Britain’s rising sprint star Amy Hunt delivered a standout performance at the season‑closing Diamond League meet in Brussels, posting a personal season best of 22.16 seconds in the women’s 200 metres and earning a podium finish in third place. Her time, while impressive, was eclipsed by the race winner Julien Alfred of St Lucia, the reigning Olympic champion in the 100 m, who crossed the line in 21.79 seconds, and by American sprinter Kayla White, who recorded a 22.00‑second effort to claim second.
Hunt’s achievement was a bright spot for the host nation, as fellow Briton Success Eduan finished seventh out of eight competitors, posting a time of 23.06 seconds. Though Eduan’s result was modest, his presence underscored the depth of British sprint talent on display at the event. The Brussels meet was a fitting stage for Hunt, who captured the public’s imagination earlier this summer at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham. There, the 24‑year‑old dominated the sprint programme, walking away with four gold medals and a reputation for infectious enthusiasm that quickly turned her into a fan favourite.
She clinched individual titles in both the 100 m and 200 m, and also contributed to Britain’s gold‑medal victories in the women’s 4×100 m relay and the mixed 4×100 m relay, showcasing her versatility and team spirit. While Hunt was celebrating her personal best, other notable athletes were also competing in Brussels. European 400 m champion Matthew Hudson‑Smith of Great Britain took fifth place in his event, a respectable finish that kept him in contention heading into the off‑season.
In a surprising turn of events, Sweden’s pole‑vault world record holder Armand Duplantis withdrew from the Diamond League final due to a tightening of his lower back. Duplantis, who was expected to be a headline attraction, expressed disappointment at having to miss the competition just a week before the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest.
"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," Duplantis said in a candid interview. "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 World Athletics Ultimate Championships represent a brand‑new, biennial showdown that pits world champions, Olympic gold‑medallists, Diamond League victors and other elite athletes against each other for a staggering $10 million (£7.87 million) prize pool. The competition promises to award $150,000 (£110,865) to each individual champion – the largest single prize in the history of track and field – making it a highly coveted target for the sport’s biggest names.
One of the marquee athletes slated for the Budapest event is Noah Lyles, the men’s 100 m champion from the 2024 Paris Olympics. Although Lyles ended his 2024 season early because of a lingering injury, he confirmed his intention to travel to Hungary and 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 explained. "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 season‑best performance in Brussels not only adds a third‑place medal to her growing résumé but also signals her readiness to contend on the world stage in the coming years. Her ability to deliver under pressure, combined with her charismatic personality, continues to attract a loyal following and positions her as a key figure in British athletics. As the Diamond League season draws to a close, athletes like Hunt, Alfred, White, and others will shift their focus toward the upcoming Ultimate Championships, where the stakes – both financial and reputational – are higher than ever.
The anticipation builds for a competition that could redefine the sport’s competitive landscape, offering athletes a new platform to showcase their speed, skill, and resilience in front of a global audience.