Matthew Hudson-Smith won the men’s 400m title at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham on Wednesday. The British runner crossed the finish line in 44.17 seconds at Alexander Stadium.
The victory gave Hudson-Smith his third individual European 400m title, making him the first man to win the event three times, according to British Athletics.
France’s Muhammad Abdallah Kounta finished second in 44.40 seconds. Jonas Phijffers of the Netherlands took bronze in 44.41 seconds, setting a Dutch national record.
The victory carried special meaning for Hudson-Smith because of his long connection to Alexander Stadium.
Hudson-Smith was born in Wolverhampton and began training at Alexander Stadium with Birchfield Harriers when he was nine years old, according to British Athletics. He has spent much of his athletic career training and competing at the venue.
Winning a major championship there gave him the opportunity to celebrate in front of family, friends and longtime supporters.
Hudson-Smith has become one of Europe’s most accomplished 400m runners. He previously won the European 400m title in 2018 and 2022 before adding his third championship in Birmingham.
He also holds the British and European record in the 400m.
Hudson-Smith ran 43.44 seconds in the final of the Paris Olympics in 2024, according to World Athletics. That performance earned him the Olympic silver medal.
American Quincy Hall won the race in 43.40 seconds.
Hudson-Smith also helped Britain win bronze in the men’s 4x400m relay at the Paris Games. His World Athletics Championships record includes individual medals as well.
At the 2022 World Championships, Hudson-Smith won bronze in the 400m with a time of 44.66 seconds. He followed that performance with a silver medal at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.
His career has included setbacks as well as major victories. Injuries interrupted his progress at different points, but Hudson-Smith returned to become one of the fastest 400m runners in history.
He signed with Puma in 2022 as his international career began gaining momentum again.
Hudson-Smith’s relationship with Alexander Stadium was also recognized during the Birmingham championships. An extension of the stadium’s North Stand was temporarily named the Matthew Hudson-Smith Stand in his honor.
Hudson-Smith said the recognition also belonged to the people who helped him throughout his career. He credited his family, friends and coaches for supporting him along the way.
The European Championships feature several other leading athletes across a range of events. Norway’s Karsten Warholm is competing in the men’s 400m hurdles, while Irish runner Mark English is competing in the men’s 800m.
English ran a championship-record 1:43.49 in his semifinal.
For Hudson-Smith, the Birmingham championships have already produced a historic result. His 44.17-second victory gave him another European gold medal on the same track where his athletics career began as a child.
The win strengthened his place among the greatest European 400m runners in the history of the event.
IMAGE: filip bossuyt from Kortrijk, Belgium / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)