A look at some of the likely highlights from the European Championships

Olympic champions across five sports are expected to feature in the inaugural European Championships in Glasgow, which begins on Thursday.

The event is effectively an umbrella organisation bringing together the respective continental championships in aquatics, cycling, gymnastics, triathlon, rowing and team golf.

It is not to be confused with the European Championships first staged in Baku in 2015 – and scheduled again for Minsk next year – which was a stand-alone event shunned by most of the major sports.

Here, Press Association Sport takes a look at some of the likely highlights from the 11 days of action across Glasgow – and Edinburgh, where the diving competition will take place.

Aquatics

All eyes will be on Adam Peaty as he bids to get closer to his own 100m breaststroke world record. Peaty expressed his dissatisfaction with his winning time of 58.84 secs at this year’s Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, and should go much faster in Glasgow. In the 200m breast-stroke, Scottish favourite Ross Murdoch returns to the scene of his famous win over heavily-fancied compatriot Michael Jamieson in 2014.

Cycling

Multiple Olympic medallists Jason and Laura Kenny will jostle for top-billing with Scotland’s Katie Archibald in a packed track programme. Fresh from the Tour de France, Mark Cavendish will form part of Great Britain’s men’s road race team around the city streets on August 12, the competition’s final day. In the BMX Supercross competition at Glasgow BMX Centre, multiple junior world champion Beth Shriever will go for gold.

Gymnastics

Max Whitlock returns to the scene of his historic world title win in 2015, but finds himself with plenty still to prove after being eclipsed by Northern Ireland teenager Rhys McClenaghan on the men’s pommel in Gold Coast. The women’s uneven bars competition throws up a potentially-thrilling all-British battle between Gold Coast champion Georgia-Mae Fenton and veteran Becky Downie, who is returning from injury.

Triathlon

Battling back from his Gold Coast disappointment, Alistair Brownlee is expected to head up a strong Great Britain triathlon team at Strathclyde Country Park, injuries permitting. The women’s event includes defending European champion Jess Learmouth and the 2013 world champion Non Stanford.

Rowing/golf

Reigning European champion Vicky Thornley will defend her women’s single sculls title on home water at the Strathclyde Country Park during the three-day rowing event at Strathclyde Country Park. Gleneagles hosts the inaugural Golf European Team Championships, comprising men’s, women’s and mixed events.