The 2026 European Track and Field Championships opened with a British breakthrough on Monday night.
Sprinter Amy Hunt claimed her first senior continental title, clocking in at 11 seconds to win the women's 100-meter at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham. She edged Poland's Ewa Swoboda by 0.02 seconds, giving the host nation an early podium highlight.
But Hunt's start in the race didn't point to gold.
Late Amy Hunt Surge Secures European Championships Gold
She posted the second-slowest break from the blocks and trailed the field deep into the stretch. But over the closing 25 meters, she surged past Swoboda. Meanwhile, defending European Championships winner Dina Asher-Smith missed the podium by 0.03 seconds, slotting in at fifth.
Afterward, Hunt described the moment as almost too big to process.
"As I crossed the line I could have screamed, I could have cried," she said.
"Everyone knows I am not that emotional and not that good at showing my emotions. But this win is incredibly special to me, with it being the first [European Championships hosted] in the UK."
Attention now turns to the 200-meter, her stronger event. Hunt earned silver in the distance at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. Heats begin Wednesday, with the final Thursday.
