European Championships 2022: What is the event all about?

The opening ceremony took place on the 10 August

The Commonwealth Games have now officially come to an end, but if you're still in need of some sporting action this summer, you're in luck!

The second ever edition of the European Championships got underway on Thursday 11 August.

The event, which takes place every four years, is being held in the German city of Munich, and features a number of stars competing in nine different sports.

Around 4,700 athletes from 50 nations will compete for 177 gold medals over 11 days of competition.

The idea for the Championships came from the recognition that having multi-sports events rather than individual ones generally attracts more interest and bigger audiences.

The organisers believe that having nine championships at the same time and in the same city will help provide the competition, the sports, and the athletes taking part, with more exposure.

What sports will feature at the European Championships?

The 2018 European Championships were held in Berlin and Glasgow where athletes competed in gymnastics, rowing, aquatics, cycling, golf, triathlon and athletics.

Golf won't be returning to this year's competition, but four new exciting sports have been added. These are beach volleyball, canoe sprint, sports climbing and table tennis.

Rowing and canoe sprinting will both feature para-sport events.

Swimming and diving will be hosting their own championships at the same time in Rome.

Who will be competing in the European Championships?

Dina Asher-Smith will be competing at this year's Championships

There will be some big names taking part in the European Championships in Munich.

Athletics

Britain topped the athletics medal table at the Championships four years ago, winning seven golds in Berlin.

We'll be seeing the return of several defending champions including DIna Asher-Smith, who had to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games following an injury, Matt Hudson-Smith and Zharnel Hughes.

Jake Wightman, Laura Muir and Keely Hodgkinson, who have all won medals at both the World Championships and Commonwealths, will also be aiming to impress at this year's Championships, while Commonwealth 10,000m champion Eilish McColgan will also be hoping for European Championship success.

Gymnastics

Jake Jarman, who won four gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, will also be competing

Gymnasts Jake Jarman and Joe Fraser, who won seven golds between them at the Commonwealth Games, will be back for more as they change into Great Britain kit just a few days after representing England.

Reigning European floor champion Jessica Gadirova, who skipped the Commonwealths to focus on the European and World Championships, will also be hoping to leave her mark at the Championships.

Cycling

Olympic medallists Neah Evans, Josie Knight and Jack Carlin are included in this year's track cycling squad.

The BMX freestyle squad is headed by Olympic medallists Charlotte Worthington and Declan Brooks, and mountain bike champion Tom Pidcock targets European glory before tackling the World Championships at the end of the month.

Rowing

Imogen Grant (left) is representing team GB in rowing

Britain's rowers had a disappointing Olympics but will be hoping to repeat their 2018 European success when they topped the medal table with 12 in total, including five golds.

Imogen Grant and Graeme Thomas, two of 57 athletes selected, are in great form after taking singles golds at World Cup III.

Triathlon

Britain aren't sending a full-strength triathlon team to the Championships, but their entries include former world champion Non Stanford, who will be competing in her final season before retirement, and mixed team relay gold medallist Sam Dickinson.

Sport climbing

With Shauna Coxsey now retired from sport climbing, Britain's best hopes rest with world bronze medallist Hamish McArthur and Max Milne, who finished second in the World Cup boulder event in Italy in June.

Table tennis

British table tennis player Liam Pitchford will be hoping to impress

Liam Pitchford, who won his 10th Commonwealth table tennis medal on the final day in Birmingham, and team-mate Tin-Tin Ho are competing this year.

Aquatics

Swimmers Tom Dean, Ben Proud and James Wilby who all saw success at the Commonwealth Games, will be competing in the pool during the Championships, while divers Jack Laugher and Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix will also be hoping to win medals this year.

There are no British athletes in beach volleyball or road cycling.

What sports are you looking forward to watching at the European Championships? Let us know in the comments!