World bronze. Commonwealth silver. And now, on a balmy night in Munich, European gold. What a heavy metal summer it has been for Matt Hudson-Smith who, over 25 magical days, has become the first British athlete to win three major medals across three different outdoor championships in the same year.
And the 27-year-old did it in style, crossing the line in a one-sided 400m final in 44.53sec. But this was not just about making a history boy, but something far deeper.
When Hudson-Smith won these championships in 2018, many expected him to soar into the sporting stratosphere. Instead, he tumbled into a darkening abyss. In 2019 tore his hamstring and achilles. In 2020 racked up huge medical debts in the US and saw his mental health issues worsen.
“Last year was a big low,” he admitted. “You fight a lot of struggles and I’m pretty sure everyone in the world has been fighting their own demons. But I’m a testimony that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Everyone who is going through struggles, just fight through it and you will come through.
But Hudson-Smith insisted he was no role model. “I’m just a human being making mistakes like everyone,” he added. “But I am open about it. It’s quite a taboo subject as a man. Not a lot of people speak about it.”
Behind him the Swiss athlete Ricky Petrucciani took second in 45.03. And there was surprise and delight for another Briton, Alex Haydock-Wilson, who got up to take bronze in 45.17.
“I’ve taken the scenic route,” admitted the 23-year-old Haydock-Wilson, who is about to embark on a PhD on improving solar panels to make them more resistant to dust. “I’ve never been the person that people point to and say ‘This is the guy who is going to do whatever, or break the British record’. But I have this stubborn, indomitable belief that I will somehow end up at the top one day.”
Asked whether his PhD was his attempt to help save the country, he smiled. “I’m trying my best,” he said. “We can’t have any more 39-degree days.”
The performance of the night came from the Dutch athlete Femke Bol, who blitzed a high-class 400m field to take gold in 49.44sec. It was a time so fast that it would have won silver at the world championships in Eugene – quite something given that Bol is a 400m hurdler by trade and will double up later this week.
Behind her, Britain’s Victoria Ohuruogu was fourth in 50.51, while Ireland’s talented teenager Rhasidat Adeleke was fifth in a national record of 50.53. “I really wanted a medal but if you take everything into consideration, I have nearly run my PB again, so I’m happy I came fourth at my Euros,” said Ohuruogu.
There was also no joy for Andrew Pozzi, who was a disappointing sixth in the 110m hurdles in a modest 13.66. Far ahead of him the Spaniard Asier Martínez took gold in 13.14.
Meanwhile in the pole vault Finland’s Wilma Murto spectacularly announced herself on the global stage with a clearance of 4.85m to beat 2016 Olympic champion Katerina Stefanidi into silver.
