No sooner had Amy Hunt won a staggering third European gold medal in five days than she pointed at the superwomen guiding her closer to history. It was hard to argue with that, especially after watching Britain’s 4x100m women power to glory in 42.05secs, more than 10 metres clear of Switzerland and Poland. We’re all superwomen together out there.” First she addressed Dina Asher-Smith, who ran the first leg and whose gold equalled the Polish sprinter Irena Szewinska’s overall record tally of 10 medals at the championships.
In 2021 she had also written a play, Armour of Gaza, about growing up in Peckham. The overall message was clear. On Sunday, Hunt will attempt to become the first athlete to win four gold medals at a single edition of a European championships in the mixed 4x100m relay.
But she wanted this night to be about her teammates most of all. And that included praise for Britain’s new relay coach, Richard Kilty, who told the women a simple message before they stepped out on to the track: “Go out and break their hearts.” The British team certainly did that. Everyone played their parts, including the newcomer Eduan, who is now intending to become a full-time sprinter.
Is it harder to deliver a baby or a baton, she was asked. Someone’s life is in my hands,” she said smiling. It was a great night overall for Britain’s relay teams given that 15 minutes earlier the men’s quartet of Jeremiah Azu, Louie Hinchliffe, Zharnel Hughes and Romell Glave also took gold, in 38.45secs, ahead of Germany and Belgium.
Before the drama of the relays there were a series of extraordinary performances across the night. That surely came in the triple jump, where Italy’s Andy Díaz’s stunning leap of 18.15m – the fourth furthest in history – brought him gold by 39cm from Portugal’s Pedro Pichardo. But not far behind was Sweden’s Andreas Almgren’s destructive display in the men’s 10,000m.
After a dawdling first kilometre, Almgren gradually broke the resistance of all his rivals and lapped most of the field, to win by nearly 20 seconds in a championship record 27mins 23.44secs. Soon afterwards, Germany’s Julian Weber broke Steve Backley’s javelin championship record with a monster 90.40m final round throw to beat his compatriot Nick Thumm. He has thrown ridiculously far tonight.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
