The 2024 European Athletics Championships wrapped up a historic weekend for British sprinting on Sunday, as Team Great Britain claimed gold in the mixed 4x100m relay while two of its star athletes etched their names deeper into the event’s record books. Anchored by rising sprint star Amy Hunt, the dominant British quartet — made up of first leg Jeremiah Azu, second leg Dina Asher-Smith, third leg Zharnel Hughes, and final leg Hunt — crossed the finish line in a new European record time of 39.97 seconds, finishing well ahead of silver medalists Germany and bronze medalists Spain to secure the top spot on the podium.
For Hunt, the victory marked her fourth gold medal of this year’s championships, capping off an undisputed career-best week that already included titles in the individual 100m, 200m, and women’s 4x100m relay. Speaking to reporters after the win, the young sprinter expressed overwhelming joy at sharing the moment with her teammates, revealing that the group had only run their first full baton handoff practice an hour before the final. “It was like waiting in line for a roller-coaster — you’re staring down that big drop scared out of your mind, but the second you finish you just want to go again,” Hunt said. “It was so scary, but I loved getting this new opportunity. Ending the week trying something brand new? It was amazing.”
The historic win was just as significant for Dina Asher-Smith, the 30-year-old British sprint veteran who ran the second leg of the race. The medal marks Asher-Smith’s eighth continental European gold medal, pushing her ahead of Croatian discus thrower Sandra Elkasevic and Norwegian middle-distance star Jakob Ingebrigtsen, both of whom hold seven European golds apiece. Beyond the gold count, the medal also makes Asher-Smith the most decorated athlete in European Athletics Championships history: her total 11 continental medals (eight golds, two silvers, one bronze) surpass the previous record of 10 medals held by Polish sprinter Irena Szewinska, which stood for more than 45 years.
Like Hunt, Asher-Smith spoke of the mix of nerves and excitement that came with the new mixed relay event. “I had to run so fast out there — I’m on a team with three other incredibly fast people!” she said. “I was absolutely terrified when the gun went off; I just kept telling myself to relax. I was so happy to hand that baton off to Zharnel, I can’t even lie. It’s really good to get to try something new, and the more we compete in this event, the more we learn what makes us faster.”
Sunday’s mixed relay gold caps off a truly dominant week of sprinting for Great Britain. Earlier in the championships, Rommel Glave and Azu took first and second place in the men’s 100m, Hughes claimed silver in the men’s 200m, and both the British men’s and women’s 4x100m relay squads also took home gold medals. Azu, the reigning world indoor 60m champion, said the week of wins proves Britain’s depth and strength in sprint events. “We are super strong in sprinting, and we wanted to showcase that for the British fans,” he said. He also paid tribute to his two teammates, calling Hunt’s breakout performance “incredible” and noting that Asher-Smith has long been an inspiration for him. “When I started athletics in 2017, Dina was all anyone talked about. I watched all of her race tapes over and over. It’s an honor and a privilege to be on the same team as her now — it still feels surreal that we’re teammates,” Azu said.
Hughes echoed his teammates’ excitement, summing up the mood of the entire British squad with a simple, confident question: “It was incredible. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Are you not entertained?”