British sprinter Amy Hunt finished third in the women’s 200m Diamond League final in Brussels on a freezing September night, clocking a season’s best of 22.16 seconds behind race winner Julien Alfred and American runner-up Kayla White.
Great Britain’s Amy Hunt secured a third-place finish in the women’s 200m Diamond League final in Brussels, crossing the line in a season’s best time of 22.16 seconds. The 24-year-old Briton, who arrived at the finale following a four-gold medal haul at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham over the summer, finished eight hundredths of a second off her lifetime best on a dank, freezing northern European night.
The race victory went to St Lucia’s Julien Alfred, the reigning Olympic 100m champion, who powered through the adverse weather conditions to take the title in 21.79 seconds. America’s Kayla White claimed second place in 22.00 seconds. Another British sprinter, Success Eduan, finished seventh in the eight-runner field after clocking 23.06 seconds in Belgium.
Amy Hunt Reflects on Season-Best Bend and Fatigue
Despite fading in the final stages of the race, Hunt expressed satisfaction with her performance, particularly pointing to the strength of her opening curve against world-class competition. She noted that the demanding nature of her training schedule has built up her capacity for packed racing calendars.
“That was probably one of the best bends I’ve ever done, if not the best. I could feel I was so close to Julian, then the long season kind of caught out to me in the last 20 metres.”
Amy Hunt, via BBC
Speaking to the BBC World Service after the race, Hunt explained that her heavy winter preparation directly supports her ability to double up across sprint events. We train over 400 metres and the longest recovery we have in winter sessions is 45 seconds,
Hunt said, adding that her continuous high-intensity repetition work allows her to sustain tight schedules.
Julien Alfred Claims 200m Diamond League Title and Shifts Focus
For Julien Alfred, the victory concluded her 200m campaign for the season. Addressing reporters after her win, Alfred brushed off the challenging track and temperature conditions by noting that all athletes faced the same environment. Her victory secured her world ranking and capped off a year where she learned to embrace the half-lap event following encouragement from her coach and Noah Lyles.
With the Diamond League 200m title secured, Alfred plans to spend the intervening week sharpening her mechanics and returning to an aggressive mindset as she shifts her primary focus back to the 100m distance.
Armand Duplantis Injury Scare Casts Doubt on Budapest Ultimate Championships
While the track events unfolded in Brussels, the pole vault competition saw high drama off the runway. Sweden’s pole vault world record-holder Armand “Mondo” Duplantis was forced to pull out of the Diamond League final after experiencing tightness in his leg. His withdrawal places his participation in doubt for the upcoming inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest.
“The worst possible thing to do is having to pull out of a competition. The fans wanted to see a good show and I wish I could deliver that. Unfortunately, I can’t right now.”
Armand Duplantis, via The Guardian
Duplantis admitted that his availability for the newly launched biennial event remains uncertain. My head is everywhere right now. It’s super difficult, but that’s life, that’s the life of an athlete,
Duplantis said. I try to stay calm and positive. We will see if I can make the Ultimate Championships. I don’t have the answer right now.
The Stakes at the Inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships
The upcoming Budapest meeting functions as a new showcase bringing together Olympic champions, world champions, and Diamond League winners. Competitors will vie for shares of a $10m purse, with individual event champions guaranteed significant winner’s checks.
While major stars evaluate their fitness, notable absences are already confirmed. Paris Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles previously ended his season early due to injury, though he intends to travel to Hungary to support competitors and manage off-track events. Meanwhile, athletes like Amy Hunt look ahead to the meeting intending to contest both sprint distances as the elite athletics calendar reaches its climax.
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