Britain’s Amy Hunt secured her first senior international title at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, delivering the host nation’s first gold medal of the event. The 24-year-old sprinter clocked a time of 11 seconds flat to claim victory in the 100m final.
Hunt’s performance marked a significant career milestone, following a series of recent podium finishes. She had previously earned world 200m silver in Tokyo last year—her first individual international medal—and secured a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games just two weeks ago.
Reflecting on her win, Hunt said Sport that she had grown tired of finishing second and felt it was time to claim the top spot. She revealed that her parents had gifted her gold earrings to encourage her to move past her streak of silver medals, leaving her a note two nights prior that served as an emotional catalyst for her performance.
The victory was part of a productive opening day for Great Britain, which also saw the host nation secure a silver medal in the mixed 4x400m relay. The British quartet, consisting of Yemi Mary John, Ben Jefferies, Charlotte Henrich, and Toby Harries, finished in 3:10.47, trailing behind the winning Norwegian team, who clocked 3:09.62.
Hunt’s journey to the top has been marked by resilience. Her early senior career was hampered by injuries and the challenge of balancing elite training with an English Literature degree at Cambridge University. In 2022, she suffered a ruptured quad muscle, a setback that followed a long period where she struggled to improve upon the under-18 200m world record she set in 2019.
Now based in Padova, Italy, under the tutelage of coach Marco Airale, Hunt has found consistency. Her recent progress includes breaking the 11-second barrier for the first time earlier this season, a feat that bolstered her confidence ahead of the championships.
During the 100m final, Hunt demonstrated her trademark finishing power, surging from fifth place to first during the latter half of the race. She celebrated the win by raising her arms as she crossed the finish line.
Prior to the competition, Hunt expressed her ambitious mindset by referencing the character Sharpay Evans from High School Musical, stating, “I want it all and I’m someone who doesn’t shy away from what she knows she can do.”
She noted that she had a strong premonition about her success in Birmingham, telling reporters, “I knew I could come away with gold.” This victory is widely viewed as a signal of a changing guard in British sprinting as Hunt continues to establish herself on the global stage.
“I have had such a string of silvers and I was starting to get a bit fed up with it, so I thought it was time for gold,” Hunt, who won in 11 seconds flat, said Sport.
“It was definitely time for me to come of age here.”
Yemi Mary John held off Dutch athlete Myrte van der Schoot on the home straight to bring a British quartet also featuring Ben Jefferies, Charlotte Henrich and Toby Harries home in three minutes 10.47 seconds, behind winn
