Amy Hunt Wins Third Gold as Dina Asher-Smith Makes History

Great Britain’s sprint relay squads deliver a masterclass in speed, sweeping both the women’s and men’s 4x100m titles on a thrilling Saturday at the European Championships in Birmingham. The host nation dominates at Alexander Stadium, anchored by a historic performance from the women’s quartet that secures Great Britain's second gold of the evening. This spectacular double victory catapults the British team up the medal standings and cements their status as the dominant force in European sprinting.

In the women's final, the British quartet of Dina Asher-Smith, Amy Hunt, Success Eduan, and Imani-Lara Lansiquot executes flawless baton handovers to clock a blistering 42.05 seconds. This commanding performance leaves their rivals trailing, with Switzerland taking silver in 43.12 seconds and Poland securing bronze in 43.15 seconds. The sheer dominance of the British women is on full display as Lansiquot crosses the finish line more than a full second ahead of the rest of the field.

The victory marks a monumental milestone for twenty-four-year-old Amy Hunt, who celebrates her third gold medal in just six days after earlier triumphs in the individual 100m and 200m events. Alongside her, veteran sprinter Dina Asher-Smith enters the history books by capturing her seventh career European Championship gold medal, a decade after her first. This achievement pulls the thirty-year-old level with the all-time championship gold record, while her overall tally of ten European medals equals the legendary record of Polish sprinting icon Irena Szewinska.

Just minutes before the women's triumph, the British men's 4x100m relay team sets the stadium alight with an equally impressive golden run. Jeremiah Azu, Louie Hinchliffe, Zharnel Hughes, and Romell Glave combine seamlessly to clock 38.45 seconds, holding off Germany and Belgium. Glave, the individual 100m champion, powers down the home straight to seal the victory. The gold is the fifth European title for Hughes, elevating him into an elite group of the most successful British male athletes in championship history.

These back-to-back relay victories boost Great Britain’s medal count to twelve, including six golds, keeping the hosts in hot pursuit of table-topping Italy. Beyond the medal table, the performances highlight the extraordinary talents of the squad, which includes student midwife Success Eduan and playwright Imani-Lara Lansiquot. The seamless baton exchange between Asher-Smith and Hunt also serves as a symbolic passing of the torch, representing the transition of British sprinting dominance from an established global icon to an exciting new generation.

Attention now turns to the final day of competition on Sunday, where the mixed 4x100m relay offers a shot at unprecedented history. Hunt stands on the precipice of becoming the first athlete ever to win four gold medals at a single European Championships in the event’s ninety-two-year history. With momentum firmly on their side, the British athletes look to close out the home championships with further golden performances, aiming to overtake Italy at the top of the final medal standings.

Originally reported by BBC Sport