Amy Hunt delivered a commanding performance to claim gold in the women’s 200 metres at the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham. The 24-year-old British sprinter crossed the line in a season’s best time of 22.19 seconds, completing a memorable 100m-200m double just days after her victory in the shorter sprint.
Hunt’s triumph places her firmly on course for an unprecedented four gold medals at a single European Championships. With the women’s and mixed 4x100m relays still to come, she has already declared her ambition with characteristic confidence: “Two out of four, baby!”
A Powerful Finish Seals the Double
Racing in front of a passionate home crowd of more than 20,000 at Alexander Stadium, Hunt produced a strong second half to overhaul the field. Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke finished strongly to take silver in a national record of 22.28 seconds. Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, the 2018 double champion, claimed bronze in 22.29 seconds, her fastest time of the season.
Hunt had already won the 100 metres on Monday. By adding the 200m title she became only the third woman in history to complete the European sprint double, and the first since Asher-Smith eight years earlier. The Cambridge graduate celebrated by raising her arms, pointing to the sky and later brandishing a Union Jack while wearing a tiara.
“This is becoming a magical week and one I will remember for the rest of my life,” Hunt said afterwards. She described the 100m as harder mentally and the 200m as the toughest physically. Health challenges earlier in the year had left her nearly fainting after several 200m races, making the victory especially meaningful.
Overcoming Setbacks and Building Momentum
Hunt’s path to this double has not been straightforward. She won world 200m silver in Tokyo last year and claimed Commonwealth Games silver earlier this summer. Yet form in the longer sprint had been inconsistent before Birmingham. In the days leading up to the final she spoke of a “renewal of our vows” with the event. The semi-finals restored her confidence, and the final confirmed it.
She started the race calmly and gradually closed the gap on Asher-Smith, who had made the better start. By the final 40 metres Hunt’s superior strength told. The performance underlined her rapid rise as the new leading figure in British sprinting.
Asher-Smith, a multiple European medallist, remained positive despite finishing third. The veteran described any medal as a source of pride after a decade of competing at the highest level. Adeleke’s silver, meanwhile, continued a strong night for Ireland, which earlier celebrated Mark English’s historic gold in the men’s 800 metres.
Targeting Four Golds and British Sprint Dominance
Hunt has made no secret of her goal. She aims to win both the women’s 4x100m relay and the mixed 4x100m relay, which would make her the first athlete to secure four European Championship gold medals in a single tournament. Great Britain enter the relays as strong favourites provided the baton changes are clean.
“I am only 50 per cent through as I have set out for the full set of four golds,” Hunt explained. “Now I am incredibly excited for the relays because I get to do them and have so much fun with my friends. No celebrations and no champagne until Sunday night. I have got a debt to the ladies. We have got to come out here and make sure we show them who the best sprinting nation is in Europe.”
British sprinters have already enjoyed a strong championships. Romell Glave and Jeremiah Azu finished one-two in the men’s 100 metres, while Matthew Hudson-Smith took 400m gold. Hunt’s double has further lifted the home team’s momentum.
A New Chapter for British Sprinting
Hunt’s success marks a clear changing of the guard. She has now beaten Asher-Smith in both the 100m and 200m within the same championships, signalling the emergence of a new generation. The 24-year-old’s combination of speed, composure under pressure and clear ambition has captured attention across the sport.
She prepared for the 200m final by relaxing with New York Times puzzle games, yet once on the track her focus was absolute. “I woke up this morning with an utter feeling of calm,” she recalled. “I could feel it when I walked out tonight in the air that it didn’t matter what anyone else was going to run, I was going to win.”
That self-belief has carried her through health setbacks and the pressure of being expected to win multiple events. The home crowd responded enthusiastically, creating one of the loudest atmospheres of the championships so far.
As the European Athletics Championships move into the final days, all eyes will be on the relay events. Hunt has already delivered two gold medals and given British athletics a new headline act. Whether she completes the historic quadruple remains to be seen, but her performances in Birmingham have already secured a special place in the championships’ history. The second half of her golden quest begins with the relays, and few would now bet against her.
