Matthew Hudson-Smith set a new European 400m record with a storming start to the season at the Diamond League meeting in Oslo.
Hudson-Smith managed to win in 44.07 seconds, bettering her own European record of 44.26 set at the 2023 World Championships. “I knew going in that I was in good shape, the plan was to execute and getting ready,” Hudson-Smith said.
“I did exactly that and now I will prepare for the European and the big one, which is the Olympics. I will take it [European Championships] it’s like a mini olympics. I want to prepare for three rounds and the European is the perfect opportunity to prepare for the Olympics.
“My coach has a knack for preparing for the championship, as you can see.
“We have a plan and we know what we’re capable of, but I’m not going to put any time there. At the end of the day, the goal is to win the gold and the medals, and as long as I’m healthy, I’m really in the hunt.”
In Budapest last August, Hudson-Smith led in the closing stages but was unable to hold off Jamaica’s Antonio Watson and win the world title.
Nine months after that painful defeat, Hudson-Smith, who ran with his name upside down on his vest, burst out of the blocks at Bislett and powered into the final straight to win by more than half a second.
Kirani James of Grenada, a former world and Olympic champion, was second in 44.58, with American Vernon Norwood third in 44.68.
Laviai Nielsen and Victoria Ohuruogu finished seventh and eighth respectively in the women’s 400m, while Marileidy Paulino made it three wins from three Diamond League meets this year.
Daryl Neita ran a season-best 22.50 to finish third in the women’s 200m behind American Brittany Brown (22.32) and Ivory Coast’s Marie-José Ta Lou-Smith (22.36).
Jessie Knight managed a fifth-place finish in the women’s 400-meter hurdles in a season-best time of 55.52.
Jeremiah Azu, who broke the 10-second barrier in the 100m for the first time last weekend, appeared to be cramping and crossed the line last, while South Africa’s Akani Simbine took the honors in 9.94.
Ethiopia’s Hagos Gebrivet won the men’s 5000m in dramatic fashion, recording the second fastest time in the history of the event.
Gebrhiwet clocked an astonishing 12:36.73, less than a second and a half off the world record held by Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda.
Olympic 400m hurdles champion Carsten Warholm suffered a rare defeat in front of his fans as Brazil’s Alison dos Santos edged him out to win in 46.63.
But fellow Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen held on to win the men’s 1500m, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic champion storming across the line to beat Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot in a 2024 best time of 3:29.74.
Para-athlete Zachary Shaw finished second in his 100m event behind Norway’s Saloum Kashafali.
