Amy Hunt claimed her first senior international title by storming to victory in the 100m at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, delivering Great Britain’s first gold medal of the competition. The 24-year-old Cambridge graduate finished in exactly 11.00 seconds, securing the win ahead of Poland’s Ewa Swoboda (11.02) and Belgium’s Delphine Nkansa (11.06).
A “Coming of Age” Victory
Hunt’s victory was characterized by a trademark strong finish; after a typically sluggish start out of the blocks, she moved from fifth to first over the second half of the race, only hitting the front with approximately 30 metres remaining. Hunt described the win as definitely a coming of age for me
and noted that it was time to upgrade
after a string of silver medals, including a 100m silver at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow two weeks prior.
The win provided emotional closure for Hunt, who revealed that her parents had left her a note two nights before the race accompanying a gift of gold earrings. They said it was time for gold
, Hunt told BBC Sport, noting that she previously wore all-silver jewellery.
Mental Preparation and Home Advantage
Racing at Alexander Stadium, Hunt felt a strong connection to the venue, having previously competed there as a 13- to 14-year-old and winning English Schools titles at the site. She attributed her success to her ability to thrive under pressure and her capacity to remain calm.
To manage nerves that left her unable to nap before the race, Hunt utilized a variety of distractions:
- Music: Listening to house music, Mamma Mia, and American rapper Megan Thee Stallion.
- Gaming: Playing puzzle games including Wordle, Spelling Bee, Pips, and Connections.
Competition and Field Results
The race saw defending champion Dina Asher-Smith finish fifth in 11.10 seconds. Asher-Smith entered the event having won six European titles, including two in the 100m. Switzerland’s Geraldine di Tizio-Frey, the fastest European on paper this season, finished fourth in 11.07 seconds. Other British contenders, Daryll Neita and Imani-Lani Lansiquot, were eliminated in the semi-finals.
The event took place before a crowd of more than 13,000 people. While the stadium’s capacity had been increased to 20,000 with temporary stands, officials noted this was the lowest ticket sales of the week, though a total of 170,000 tickets have been sold for the overall championships.
Future Ambitions and Team Success
Hunt, who broke the 11-second barrier for the first time at the Stockholm Diamond League meet in June, now aspires to be the best in the world. She intends to chase a historic four gold medals at the championships, with further opportunities in the 200m and both the women’s and mixed 4x100m relays.
Hunt’s gold was the second medal for Great Britain on the opening day. The hosts also secured silver in the mixed 4x400m relay with a time of 3:10.47, finishing behind Norway (3:09.62). The British quartet consisted of Yemi Mary John, Ben Jefferies, Charlotte Henrich, and Toby Harries.
Amy Hunt’s Career Milestones
| Achievement | Event/Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| European Championships | 100m | Gold (11.00s) |
| Commonwealth Games | 100m | Silver |
| World Championships | 200m (Tokyo) | Silver |
| Olympic Games | 4x100m Relay (Paris) | Silver |
| European Championships | 4x100m Relay (Rome 2024) | Gold |
| U-18 World Record | 200m (June 2019) | 22.42s |
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