Birmingham: Hudson-Smith secures 400m gold, Newnham claims 400m hurdles silver
Matthew Hudson-Smith has claimed his third European Championship 400m title in Birmingham, winning gold on his home track at the Alexander Stadium. The athlete, who grew up running at the stadium, secured the victory in front of a temporary stand named in his honour for the duration of the championships. He crossed the finish line in 44.17 seconds.
Hudson-Smith expressed the significance of the win, stating, “Nobody is 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.” He also joked about potentially running for Mayor of Birmingham and Wolverhampton.
Muhammad Abdallah Kounta of France earned the silver medal with a time of 44.40 seconds, while Jonas Phijffers of the Netherlands took bronze, setting a national record of 44.41 seconds. Hudson-Smith maintained an early lead from lane nine, holding off challengers throughout the race.
Newnham secures silver in 400m hurdles
In the women’s 400m hurdles, Emily Newnham achieved a personal best of 53.33 seconds to win a silver medal for Great Britain. Emma Zapletalova of Slovakia claimed the gold medal with a time of 52.91 seconds, and Fatoumata Diallo of Portugal secured the bronze in 53.55 seconds.
Newnham shared her happiness with the result, saying, “I’m so, so happy. I knew I wanted a medal… I always think if I can focus on my processes, then who knows what can happen? I’m so, so happy.” She described her strategy, noting she had to start hard from lane nine and assess her position on the bend.
Zapletalova’s performance was dominant, as she was widely expected to win the gold. Newnham’s strong finish saw her power past Diallo in the final metres of the race.
Other notable performances
In other events, Leo Neugebauer of Germany is leading the men’s decathlon after day one. He maintained his lead following the shot put event. Jeff Tesselaar of the Netherlands is currently in silver-medal position, with Sander Skotheim of Germany holding the bronze position.
In the women’s 200m semi-finals, Rhasidat Adeleke of the Republic of Ireland won the third semi-final with a time of 22.43 seconds. Fabienne Hoenke of Switzerland finished second, and Success Eduan of Great Britain qualified in third, ensuring three British athletes would compete in the final.
Eduan expressed her satisfaction, stating, “I felt really good. I knew this heat would be fast… I’m just so happy to have made the final… I’m gaining confidence, experience, This is not a full-time thing, I’m still juggling my degree at the same time. It’s not an opportunity I’m going to take for granted.”
Amy Hunt also delivered an impressive performance, winning her heat in 22.38 seconds, easing up before the finish line. Jaël Bestué finished second in 22.69 seconds, and Boglárka Takács was third in 22.77 seconds. Hunt had previously stated her belief in her own success, aiming to create her own mythology.
In the men’s 110m hurdles, Jakub Szymanski of Poland took the win. Sam Bennett of Great Britain had a strong run, finishing second with a personal best time of 13.26 seconds, the same time as Szymanski. Jason Joseph of Switzerland won his heat in 13.38 seconds, while Thomas Wilkes of France qualified in second with 13.40 seconds.
The previous night saw Romell Glave and Jeremiah Azu secure gold and silver respectively in the men’s 100m final. Glave described the feeling as ecstatic, having dreamed of the moment since the start of the season. Azu added that performing in front of a home crowd made the achievement even more special.
The men’s high jump event is scheduled to begin shortly.
Hudson-Smith’s victory marks his third European Championship 400m title.
Newnham’s silver medal in the 400m hurdles was achieved with a personal best.
Source: theguardian.com
Nathan Crowley is the Sports News Writer at NewsUK, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with six years of reporting experience. He moved from regional newspapers into digital sport. He holds a degree in Journalism from Cardiff University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Cardiff, he plays amateur rugby and follows the Six Nations closely. “Speed and accuracy are not a trade-off in sport news.”
