In a historic achievement at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium, Matt Hudson-Smith clinched his third European Championship 400m title, becoming the first man to do so. The 31-year-old athlete, competing on his home turf, delivered an impressive performance, leading the race from lane nine and finishing with a time of 44.17 seconds. Despite a slight slowdown in the final stretch, Hudson-Smith managed to maintain his lead, much to the delight of the local crowd.
France’s Muhammad Abdallah Kounta secured the silver medal with a time of 44.40 seconds, while the Netherlands’ Jonas Phijffers earned the bronze, setting a national record with his 44.41-second finish. Hudson-Smith, who grew up in the Birmingham area and trained at Alexander Stadium since childhood, expressed that winning in front of a home audience held special significance for him.
The championships also saw success for Britain in the women’s 400m hurdles, where Emily Newnham delivered a commendable performance to win silver. Newnham completed the race in a personal-best time of 53.33 seconds, finishing strongly. Slovakia’s Emma Zapletalova captured the gold medal with a time of 52.91 seconds, while Portugal’s Fatoumata Binta Diallo achieved a national record with her 53.55-second bronze-medal finish.
Hudson-Smith’s victory adds to his illustrious career, marking another triumph on a familiar track. His accomplishment not only underscores his dominance in the event but also brings pride to the local community that has supported his journey from the beginning. With his recent success, Hudson-Smith has solidified his status as one of Europe’s premier 400m runners.