'King of Europe' Matt Hudson-Smith targets world domination after Birmingham 2026

Europe has been conquered, now for the world.

That was the message from Matt Hudson-Smith after writing himself into the history books on his home track at Birmingham 2026.

The Wolverhampton star’s standing as king of the continent over 400 metres is now indisputable, after becoming the first man to win three individual European titles over the distance.

For a few more days, at least until Sunday night’s relay, he shares with Christophe Lemaitre the honour of being Europe’s most decorated male athlete of all-time.

But even as he tried to hold back the tears while reflecting on a triumph achieved in front of friends, family and an army of familiar faces at Alexander Stadium, his thoughts had already turned toward the even bigger goals which lie ahead.

In the short-term, those include next month’s Diamond League final and inaugural ultimate world championship.

The true ultimate prize - as no-one really needs telling - is in Los Angeles two years from now and the Olympic gold which got away at Paris 2024.

After an injury-hit 2025, Wednesday night was the reset.

“The whole point of this was to start fresh, get the gold and start bouncing back,” said Hudson-Smith.

“I know I have some very good athletes to contend with but I know on my day, I’m a hard man to beat. I am the best in the world.

“This was a stepping stone. Now the season starts.”

Mixed in with the considerable emotion was also a definite tinge of annoyance at the fact we ever doubted him.

Hudson-Smith claimed to have “laughed” at speculation, voiced by some pundits, he might have been carrying an injury after only finishing second in Tuesday’s semi-final. Even in the immediate aftermath of a landmark victory, he found time to aim a dig at the BBC.

“You need to get your facts right,” he said on TV.

Later he explained: “I switched off in the heats and me and my coach know when I get lazy, I run ugly.

“So everyone was saying I was injured, which was hilarious. But I just did what I needed to do.”

And yet so much has gone wrong in the past, it was difficult not to be nervous.

Hudson-Smith himself had painted this week as a mission of redemption having messed up at the same venue in the Commonwealth Games four years ago.

Then there was that stand at the north end of the stadium, re-named in his honour for the duration of the championships. Lovely gesture though it was, might it add more unnecessary pressure to an athlete who has spoken openly in the past about his struggles with the mental side of the sport?

On the contrary, as Hudson-Smith rounded the final bend, out in lane nine on Wednesday night, it was the noise from that stand which appeared to be driving him on.

France’s Muhammad Kounta was his closest challenger heading into the home straight but Hudson-Smith never looked like being caught.

“You know what it is? I’m the Olympic silver medalist, sixth fastest of all time,” he said, with no shortage of defiance.

“I lost the Olympics on one step because I ran 37 seconds flat to 350m. The world record pace is 36.90.

“I had a bad year last year. Got injured at the wrong time. I was going in as world number one. So I had to start from ground zero. Me and my team got me back to this point.

“My coach was like: ‘You’re not going to feel anybody (in lane nine)’. So I went through the line.

“I knew I wasn’t going to feel anyone. I knew it was going to take one hell of an effort for them to beat me. I’m one second ahead of everyone on the track, in that field.”

Hudson-Smith, who celebrated by climbing into “his stand” and pointing to the banner, claimed to have no idea how many friends and family were in attendance.

“I don’t ask, because I feel like I get nervous,” he explained. “Everyone kind of knows just to leave me alone when it’s time to race. That’s exactly what happened.”

“It’s hard not to cry. It’s hard not to cry,” he explained. “I think adrenaline just got me through.

“Getting the gold, third in the European Champs, on my home track. It’s one of those, it’s amazing.

“The whole plan was just to get the victory in the most dominant fashion. I did exactly that.

“I sealed probably my last European Championships in my home-town, my home city, in style. Dominant. Words can’t describe how much that means to me.”

At 31, he knows his career is in the home straight but there is a belief the best is still to come.

“I know that we’re building towards something special. I knew that as well, after last year, I had quite a big injury coming into Worlds, and we were starting from Ground Zero.

“Now we’re burning again, and even a bad race is 44 seconds, and now it’s time to put the big drop. So we’re just going from there.”

For now, his week is not quite over. There remains the 4x400m relay, with Hudson-Smith confirming he intends to run to help the team and “the boss” - his long-time mentor and relay coach, Martyn Rooney - win gold.

That final will close the championships on Sunday night. There really could be no more fitting finish than the local hero bringing home another European title.

“The story’s not finished,” he declared. “It’s got the relay, got another two years, and we’ll go from there.

“I think this is my last European Championships, I’m closing it in Birmingham. It’s real. I’m happy.”