Great Britain and NI set a European record, Amy Hunt clinched a record fourth gold medal and Dina Asher-Smith became the most decorated athlete in European Athletics Championships history at the inaugural mixed relay 4x100m at Birmingham 2026 on Sunday (16).
In summary
- Great Britain & NI win inaugural mixed 4x100m title in Birmingham
- A British quartet sped to a European record of 39.97
- Dina Asher-Smith becomes the most successful athlete at with 11 medals
A power-packed quartet of men’s 100m silver medallist Jeremiah Azu, 200m bronze medallist Asher-Smith, men’s 200m silver medallist Zharnel Hughes and women’s 100m and 200m champion Hunt always looked a mighty prospect on paper.
And so it proved on the track as they scorched to a European record of 39.97, second only to Jamaica (39.62) on the world all-time list, to become the first European quartet to break the 40 second-barrier in the short history of the event.
Germany pushed them hard and were level with the British quartet when Gina Lückenkemper collected the baton on the final leg just inside the changeover zone, but up against the irresistible force of Hunt, they had to settle for silver in 40.11. Spain won bronze in 40.42.
Hunt became the first athlete to win four gold medals at a single European Athletics Championships and Asher-Smith won a record-breaking eleventh European medal, including eight gold, her first coming at Amsterdam 2016 having tied Irena Szewinska's record with gold in the 4x100m on Saturday (15).
What they said....
Amy Hunt: "I'm over the moon with four gold medals and I'm so glad to share it with some of my best friends in the sport. Me and Jeremiah practiced our changeover only an hour ago for the first time.
"Today It felt like when your queuing for a roller coaster and you're a bit nervous, but when it's over you want to do it all over again. That's how it felt today."
Jeremiah Azu: "It's sprint domination here for us Brits. There was a lot of history for us at these champs and we're so happy and blessed to have got the gold. It's an honour to run with this team, especially Dina as she's a huge inspiration to me. I'm definitely behind doing this event again."
"The competition went pretty well, if I have to judge it. The take-overs were pretty clean. I have to say that with the mixed relay, the nerves are a bit different, it is a different way of preparing for it as it is all so new.
"I haven't spoken to Amy Hunt after the race yet, but knowing she was running that last leg, I said up front that I wanted to make her life as difficult as possible. We wanted to battle them for that gold and I think we really gave it our best to do that."