Matthew Hudson-Smith, a local athlete, achieved a significant victory in the 400m event at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham. Competing on his childhood track at Alexander Stadium, where a stand bears his name, Hudson-Smith secured his third European 400m title. This accomplishment makes him the joint-most decorated male athlete in the history of the championships.
The 31-year-old’s win marks his eighth podium finish at the championships, equalling French sprinter Christophe Lemaitre’s record medal tally for men. Hudson-Smith expressed the personal significance of the win, stating that the track felt like home to him.
A homecoming victory
Hudson-Smith, who first trained at Alexander Stadium at the age of nine, delivered a strong performance, crossing the finish line in 44.17 seconds. Frenchman Muhammad Abdallah Kounta finished second with a time of 44.40 seconds. The British athlete had to navigate the final from an outside lane after finishing second in his semi-final heat.
Despite the challenge of the outside lane, Hudson-Smith established an early lead, which he maintained sufficiently to secure the gold medal. This victory adds to his collection of individual gold medals at this level, alongside two 4x400m relay titles. He now joins British athletes Mo Farah and Roger Black with five gold medals and matches Dina Asher-Smith as the most decorated British athlete in the championships’ history.
The win was particularly meaningful for Hudson-Smith, who had previously stated that winning gold on home soil, where his athletic journey began, would “mean the world.” His achievements are recognised on the north stand of the stadium.
Further British success
Following Hudson-Smith’s gold, Emily Newnham earned a silver medal in the women’s 400m hurdles final. The 22-year-old delivered a personal best time of 53.33 seconds, finishing behind Slovakia’s Emma Zapletalova, who won with 52.91 seconds. Newnham’s performance from lane nine mirrored Hudson-Smith’s earlier success.
Newnham’s silver medal is her latest international achievement, building on a season that included two relay medals at the European Indoor Championships and double gold, including an individual title, at the European Under-23 Championships. She also lowered her personal bests in both the 400m hurdles and 400m flat this summer, and secured her first individual senior international medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Great Britain’s medal tally at the championships now includes three gold medals and six overall. Other British athletes are set to compete in upcoming finals, with 100m champion Amy Hunt and Dina Asher-Smith qualifying for the women’s 200m final. Max Burgin and Ben Pattison will participate in the men’s 800m final, while Elise Thorner will contend for a medal in the steeplechase event.
The championships also saw other notable performances, including Romell Glave and Jeremiah Azu securing gold and silver respectively in the 100m event. In the decathlon, Leo Neugebauer of Germany leads after the shot put.
Sam Bennett of Great Britain competed in a hurdles event. Rhasidat Adeleke of the Republic of Ireland won a semi-final in 22.43 seconds. Three British athletes qualified for the women’s 200m final.
The European Athletics Championships continue to feature strong performances from athletes across various disciplines.
Source: bbc.co.uk
