Matt Hudson-Smith made a significant mark at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium by becoming the first man to secure three European Championship 400m titles. The 31-year-old athlete delivered an impressive performance in front of his hometown supporters, clinching victory in the final with a time of 44.17 seconds. Positioned in lane nine, Hudson-Smith set a rapid pace from the start and managed to hold onto his lead despite a slight slowdown towards the end.
In the race for the remaining medals, France’s Muhammad Abdallah Kounta claimed the silver with a time of 44.40 seconds, while Jonas Phijffers from the Netherlands took home the bronze, setting a new national record at 44.41 seconds. Hudson-Smith, who has been training at the stadium since his childhood and grew up in the Birmingham area, expressed that winning on his home turf held special significance for him.
In addition to Hudson-Smith’s triumph, Britain celebrated another achievement in the women’s 400m hurdles. Emily Newnham delivered a strong finish, earning a silver medal with a personal-best time of 53.33 seconds. Slovakia’s Emma Zapletalova captured the gold with a time of 52.91 seconds, while Portugal’s Fatoumata Binta Diallo secured the bronze, also setting a national record with her finish of 53.55 seconds.