Amy Hunt stood in the glare of the track and pointed at the three women beside her. She had just collected a third European Championships gold in five days, yet her first instinct was to share the credit with Britain’s ‘fantastic four’.
Britain’s women powered to victory in the 4×100 metres in 42.05 seconds, finishing more than 10 metres clear of Switzerland and Poland. Hunt, Dina Asher-Smith, Success Eduan and Imani-Lara Lansiquot delivered the kind of polished performance that left no room for doubt.
Hunt said it had been a privilege to share the track with her teammates. “It’s such a privilege to be able to step on the track with these ladies, and the individual superpowers that we bring,” she said. “It’s no joke. We’re all superwomen together out there.”
She singled out Asher-Smith, who ran the first leg and whose gold moved her level with Irena Szewinska’s record of 10 career medals at the European Championships. “I’m stood next to Dina, she’s the most decorated European athlete in history,” Hunt said. “She has got thousands of medals.”
Eduan, 21, is three weeks from completing a degree in midwifery. “This girl, Success, is a midwife,” Hunt said. “She brings new babies into the world.” She also praised Lansiquot, who anchored the team and once wrote a play, Armour of Gaza, about growing up in Peckham. “Imani, that girl wrote a play,” Hunt said.
Hunt will return on Sunday in the mixed 4x100m relay with the chance to become the first athlete to win four gold medals at a single edition of the European Championships. She was adamant, however, that Saturday belonged to her teammates.
Britain’s new relay coach, Richard Kilty, had told the women a simple instruction before they stepped on the track: “Go out and break their hearts.” They duly did, and Eduan later confirmed she intends to combine sprinting with her medical ambitions. “I finish in three weeks and I graduate in November, hopefully,” she said. Asked whether delivering a baby or a baton was harder, she smiled: “A baby! Someone’s life is in my hands.”
Fifteen minutes earlier, the men’s quartet of Jeremiah Azu, Louie Hinchliffe, Zharnel Hughes and Romell Glave had claimed gold in 38.45 seconds, finishing ahead of Germany and Belgium.
On a packed evening, Italy’s Andy Díaz produced the standout individual moment in the triple jump, soaring 18.15 metres, the fourth longest jump in history, to beat Portugal’s Pedro Pichardo by 39 centimetres.
Sweden’s Andreas Almgren delivered a destructive front-running display in the men’s 10,000m. After a dawdling first kilometre, he lapped most of the field and won by nearly 20 seconds in a championship record of 27 minutes 23.44 seconds. “If someone is going to beat me, they are going to have to suffer for it,” he said. “I’m in the best 10k shape of my life.” Switzerland’s Dominic Lobalu took silver, while world champion Jimmy Gressier edged out Italy’s Yeman Crippa for bronze on the final straight.
Germany’s Julian Weber launched a final-round throw of 90.40 metres to break Steve Backley’s championship record in the javelin and beat compatriot Nick Thumm. Backley offered a generous tribute: “I’m delighted for him. Julian Weber is my favourite thrower. A brilliant athlete. He has thrown ridiculously far tonight. Records are there to be broken and it is why we love Championships. Medals are for keeps, records are to borrow.”
Norway’s Henriette Jaeger stormed to the women’s 400m title in 49.04 seconds, a second clear of Poland’s Natalia Bukowiecka, with Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands third.
Ireland’s Kate O’Connor won the heptathlon with 6751 points, ahead of Dutch duo Emma Oosterwegel (6712) and Sofie Dokter (6664). O’Connor dedicated the gold to her father and coach, Michael. “He still turns up to training, day in, day out, because this is my dream, but it is also his dream too,” she said.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson, who finished 23rd, admitted she had struggled with preparation after a difficult season and is reported to have been battling a calf injury. “I’ve had a really difficult season behind the scenes, and I didn’t know what form I was going to come here in,” she said. “I obviously trusted myself to perform in major championships. I just didn’t have the preparation that I truly needed to be competitive.”
The men’s 1500m produced the biggest surprise of the night. Stefan Nillessen, a 6ft 4in 23-year-old, stormed through to win in 3:35.70, overturning expectations that had focused on world champion Isaac Nader and Jake Wightman. Nader faded to 10th while Wightman, who led with 100 metres to go, could not hold on. “The smile won’t go off my face for a long time,” said Nillessen, who runs a bit like Forrest Gump.
Yaroslava Mahuchikh cleared 1.97 metres in the women’s high jump to take gold, finishing ahead of Poland’s Maria Zodzik and Montenegro’s Marija Vukovic.
Sunday now offers Hunt a shot at history, yet for one night she preferred to celebrate the women running alongside her.