Matthew Hudson-Smith won a historic third individual European 400m title on home soil in Birmingham and immediately called for a more positive approach to athletics, criticising the negativity surrounding the event.
Gold on home track
The 31-year-old celebrated by climbing into the stand bearing his name for the week at the Alexander Stadium, leading from start to finish to win in 44.17 seconds. It was his fifth continental gold overall, joining France's Christophe Lemaitre as the most decorated man in the competition's history with eight medals.
Despite the achievement, there were empty seats in the stadium, a theme throughout the week. Organisers said they were 'delighted' with ticket sales, with nearly 200,000 sold across the week and stands expected to fill this weekend.
Call for positivity
Hudson-Smith said: "At the end of the day, we need to promote the sport with quicker times. People came. Could it have been more? Yes, but I'm not going to complain. On the TV, they are very negative. We need to be more positive and speak about what we can do, not just bash."
He added: "Everyone wants to be a footballer; I wanted to be a footballer myself before I transitioned to track. We need to branch it out."
Inspiration and dedication
Hudson-Smith described the week as 'my London 2012' in the build-up and used his local knowledge to secure the win. "No-one was going to beat me here," he said. "I know this track, I know where the wind is, I know the surface, I know the staff, I know the back ways to get in."
He dedicated the triumph to his daughter Eden, saying: "They say it takes a village, but this took a city. It has been well documented there have been dark times, but everyone has got me to this point now. I always want to say if I can do it, anyone can do it and be a beacon of light for people to keep pushing."
