It has been eight years since a British woman took the 200m title, but with the championships in Birmingham, the possibility of a perfect home win is very much possible.
Dina Asher-Smith, 200m title holder in 2016 and 2018, holds the European lead with 22.28, but fellow Britons Amy Hunt and Success Eduan will also challenge for gold as the three of them hold the fastest season's bests.
Although, while a fairytale ending is possible, there are many challengers that could bump one, or all, of the Britons off the podium.
European record - 21.63 Dafne Schippers (NED) 2015
European lead - 22.28 Dina Asher-Smith (GBR) 2026
Championship record - 21.71 Heike Drechsler (GDR/GER) 1986
Roma 2024 medallists:
- Mujinga Kambundji (SUI), 22.49
- Daryll Neita (GBR), 22.50
- Helene Parisot (FRA), 22.63
Five names to watch:
- Dina Asher-Smith (GBR)
- Amy Hunt (GBR)
- Success Eduan (GBR)
- Fabienne Hoenke (SUI)
- Jael Bestue (ESP)
Asher-Smith was the last British woman to hold the 200m European title after winning back-to-back in 2016 and 2018. Having run a European lead of 22.28 at the London Diamond League, she is in good form to take back what was once hers.
Hunt, who took silver at the World Athletics Championships last year over 200m, has proved that she is also a contender for gold, but finished 0.02 seconds behind Asher-Smith at the London Diamond League.
The former world U18 200m record-holder, Hunt has ran the 100m more frequently than the 200m this year, with it clear she has worked to improve her start which along with her impressive top speed could be a lethal combination.
Hunt however was defeated at the British Championships in June by reigning European U23 200m Champion, Eduan, who could provide a shock performance to take gold having ran the third fastest time this year for a European woman, with 22.43.
Leading the charge to dethrone the British is Switzerland’s Fabienne Hoenke who set a new PB of 22.50 on 10 July, and is the best hope to keep the title with the Swiss for a third consecutive championships.
Reigning champion Mujinga Kambundji of Switzerland will be competing in Birmingham by virtue of a wildcard but she is still working her way back to top form after giving birth just last year, running a best of 23.37 this year.
Spain’s Jael Bestue will also be looking to put her country on the women’s 200m podium for the first time, having won the Madrid 2025 European Athletics Team Championships in a national record of 22.19 and running 22.57 this season.
The Spaniard placed seventh over 200m in Rome, and is yet to take her first senior major individual medal, but Birmingham could finally be where the 26-year-old makes it to the podium.
The youngest in the field is 19-year-old German Judith Bilepo Mokobe, who took the European Athletics U20 Championships 200m title last year and has gone on to run 22.78 this year, and could cause an upset in Birmingham.