Matthew Hudson-Smith won his third European 400m title with a brilliant run, taking gold on his home track in 44.17 at the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships on Wednesday (12).
In summary
- Hudson-Smith thrills British crowd to take third European 400m title
- Muhammad Abdallah Kounta wins silver for France in 44.40
- Jonas Phijffers sets Dutch record of 44.41 for bronze
Despite the pressure of an expectant home crowd at Alexander Stadium and running from lane nine, Great Britain’s Hudson-Smith rose to the occasion to win his third European title, adding to his victories in Berlin 2018 and Munich 2022.
The British athlete went hard from the start and roared towards the temporary stand named after him for these championships, holding a comfortable lead around the final bend.
Coming into the home straight with a clear advantage, it looked for a moment as though the chasing pack might close him down. But Hudson-Smith held his form in front of a roaring home-straight crowd to take gold in 44.17.
There was an almighty struggle behind him, with France’s Muhammad Abdallah Kounta, European U23 champion Jonas Phijffers, European indoor champion Attila Molnar and Germany’s Jean Paul Bredau all in contention.
Kounta just held on for silver in 44.40, 0.01 ahead of the fast-finishing Phijffers, who set a Dutch record to go with a deserved bronze. Hungary's Molnar was fourth in 44.55 and Bredau fifth in 44.93.
Hunt and Asher-Smith impress
Earlier in the evening, there was another tantalising glimmer of possible gold for Great Britain as 100m champion Amy Hunt and eight-time European medallist Dina Asher-Smith dominated the women’s 200m semifinals.
Asher-Smith, the 200m champion in 2016 and 2018, won heat 1 in 22.49 (0.0m/s). Then Hunt looked entirely at ease as she won heat 2 in 22.37 (-0.1m/s).
Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke clocked a season’s best of 22.43 (0.0m/s) as she won heat 3. European U23 champion Success Eduan was third behind Adeleke in 22.56 to ensure three British athletes made Thursday’s final.
What they said...
Matthew Hudson-Smith: I'm a proud Birchfield Harrier and this is my own track. I've been here since I was nine years old so to do it here in front of my friends and family is extra special.
"It's most likely my last European champs so there's no better place and way to go out. The Matt Hudson-Smith stand is really cool. It was such a surprise. I thought it was a normal media engagement but my Nan was there to surprise me with it.
"It's obviously not something you think about during the race but being able to go past it on the lap of honour was an unreal feeling. The lane draw never bothers me, a 400m is a 400m. It's always going to be hard, we train in every lane anyway so lane nine is something I'm used to.
"I tried to get out hard in the first 150m and take control of the race. I know I am the fastest in the field so I wanted to put the pressure on and put it out of reach for the rest of the field in the home straight.
"The Europeans is always something I target. I know there's always a gold there for me and it's a good stepping stone to LA (2028 Olympics). Every race and every win is another step towards that ultimate goal of winning the Olympics.
"We've still got the relay to go- All the boys are really up for it. I always want as much gold as possible and the relay is always a great shot for us- We have such a strong squad and it will be the last race of the champs so we want to go out with a bang, especially for the British crowd."
Muhammad Abdallah Kounta: “I'm pleased with how I executed that race. My coach Linford Christie didn't really give me a race plan, he just told me to run how I normally do and that helped me relax.
“Linford is not like a coach for me, he's more like my dad. He is a sprinting legend and has done so much for me and I cannot thank him enough. I knew that Matt (Hudson-Smith) was in the lane outside me and that he would go out fast.
“But I tried to ignore that and just focus on my own race and run to my own strengths. I have improved a lot this year. I am stronger going through the rounds.
“I ran a personal best yesterday but felt I had the strength to replicate that today, which is something I don't think I could have done in previous years.
“My first individual international medal gives me a lot of confidence. I want to take this into next year, starting with the Indoors where I won my first medal in the relay. I'm a lot stronger now so we will see what happens.
Jonas Phijffers: “I'm cooked. This morning when I got out of bed I thought there is no way I am going to run again tonight. For some reason, I've never felt as bad before a race, but it happened.
“I did my thing, believed in myself. I came to the line and just before the start I thought I will run the same 400m as if I wasn't tired. I got all the way here. I trained hard and there was no way I was not going to do my best.
“I got going, I felt my legs were great again and the last part I pushed so hard. So that's the story. I have felt great all season, but I have been trying not to put too much pressure on myself. To get bronze and a national record is just amazing.
“I am just so happy I got a medal. At first, I honestly wasn't quite sure if I had won a medal as I didn't know how many guys finished next to me.
"I just wanted to be sure, so I was looking at the screen before I celebrated anything. When I saw I had the bronze, the emotions came out. It's amazing to have a second bronze medal (after the 4x400m mixed relay) at my first senior European championships.