Great Britain seal European Championships 4x100m double at 38.45

Great Britain completed a home 4x100m relay double at the European Athletics Championships, with the men winning in 38.45 and the women in 42.05. Both finals were held at Alexander Stadium on the penultimate night of track competition, delivering two gold medals within 15 minutes.

Jeremiah Azu, Louie Hinchliffe, Zharnel Hughes and Romell Glave formed the winning men’s quartet. Germany finished second in 38.64 after closing the gap late, while Belgium took bronze in 38.70. Italy were disqualified after completing the race without the baton.

The men’s final was much closer than the women’s contest, which Great Britain controlled from the early exchanges. Dina Asher-Smith, Amy Hunt, Success Eduan and Imani Lansiquot recorded 42.05, a European-leading mark, to finish more than a second ahead of Switzerland in 43.12. Poland claimed third in 43.15, while Portugal failed to finish after being fourth at a changeover.

The result gave Asher-Smith another landmark achievement. She became the most decorated female athlete in European Athletics Championships history, although her attention after the race was directed towards the contribution of Hunt, Eduan and Lansiquot. The quartet’s victory also provided a strong finish for Great Britain after the team’s individual sprint events had not produced the outcome Hinchliffe wanted.

Hinchliffe said the winning time mattered less than securing the title, pointing to the late-night conditions in Birmingham and a final that was slower than the heats. He had also dealt with a hamstring problem after the Diamond League. Azu described the victory as the fulfilment of goals set earlier in the season, while Hughes and Glave credited the team’s confidence and execution as the baton moved through the final leg.

The women’s runners also highlighted the importance of the occasion. Hunt praised Asher-Smith’s experience, Eduan said the team had arrived intending to win, and Lansiquot called the relay a lasting memory. Together, the two victories gave the home team a clean sweep of the championships’ 4x100m titles.