Editor’s note: It is always fascinating to watch an athlete develop. Stuart Weir has covered Amy Hunt throughout her career, as she moved from Oxford, England, to Padua, Italy. The journey of Amy Hunt has been exhilarating to observe, and we are grateful to Stuart Weir, who has interviewed Amy Hunt and observed her development, for providing this piece on Amy completing her European double!
Amy Hunt at the double
Amy Hunt won the European Championship 200m in Birmingham a few days after winning the 100m. And just over two weeks after taking silver in the Commonwealth Games 100m – the only event she contested in Glasgow. It has been quite a 12 months for Amy Hunt, who also took silver in the World Champs in Tokyo last year. Just to show she is human, she was beaten by Success Eduan in the 200m at the British Championships earlier this summer.
As luck would have it, Amy Hunt was next to Dina Asher-Smith in lanes 7 and 8 in the final. Was that a help or a distraction? Asher-Smith is a brilliant starter and was immediately ahead of Hunt – but not by much. Hunt had overtaken her to finish in a European Lead of 22.19. Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke split the Brits with 22.28, with Dina third in 22.29. Unlike the 100, there was no immediate victory celebration from Hunt. She wanted to be sure.
She commented afterward: “The time was very pleasing at this time of night and in these conditions and at a championships. It is really special to live out my dreams with the women I have looked up to over the years. I think the 100m and 200m double has only ever been done twice before. I’m so proud of myself for having joined that elite group, and doing it at home makes it even more special. I had to be brave and take it out hard to 150m, then hang on for dear life, as Dina is an incredible starter and Rhasidat Adeleke is such an amazing finisher, so I knew I had to be on my A-game tonight.
There was a lovely moment afterward when officials had to ask her to stop taking selfies as she was needed elsewhere. She explained: “I love meeting the fans because that used to be me. I have selfies with Andy Pozzi and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey after meets, so I really appreciate everyone who comes out here, and hopefully one day they’ll be on the stage with me.”
Dina Asher-Smith always delivers, taking bronze, but Amy was number 1. The third British athlete, Success Eduan, is a full-time student finishing her Midwifery degree and fitting training in around it. Next week, she told the media, she will be working night shifts in a hospital. It has been a great season for Success, beating Amy Hunt to win the GB Champs. She did well to reach the final this week and even better to run 22.66 for sixth in Europe.
The race, though, belonged to Amy Hunt.
