Matthew Hudson-Smith made history on his home track as he was crowned European 400m champion for a record third time on the third day of action at Birmingham 2026.
Hudson-Smith (Birchfield Harriers, Gary Evans) became the first man to win three 400m European titles, powering to victory in 44.17s from the outside lane.
In doing so, he became the most decorated male European athlete of all time at these championships and achieved the feat on the same track at the Alexander Stadium that he first trained at as a nine-year-old.
Hudson-Smith flew out of the blocks and led from start to finish, holding off late charges to add to his European titles from 2018 and 2022.
“Words can’t describe how much that meant to me,” he said.
“My coach said to me ‘this is your home, defend it’. I knew it would take a hell of an effort for someone to get past me.
“No-one was going to beat me on this track, this is my home. I have been here since I was nine, I know this track like the back of my hand. It feels amazing.”
It capped a brilliant evening for the Novuna Great Britain & Northern Ireland team at Alexander Stadium, which also saw Emily Newnham (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, Nick Dakin) claim silver in the 400m hurdles.
Newnham stormed down the home straight to power onto the podium in a new personal best of 53.33s, putting her second on the British all-time list.
“I told myself a medal was mine today and I just had to believe it,” she said.
“I needed to get out hard, which I am not known for, but being in lane nine that was required. I’m so happy.”
Lina Nielsen (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, Jack Green) clocked 54.35s to finish sixth in the same race, having set a personal best of 54.04s to qualify for the final.
Charlotte Payne (Newbury AC, Ian Payne) finished in a brilliant sixth in the final of the women’s hammer, with a best effort of 70.12m. She came into these championships ranked 15th.
“It was an absolute dream,” she said. “I was absolutely over the moon to make the final and then to throw 70m in the European final was beyond my dreams.
“It’s a number that I’ve been breaking all year, but in such a high-pressured environment, with so many different factors, I was just so pleased.
“Then to make it into a top eight again, you get these extra three throws. Unbelievable. I loved every single second of it.”
Samuel Bennett (Basildon AC, Steven Surety) came seventh in the final of the men’s 110m hurdles, finishing in 13.62s. Bennett ran a brilliant personal best of 13.26s in the semi-final to qualify automatically for the final in his senior international debut.
“It shows what I know I’m capable of,” he said. “Written on my spikes is ‘I will become what I know I am’.
“I’m here, I’m ready and I just need to keep believing in myself.”
Tade Ojora (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow AC, Joanna Hayes) did not progress to the final after finishing fifth in his semi-final, in a time of 13.48s.
Dina Asher-Smith (Blackheath & Bromley, Michael J Ford), Amy Hunt (Marco Airale), and Success Eduan (Sale Harriers Manchester, Anita Richardson) ensured there will be three British women in the women’s 200m final after they all successfully navigated the semi-finals.
Asher-Smith was first to book her place in the final, cruising to victory in the first semi-final in 22.47s before newly-crowned 100m champion Hunt followed with a similarly comfortable performance to win in 22.37s.
Eduan completed the hat-trick as one of the non-automatic qualifiers, clocking 22.56s in the third and final semi-final.
Asher-Smith said: “Whenever you get to run at a home champs, it’s always a magical moment you’re going to treasure.
“There were so many talented and hard-working women on the line with me, so I had to make sure I earned my spot.”
