Amy Hunt successfully defended her British 100m title on Saturday, delivering a dominant performance at the UK Athletics Championships in Birmingham. The 24-year-old sprinter recorded a time of 11.01 seconds, marking the second-fastest run of her career. Despite a strong start from reigning European champion Dina Asher-Smith, Hunt powered through in the latter stages of the race at the Alexander Stadium to secure the victory.
Asher-Smith finished in second place with a season's best of 11.13 seconds, while Mabel Akande clinched third with a personal best of 11.18 seconds. Hunt expressed her satisfaction with the win, noting that the event served as an excellent rehearsal for the upcoming European Championships, which are scheduled to be held at the same Birmingham venue from 10-16 August. She encouraged the crowd to return, hoping they would be her 'lucky charm' once more.
In the men's 100m final, Romell Glave made history by becoming the British champion for the first time. The 26-year-old produced a superb race, legally breaking the 10-second barrier with a winning time of 9.98 seconds. This followed a wind-assisted 9.88-second run in Italy last month. Glave's excellent start proved crucial, as two-time national champion Zharnel Hughes, despite a strong finish, could not close the gap, securing second place with a season's best of 10.01 seconds. Louie Hinchliffe finished third in 10.03 seconds, with Jeremiah Azu taking fourth with the identical time.
Glave reflected on his performance, stating that he ran with 'freedom', which he believes makes an athlete 'dangerous'. He added that he put himself in contention and executed his best race. Elsewhere at the championships, there was a poignant victory for Joel Clarke-Khan in the men's high jump. The 26-year-old, who has battled toe injuries for the past 18 months, equalled his personal best of 2.27 metres, leading to a tearful celebration. This win follows his indoor national title earlier in February, marking a strong return to form.
Other notable results included Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson competing in the 400m heats as part of her speed development, qualifying for the final with a time of 51.62 seconds. Matthew Hudson-Smith, the 2024 Olympic 400m silver medallist, was the fastest qualifier for the men's 400m final, winning his heat in 45.24 seconds. Marcia Sey set a championship record of 12.65 in the 100m hurdles, and Elise Thorner lowered her own championship record in the 3,000m steeplechase to 9:16.95. Lawrence Okoye also set a championship record in the men's discus with 68.81m, and Stephen Mackenzie achieved a Scottish record of 8.15m in the men's long jump.
The championships continue to showcase the depth of British athletics talent ahead of a busy international schedule.