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Hudson-Smith Wins Third European 400m Title in 44.17

8/13/2026

Summary

Zapletalová Gold

Matthew Hudson-Smith won his third European 400 m title in Birmingham in 44.17 seconds, beating Muhammad Abdallah Kounta and Jonas Phijffers.
Emma Zapletalová became the first Slovakian woman to win European gold, running 52.91 seconds in the 400 m hurdles.
Emily Newnham earned a personal-best 53.33-second silver, moving to second on the British all-time list, while Amy Hunt and Dina Asher-Smith qualified for the 200 m final with 22.37 and 22.49 seconds.

Summary

Hudson-Smith Stand

The Alexander Stadium’s north-stand extension was officially named the Matthew Hudson-Smith Stand weeks before the championships.
In 2022 he signed a Puma contract, turned full-time and later earned a World Championships silver medal.
Matthew Hudson-Smith, a Wolverhampton native who trained with Birchfield Harriers and spent time in the Wolverhampton Wanderers academy, joked about running for mayor of Birmingham and Wolverhampton after his win.

History

Historical Context

Britain’s relay tradition began with the men’s 4 × 400 m gold at the 1990 European Championships in Split, where the team set a 2:58.22 championship record. That momentum continued with a 1991 World Championship victory and a 1992 Olympic bronze, establishing a legacy that underpins Matthew Hudson-Smith’s third European 400 m title in 2024 and the naming of Birmingham’s Hudson-Smith Stand.

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Zapletalová Gold

Matthew Hudson-Smith won his third European 400 m title in Birmingham in 44.17 seconds, beating Muhammad Abdallah Kounta and Jonas Phijffers.
Emma Zapletalová became the first Slovakian woman to win European gold, running 52.91 seconds in the 400 m hurdles.
Emily Newnham earned a personal-best 53.33-second silver, moving to second on the British all-time list, while Amy Hunt and Dina Asher-Smith qualified for the 200 m final with 22.37 and 22.49 seconds.

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