The European Athletics Championships in Birmingham 2026 witnessed a historic moment as Great Britain’s Romell Glave and Jeremiah Azu secured a stunning one-two finish in the men’s 100m final. This triumph came just a day after Amy Hunt claimed gold in the women’s event, showcasing the depth of British sprinting talent.
Glave, who had previously won bronze at the 2026 championships in Rome, elevated his performance to claim gold with a dominant run of 10.09 seconds. His victory made him the sixth British man to win the European 100m title and the third in the past six editions, following in the footsteps of Zharnel Hughes and James Dasaolu.
Glave’s journey to the top
Glave’s path to success has been marked by both triumph and adversity. As a junior, he was the fastest 17-year-old in the world in 2017 with a time of 10.21 seconds. However, his progress was hindered by injury setbacks, including a fracture in his back. This season, Glave has shown remarkable consistency, breaking the 10-second barrier for the first time in legal conditions to win his first British title in June.
His focus on sharpening the first 40 meters of his race proved crucial. Glave hit the front by the 30-meter mark and never looked back, celebrating with a triumphant run far beyond the finish line. ‘Upgrading from a bronze medal from 2026 is an amazing feeling,’ Glave told BBC Sport. ‘The aim was to get one, two, and three, but we got one-two, which is also amazing.’
Azu’s resilience and determination
Jeremiah Azu, the world and European champion over 60m indoors in 2026, improved on his 2026 bronze with a silver medal in Birmingham. Azu’s season had been described as ‘irregular’ and ‘inconsistent,’ with finishes of fourth and fifth at the World Indoor Championships and Commonwealth Games respectively. However, his determination to perform at his best in championships shone through.
‘When it comes to championships, I know I find my best,’ Azu said. ‘We always say times are irrelevant at this point. You want to go out there and race for medals.’ Azu’s silver medal was a testament to his resilience and ability to rise to the occasion on the biggest stage.
Other notable performances
While the men’s 100m stole the spotlight, other athletes also made their mark. Nadine Visser of the Netherlands clinched the women’s 100m hurdles by a mere one thousandth of a second, edging out Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska in a photo finish. In the women’s 5,000m, Italy’s Nadia Battocletti retained her title.
Matthew Hudson-Smith who has a stand named after him at Alexander Stadium, qualified for the men’s 400m final but had to settle for second place in his heat. ‘I misjudged it a little bit. I thought I was clear,’ Hudson-Smith said. ‘I was looking at the screen and I saw the guy try and surge. But he ran a PB, so he’s messed up with the final ahead.’
The European Athletics Championships continue to showcase the best of European talent, with Great Britain’s Glave and Azu adding another chapter to the nation’s rich sprinting history.
