships from 1970 to 2015 and since then has been called the European Under-20 Championships.

This week’s event will return to the same city that staged last year’s European Under-18 Championships – and of course many of the athletes who competed at there in 2022 will return to battle for medals again.

This is also the first European Under-20 Championships since 2021, when the event was staged in Tallinn. Back then Britain topped the medals table with six golds, one silver and five bronze medals in total and they will be hoping for similar success in Jerusalem this month.

READ MORE: 2021 Euro U20 Champs coverage

The 2023 event is streamed via allathletics.tv

So who are some of the athletes to look out for in Jerusalem this week?

High jumper Angelina Topic of Serbia only turned 18 a few days ago but after winning European under-18 gold and world under-20 bronze last year she went on to win European senior bronze in Munich aged 17.

In Jerusalem this week she also tackles the long jump and has a best of 6.58m to go alongside her high jump 1.96m PB.

Middle-distance runner Niels Laros of the Netherlands is being compared to Jakob Ingebrigtsen due to his prodigious performances and range of ability. He leads the European under-20 rankings this summer in the 800m (1:44.78), 1500m (3:32.89) and 5000m (13:23.01). The Dutchman is also entered for the 3000m, where the defending champion is Nick Griggs of Ireland, although he is unlikely to race all these events.

György Herczeg recently set a European under-20 javelin record of 84.98m and the Hungarian is set to compete on home soil in the global senior championships later this month too.

Jana Koscak stormed to victory in the heptathlon at the European Under-18 Championships last year and the 17-year-old from Croatia set a world under-18 record with 6293 points earlier this summer.

Agate Caune of Latvia has impressed in distance running lately with an 8:39.78 3000m run at the Diamond League in Poland and 5000m win in 15:15.21 in her division at the European Team Championships. She turns 19 on the first day of the championships.

Mattia Furlani of Italy won high jump and long jump golds at the European Under-18 Champs last year but this time competes only in the long jump where the 18-year-old leads the rankings with 8.24m (and a wind-assisted 8.44m).

British hopes are led by sprinters Success Eduan, Joy Eze and Faith Akinbileje, sprint hurdler Mia McIntosh, shot putter Cleo Agyepong, decathlete Sammy Ball and 800m runner Abi Ives.

UK Athletics may have sent a streamlined squad to Budapest but the under-20 team in Jersusalem aims to give a large number of athletes international experience.

The full British team is as follows:

Women – 100m: Renee Regis; Joy Eze; 200m: Success Eduan; Sophie Walton; Faith Akinbileje; 400m: Ashley Nemits; Charlotte Kelsey; 800m: Abigail Ives; Indienne King; Iris Downes; 1500m: Ella Greenway; Abigail Stratton; Ava Lloyd; 5000m: Natasha Phillips; Olivia Martin; 3000m Steeplechase: Hattie Reynolds; 100m Hurdles: Mia McIntosh; Jessica Duncton; Kira Holt; 400m Hurdles: Emily Newnham; High Jump: Halle Ferguson; Gabrielle Garber; Long Jump: Lucy Fellows; Shot Put: Cleo Agyepong; Discus: Zara Obamakinwa; 4x100m: Nia Wedderburn-Goodison; Renee Regis; Joy Eze; Success Eduan; Sophie Walton; Faith Akinbileje; Mia McIntosh; 4x400m: Ashley Nemits; Charlotte Kelsey; Emily Newnham; Iris Downes; Jess Astill

Men – 100m: Sean Anyagou; 200m: Brook Cronin; 400m: Charlie Carvell; 800m: David Race; Harry Ross-Hughes; Finlay Hutchinson; 1500m: Tendai Nyabadza; Sam Mills; Dan Galloway; 3000m: Edward Bird; Dafydd Jones; Bradley Giblin; 5000m: James Dargan; Conan Harper; George Couttie; 110m hurdles: Joseph Purbrick; Ruben Hedman; 400m Hurdles: Sam Lunt; Onyeka Okoh; High Jump: Luke Ball; Pole Vault: Lazarus Benjamin; Discus: Rhys Allen; Javelin: Michael Allison; Charlie Evans; Hammer: Kai Barham; Decathlon: Sammy Ball; 4x400m: Charlie Carvell; Sam Lunt; Onyeka Okoh; Jake Minshull; Alex Houchin; Otis Irwin

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