Matt Hudson-Smith is preparing for a defining performance at the European Athletics Championships, which begin tomorrow at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium and continue through next Sunday. The 31-year-old 400m specialist from Wolverhampton aims not only for a fifth European gold medal but also to solidify his legacy within British athletics.

Hudson-Smith, who holds the European record in the 400m and has a stand named after him at the 18,000-capacity stadium, will compete in the first European Championships hosted in the United Kingdom. Returning to the city where he began his athletics career, he is determined to make a lasting impact on the sport and inspire the next generation.

“In a sense, I’ve got the medals and the records,” Hudson-Smith said. “For me now, it’s more about legacy, showing people it can be done. The goal is to win. That’s the same every time I step onto the track.” He also acknowledged the strong tradition of British 400m runners, referencing athletes such as Roger Black, Derek Redmond, and Martyn Rooney, and expressed his desire to add his own mark to that history.

Hudson-Smith recently secured his sixth national 400m title at the UK Championships in Birmingham, finishing in 44.45 seconds. The Olympic silver medallist missed the previous year’s UK event and did not advance to the final at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where injury affected his performance. He described last year as “a whirlwind” marked by personal challenges, including the birth of his child which required him to spend five days in hospital.

“I went into the Worlds compromised, from world No.1 to hardly making it out of the semi-final, which was tough. But it’s part of the sport really,” Hudson-Smith said. His coach encouraged him to make a strong comeback at the European Championships to demonstrate he is fully recovered. Hudson-Smith expressed excitement to represent Great Britain and his family on home soil and joked about the possibility of a British sweep.

“The city, Wolverhampton, Birmingham, has done so much for me and is home. If we had good weather, I would never leave,” he said. For Hudson-Smith, competing at the hometown event offers an opportunity to give back, inspire young athletes, and establish a lasting presence in British sprinting beyond his medal achievements.