Katarina Johnson-Thompson may have withdrawn from the heptathlon with a leg issue, but GB team mate Jade O'Dowda remains in contention going into the final two disciplines.

O'Dowda gave her outside medal chances a boost after she recorded a best of 6.48m in the long jump to move up from ninth to eighth overall, with 4656 points.

Olympic champion Nafi Thiam finished second in the long jump to extend her overall lead over compatriot Noor Vidts, who was fourth in the discipline.

O'Dowda concludes her championships tonight with the javelin in around 15 minutes, followed by the 800m later on.

Just 5km to go in the race walk, and it is a head to head battle for gold.

Perseus Karlstrom of Sweden, and Spain's Paul McGrath (not that one) are well ahead of the rest of the field.

McGrath led for around 4km, but Karlstrom has gone up a couple of gears and has retaken a narrow lead.

Image source, Getty Images

It was a really strong opening day for hosts Italy, with gold medals in the women's 20km race walk and the women's 5000m.

And look at Ireland sat in joint third after that mixed 4x400m relay joy.

Nothing for Great Britain and Northern Ireland yet - but a long way to go...

Image source, BBC Sport

Tim Hutchings
Former middle and long-distance runner on BBC iPlayer

I don’t know if Perseus Karlstrom is going through a bad patch. Breathing hard and getting that hat off but it is a wonderful walk from Paul McGrath.

He’s very experienced and at 22, you have to say he has many years, and he will only get better.

Karlstrom is working desperately hard to stay with this pace.

Harry Poole
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Molly Caudery can be forgiven for finding herself drifting into daydreams when she allows herself to indulge in thoughts of Paris 2024.

After all, it was not so long ago that none of this seemed plausible to the 24-year-old. Or not so soon, at least.

And still, figuratively and literally, Caudery continues to rise to greater heights.

With a laugh, she tells BBC Sport: "I catch myself in a daydream about the Olympics more often than I'd like to. I will just be sat down and I'll start drifting off for 10 minutes before I come back to reality.

"I'm trying not to think about it because there are so many things I need to focus on before Paris, but I cannot wait. It has been my childhood dream since I was a little girl. For it to hopefully become a reality is quite exciting.

"It has been so much fun. I love this sport, I love what I do, and to be rewarded in the way that I am has just made it even better."

You can ready Harry Poole's full interview with Molly Caudery here.

Molly Caudery won pole vault gold at the world indoors in Glasgow. She is targeting Olympic gold in Paris.

Between times, she wants gold in Rome - and she made a good start towards that gold by easing through qualification this morning.

Here's how she did it...

Tim Hutchings
Former middle and long-distance runner on BBC iPlayer

It is almost like they are doing a series of different characters trying to match Perseus Karlstrom at the front but he is the ever-present.

Tim Hutchings
Former middle and long-distance runner on BBC iPlayer

They have been really tested in this middle chunk.

There are fellows hanging on to the four minute kilometres that are being churned out and then they bang in a 3m 54s – that is enough to lay you flat out.

Image source, Getty Images

At the half-way mark, we have a new leader in the race walk - Spain's Paul McGrath.

Yes, that is a Spanish man called Paul McGrath. Scottish father, Irish grandparents but a Spanish mother, and he is leading the way in Spanish colours.

Perseus Karlstrom is now in second, while Britain's Callum Wilkinson is having a fine race so far. Ranked 56 in Europe, Wilkinson is currently seventh and still in medal contention.

World indoor pole vault champion Molly Caudery was the best of the four British qualifiers on the second morning of the European Championships in Rome.

Caudery is arguably the best female pole vaulter in the world right now and showed exactly why on a warm morning at Stadio Olimpico as she needed just one jump at 4.50m.

After waiting more than an hour for her first jump, Caudery was one of five athletes to clear 4.50m in one jump, which placed her in the top 12 athletes - earning her a spot in the final.

Caudery said: “As pole vaulters we always expect that [a long wait] but you know the weather is lovely, so it isn’t too bad. I’ve got ice towels and ice packs just to put round my neck to keep nice and cool out there, I just stay in the shade as much as possible and not move around too much. Simple things really.

“I was really, really happy to save some energy and do one jump and have my best preparation for the final.”

It was bad news for Caudery's team-mate and Olympic bronze medallist Hollie Bradshaw however. She failed at 4.25m as she struggled with a back problem, thus missing out on the final

Let's take a look at some of the biggest stories from this morning's session...

One can only imagine the disappointment Laura Garcia-Caro was feeling last night after missing out on bronze in the women's 20km race walk. But it has got us to thinking - what is your biggest athletics disappointment?

It can either be as an athlete - were you pipped to the post in an event? Did you suffer an injury during a fun run? Beaten into second in the school egg and spoon race when you dropped the egg just before the line?

Or it can be as a spectator - the Olympics and major events are littered with near-misses, what ifs and disappointments. Let us know which one springs to mind.

Don't forget to leave your name on text messages.

BBC Sport

It is every athlete's worst nightmare...

Watch as Spain's Laura Garcia-Caro starts to celebrate winning a medal in the women's 20km race walk yesterday - only to be pipped to bronze on the line by Ukraine's Lyudmila Olyanovska.

Image source, Getty Images

CJ Ujah was named in the men's 100m and 4x100m relay on Thursday following Welshman Jeremiah Azu's late withdrawal, having been included but unused in Britain's squad for the World Athletics Relays.

Tokyo team-mate Richard Kilty said in 2022 that he would never forgive , externalUjah for his "sloppy and reckless" behaviour that cost them Olympic silver.

On his ban, Ujah said: "This sport is black and white. We all make mistakes in life and obviously I made it at this level, which I didn't want to do. I know I can walk with my head held high, knowing I didn't try to cheat.

"I have learned a lot about myself, the resilience and the mental health, it has taken a lot to get back to this point. I appreciate my support system. My little son is spurring me on and that's what is keeping me going.

"It has been hard. I cannot put it into words, but you know I was always hoping that I would be cleared and I would never purposely do what happened. Hopefully I can fight my way back to the top."

Image source, Getty Images

More reflection on last night's action now - and a look ahed to tonight's main event, the men's 100m.

Briton CJ Ujah hopes to "fight my way back to the top" after making a winning return to major international competition in Rome following a doping ban.

The 30-year-old qualified fourth fastest for the men's 100m semi-finals after taking victory in his heat in 10.23 seconds on Friday night.

Ujah, who was cleared of intentionally doping, served a 22-month ban after his failed drugs test cost Team GB Olympic silver in the men's 4x100m at Tokyo three years ago.

He told BBC Sport his team-mates had "all received me with open arms" on his return and added: "People are entitled to react how they want to and I had to tell them, 'listen, it was not intentional, I did not mean any harm'.

"Hopefully we can get on the track and win another medal."

Tim Hutchings
Former middle and long-distance runner on BBC iPlayer

That second kilometre was quick but that third kilometre was bonkers, it’s getting quicker and quicker.

It is aggressive walking at the front end now.

It's been a quick and competitive opening 5km in the men's race walk, with Perseus Karlstrom of Sweden - ranked second in Europe this year - leading the way.

He's got a two-second gap to the chasing pack, which features Italian home hopeful Francesco Fortunato.

Nafi Thiam's third attempt, it's another giant - all three have been over 50 metres.

The Belgian's final effort is 51.50m, meaning her first attempt of 53.00m still stands as the benchmark.

It's over to her compatriot and nearest contender, Noor Vidts, to try and get near that in the second group from 18.20 BST.

Image source, Getty Images

Speaking of the heptathlon, there is one very notable name missing today.

British medal hope Katarina Johnson-Thompson withdrew from the remainder of the heptathlon at the European Athletics Championships following the third event - shot put - last night.

The reigning world champion, 31, had dropped to ninth place.

Her coach, Aston Moore, said the decision had been taken due to a "small niggle in her right leg".

Moore added: "We don't want to risk losing any time from training which could be the result if she was to carry on competing with it for another day."

Twelve months after winning her second world title, Johnson-Thompson will bid for a first Olympic medal in Paris this summer, where two-time champion Nafissatou Thiam will represent the Briton's main obstacle to gold.

It is for that anticipated showdown that both athletes are aiming to be at their peak, and ultimately the reason why Johnson-Thompson has chosen not to continue in Italy.

After her first global triumph in 2019 preceded a career-threatening Achilles rupture, Johnson-Thompson's Olympic hopes were ruined by further injury heartbreak in Tokyo three years ago - and she will be determined for redemption in Paris.