Day two is today, Tuesday.

Erm is currently 111 points ahead of his personal best pace and only trailing Sander Skotheim (Norway) after leading earlier on in the day Monday.

He has accrued 4,541 points so far and set PBs in both the 100 meters and 400 meters, plus also performed strongly in the long jump.

This puts him on course for 8,600 points by the end of the tenth event, while has the opportunity to gain more points in the 110-meter hurdles, the first event of day two.

Erm 26, from Tartu, is third in the European season pverall standings with 8,462 points, achieved in Götzis, Austria, on May 19, and is behind only Leo Neugebauer (Germany, 8,961 points) and Sven Roosen (Netherlands, 8,517 points), neither of whom are competing in Rome.

Besides Erm, medal contenders in Rome include decathlon world record holder Kevin Mayer (France), who last posted a score at the world championships two years ago and has yet to qualify for the Paris olympics, defending champion Niklas Kaul (Germany), and Norwegian Markus Rooth, as well as Skotheim as noted.

Pre-compeition, Erm said: "I have noticed that the long jump area is slightly elevated. The results I've seen in the long jump look very impressive, and I'm most looking forward to that event, but I feel excited about the entire competition. It's a proud feeling to wear the Estonian team uniform at a championship,."

Also competing in Rome in the decathlon was Risto Lillemets, who came to the European Championships with hopes of setting a personal best, and accumulated 4,071 point across the first five events. This is 29 points behind his PB rate.

Janek Õiglane, who injured his knee in the long jump, continued to the shot put but decided to withdraw from the competition after a successful high jump attempt.

Õiglane noted that he had been focusing on the track events in preparation for the championships. "Over the past month, I've been able to improve quite a bit in that area. The downside being the jumps. The same old problem - jumpers' knee. It comes and goes," he said.

ETV is broadcasting day two of the European Championships decathlon, starting at 10:30 a.m.

Tuesday is the penultimate day of the 2024 European athletics championships, which started last Friday.

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