Great Britain's rising sprint star Amy Hunt delivered a personal season‑best performance in the women's 200 metres at the closing Diamond League meet of the year, earning a podium finish with third place in Brussels. Her time of 22.16 seconds placed her just behind the event winner, St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred, who is also the reigning Olympic champion in the 100 metres and crossed the line in 21.79 seconds.
The second‑place finisher was America's Kayla White, who recorded a time of 22.00 seconds, leaving Hunt to settle for the bronze. The British contingent also featured fellow countrywoman Success Eduan, who finished seventh out of eight competitors, posting a time of 23.06 seconds in the Belgian capital.
Though Eduan’s result was modest, her presence highlighted the depth of talent the United Kingdom continues to develop in the sprint disciplines. Hunt’s achievement in Brussels was a fitting continuation of a spectacular summer campaign that saw her become the face of the European Athletics Championships held in Birmingham earlier this year.
At those championships, the 24‑year‑old captured four gold medals, a feat that cemented her reputation as one of the continent’s most charismatic and successful sprinters. She dominated the individual 100‑metre and 200‑metre races, taking gold in both events, and also contributed to Britain’s triumphs in the women’s 4x100‑metre relay and the mixed 4x100‑metre relay. Her exuberant personality and consistent victories earned her a legion of new fans across Europe and beyond. While Hunt was celebrating her personal best, other notable athletes were also competing in Brussels on Friday night.
Matthew Hudson‑Smith, the European champion in the men’s 400 metres, represented Great Britain but finished fifth in his own race, a result that fell short of expectations given his recent continental title. Sweden’s pole‑vault prodigy Armand Duplantis, the current world record holder, was forced to withdraw from the Diamond League final due to a bout of back tightness. His absence was felt keenly, especially with the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships scheduled to take place a week later in Budapest.
Duplantis expressed his disappointment, saying, "The worst possible thing to do is having to pull out of a competition. The fans wanted to see a good show and I wish I could deliver that. Unfortunately, I can't right now.
My head is everywhere right now. It's super difficult, but that's life, that's the life of an athlete. I try to stay calm and positive. We will see if I can make the Ultimate Championships.
I don't have the answer right now." The upcoming World Athletics Ultimate Championships represent a brand‑new, biennial showdown that will bring together Olympic champions, World champions, Diamond League winners and other elite performers. The competition boasts a staggering total prize pool of $10 million (£7.87 million), with each individual champion slated to receive $150,000 (£110,865) – the largest single‑event payout in the history of track and field. This financial incentive underscores the event’s ambition to become the sport’s premier showcase.
One of the marquee athletes expected to appear, despite an injury‑shortened season, is Noah Lyles, the men’s 100‑metre champion from the 2024 Paris Olympics. Lyles announced that he would not compete in the Diamond League final but confirmed his intention to travel to Budapest for the Ultimate Championships. He explained, "I am still going to be at Ultimate Championship.
I still do have parties to throw and things to do behind the scenes to help support the athletes. I still think that this is going to be an amazing competition, and I'm excited to watch that. And I'm even more excited to see what the future is going to bring." Hunt’s performance, while impressive on its own, also serves as a reminder of the depth of talent emerging from Britain’s sprint program.
Her ability to deliver a season‑best under the pressure of a high‑profile meet suggests she is poised to continue challenging the world’s elite in the months ahead. As the sport looks toward the Ultimate Championships, athletes like Hunt, Alfred, White, and the returning Duplantis will be key storylines to watch, each bringing their own narrative of triumph, adversity, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.
Beyond the immediate results, the Brussels meeting highlighted broader themes within athletics: the importance of resilience when injuries intervene, the growing financial rewards that are reshaping athletes’ career decisions, and the increasing global appeal of track and field events that blend competition with spectacle. As fans anticipate the Budapest showdown, the performances in Brussels have set the stage for what promises to be an unforgettable chapter in the sport’s evolving history.