Great Britain's rising sprint star Amy Hunt delivered a personal season‑best performance in the women's 200 metres at the concluding Diamond League meeting of the year, clinching the bronze medal in Brussels. Hunt crossed the finish line in 22.16 seconds, a time that placed her behind the event winner, Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia, who also happens to be the reigning Olympic champion in the 100 metres and recorded a swift 21.79 seconds. The silver medal went to America's Kayla White, who posted a time of 22.00 seconds. The British contingent also featured another competitor, Success Eduan, who finished seventh out of eight athletes with a time of 23.06 seconds, demonstrating the depth of talent present at the meet.
Hunt's appearance in Brussels was not her first moment in the spotlight this season. Earlier this summer, she became the face of the European Athletics Championships held in Birmingham, capturing the imagination of fans with an exuberant personality and an impressive haul of four gold medals.
At just 24 years old, she dominated the sprint programme on home soil, winning the individual 100‑metre and 200‑metre titles and contributing to gold‑medal performances in both the women's 4x100‑metre relay and the mixed 4x100‑metre relay. Her success in the Midlands cemented her reputation as one of Britain’s most promising sprinters. The Brussels meeting offered additional storylines beyond the women's sprints. On Friday night, fellow Briton Matthew Hudson‑Smith, the European champion over 400 metres, took part in his specialty race but was unable to replicate his continental triumph, finishing in fifth place.
Meanwhile, Sweden’s pole‑vault prodigy Armand Duplantis, the current world record holder, was forced to withdraw from the Diamond League finale because of a tightening in his lower back. His withdrawal came just a week before the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships scheduled for Budapest, raising concerns about his readiness for that high‑stakes competition. Duplantis addressed the media, expressing his disappointment: "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 novel, biennial showdown that will bring together Olympic champions, World champions, Diamond League winners, and other elite athletes to compete for a share of a $10 million (£7.87 million) prize pool.
Individual event winners are slated to receive $150,000 (£110,865) each, which would constitute the largest single‑event payout in the history of track and field. One of the marquee names expected to be absent from the competition is Noah Lyles, the men’s 100‑metre Olympic champion from Paris 2024. Lyles announced that he would end his season prematurely due to an injury, yet he confirmed his intention to travel to Hungary to support the event in a non‑competitive capacity. "I am still going to be at the Ultimate Championship.
I still do have parties to throw and things to do behind the scenes to help support the athletes," Lyles said. "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 in Brussels, while not a victory, signals her continued upward trajectory. Running a 22.16‑second 200 metres places her firmly among the world’s elite and suggests she is building the speed and experience necessary to contend for global titles in the coming years.
Her ability to produce a season‑best under the pressure of a Diamond League final demonstrates mental resilience and a capacity to rise to the occasion—qualities that will serve her well as she aims for future World Championships and Olympic Games. Beyond the individual achievements, the meet highlighted the broader narrative of the sport’s evolving landscape. The introduction of the Ultimate Championships, with its unprecedented financial incentives, reflects a shift toward greater commercialization and spectator appeal.
Athletes like Duplantis and Lyles, even when sidelined by injury, are playing pivotal roles in promoting the sport, whether through public statements, social media engagement, or behind‑the‑scenes contributions. In summary, Amy Hunt’s season‑best third‑place finish in Brussels adds another chapter to a breakout year that already includes multiple European titles and a growing fan base. While the event also featured notable performances and setbacks—Hudson‑Smith’s fifth‑place finish, Duplantis’s withdrawal, and Lyles’s early season termination—the overarching story is one of a sport in motion, with athletes pushing boundaries, new competitions reshaping the calendar, and prize money reaching historic levels.
As the athletics community looks ahead to Budapest, the anticipation builds for what promises to be a landmark event in the sport’s history, and for athletes like Hunt to continue their ascent on the world stage.