Romell Glave and Jeremiah Azu stormed to a British one-two in the men's 100m final at the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham on Tuesday (11) evening.
A bronze medallist in 2024, Glave stopped the clock at 10.09 to become the first British winner of this title since Zharnel Hughes won gold in Berlin 2018.
In summary
- Romell Glave leads a British one-two in the men’s 100m final ahead of Jeremiah Azu
- Glave provides the second half of a British 100m double after Amy Hunt’s victory yesterday.
- Two-time reigning champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs pulls up after 60 metres
After a litany of injuries in recent years, Lamont Marcell Jacobs has looked a credible version of the athlete who has won back-to-back European 100m titles as well as Olympic gold in Tokyo in a still-standing European record of 9.80.
And having broken the 10 second-barrier four times this year in all conditions, including a heavily wind-assisted but still impressive 9.67 in Eisenstadt last month, the Italian was heavily favoured to achieve his third successive title, a feat which has only been achieved by the Soviet Union's Valeriy Borzov and Great Britain's Linford Christie, the latter among the near 20,000 in attendance this evening.
But after looking supreme in the semifinals which took place earlier this evening when he qualified fastest with 10.08, Jacobs was sluggish out of the blocks in the final and the reigning two-time champion eased up after 60 metres before gingerly walking off the track. Italian media is reporting Jacobs sustained a muscle injury during the warm-up.
Either side of Jacobs, reigning European indoor champion Jeremiah Azu exploded out of the blocks with 2024 European bronze medallist Romell Glave also in close contention in lane six. Glave swept clear in the last 30 metres for victory in 10.09 with Azu, who also won a bronze medal behind Jacobs in 2022, returning to the podium with silver in 10.13.
The Brits had their sights on a clean sweep of the medals but Louie Hinchliffe, who scraped through to the final as a non-automatic qualifier with 10.30, was a late withdrawal through injury. The bronze medal went to German record-holder Owen Ansah in 10.19.
What they said
Romell Glave (GBR)
"It's an amazing feeling. The work I've put in to reach this point was a lot. Me and my coach have been working on the first 30 metes. It paid off and it's amazing to upgrade my bronze from 2024. The aim was to get a 1-2-3 finish for British athletics. We got 1 -2 instead which is still absolutely amazing. There was no pressure, mentally I was ready for this occasion."
Jeremiah Azu (GBR)
"It's amazing to have my family and my son here in the crowd. He is getting to the age where he is starting to understanding what is going on and what I do, so that makes it extra special. Throughout the year I was trying too much and relying on myself too much. But today has been another step on my athletics journey. This is helped me stopped taking things for granted and focus on the things I can control."