Hunt wins third gold as Asher-Smith makes history

Amy Hunt won her third gold medal of a potential historic quadruple and Dina Asher-Smith earned a spot in the record books as Great Britain's 4x100m relay stars put on a show at the European Championships.

Britain's new sprint sensation Hunt celebrated her third title in six days, following triumphs in the 100m and 200m, as the GB women's quartet claimed the hosts' second gold medal in a spectacular ending to Saturday's action in Birmingham.

The 24-year-old, who described her team-mates as "superwomen" and a "privilege to race with", will now attempt to become the first athlete to win four gold medals at a single edition in the event's 92-year history when the mixed 4x100m relay takes place on Sunday.

Team-mate Asher-Smith, meanwhile, achieved her seventh gold at the championships - 10 years after capturing her first.

With that, the 30-year-old matched the record tally also held by Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Croatian discus thrower Sandra Elkasevic.

Following her 200m bronze on Thursday, Asher-Smith also equalled Polish sprinter Irena Szewinska's overall record tally of 10 medals at the championships.

In an utterly dominant performance, Imani-Lara Lansiquot completed the job for a GB team which also featured 21-year-old student midwife Success Eduan, crossing the line in 42.05 seconds - more than a second clear of fellow medallists Switzerland (43.12) and Poland (43.15).

Hunt told BBC Sport: "I am stood next to the real life GOAT [greatest of all time]. She [Asher-Smith] is the most decorated European athlete in history.

"I am stood next to some amazing women. This girl [Eduan] is a midwife, she brings babies into the world. This girl [Lansiquot] wrote a play. We're all amazing.

"That was stunning to come together. I had the time of my life."

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Just 15 minutes earlier, 100m gold medallist Romell Glave stormed down the home straight to bring the men's quartet home for gold in 38.45 seconds, ahead of Germany (38.64) and Belgium (38.70).

The men's team also led for most of the final, with Jeremiah Azu, Louie Hinchliffe and then 200m silver medallist Zharnel Hughes safely guiding the baton around to huge cheers inside Alexander Stadium.

That was Hughes' fifth European gold, taking the former world 100m medallist level with Matthew Hudson-Smith, Mo Farah and Roger Black as the most successful British man at the championships.

The two relay successes took Britain's medal tally to 12 - including six golds - as the hosts remained in hot pursuit of table-topping Italy heading into the final day of competition.

There was a sense that Asher-Smith's seamless baton changeover to Hunt was a symbolic moment, in its wider context.

As one British sprint star achieved a piece of history a decade in the making, the other continued to demonstrate that she is only just getting started.

Asher-Smith, a world champion over 200m and British record holder over both sprint distances, has amassed 22 senior international medals since making her debut in the women's 4x100m squad at the 2013 World Championships.

She was the last athlete to achieve a sprint treble at the European Championships in 2018, 12 months before completing her rise to the top of an individual global podium.

Hunt, undeniably the star of these championships as she seeks to capture an "iconic" four golds, will ultimately hope to emulate Asher-Smith and translate continental dominance to global success in the coming years.

Continuing to progress rapidly following an injury-disrupted start to her senior career, the Cambridge University graduate claimed a breakthrough first individual global medal with world silver in Tokyo last year.

Back on home soil, Hunt made no secret that she intends to take it all this week.

So far, none have been able to stop her. But her work in Birmingham is not yet complete.

Monday's 100m gold represented her first senior international title. Then she held off Asher-Smith in the 200m. Now, joining forces with her British team-mates to retain their relay title, the treble is hers.

"It's such a privilege to be able to step on the track with these ladies and the individual superpowers that we bring," said Hunt.

"It's no joke. We were all superwomen together out there, and it was so much fun."

The mixed 4x100m is a new addition to these championships, and not a gold previously available to Asher-Smith as she built her record collection of honours.