Matt Hudson-Smith secured his place in the men's 400m final at the Birmingham 2026 Commonwealth Games, while Great Britain's sprint relay team claimed another gold in the 100m event. The 30-year-old from Birmingham finished second in his semi-final with a time of 44.80 seconds, ensuring he will compete for a medal on Thursday evening.
Hudson-Smith Powers Through Semi-Final
Racing in front of a home crowd at the Alexander Stadium, Hudson-Smith came through strongly in the final straight to take second place behind Grenada's Kirani James, who won the heat in 44.65 seconds. The British record holder looked composed throughout, easing off in the closing metres to save energy for the final.
His time of 44.80 was the third-fastest overall across the two semi-finals, behind James and Botswana's Bayapo Ndori, who clocked 44.72 in the other heat. Hudson-Smith, who won silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, is aiming to go one better this time.
GB Sprinters Strike Gold in 100m
Meanwhile, the Great Britain women's 4x100m relay team delivered a dominant performance to win gold, adding to the men's 100m victory earlier in the week. The quartet of Asha Philip, Imani Lansiquot, Bianca Williams, and Daryll Neita crossed the line in 42.36 seconds, a season's best, finishing ahead of Jamaica and Nigeria.
This was Great Britain's second gold in the 100m event at these Games, following the men's 100m triumph by Zharnel Hughes on Monday. Hughes, who also hails from the West Midlands, won in a time of 10.03 seconds, edging out South Africa's Akani Simbine.
Medal Table and Upcoming Finals
With these results, Great Britain now sits third on the medal table with 12 golds, 14 silvers, and 10 bronzes, behind Australia and India. The 400m final on Thursday is expected to be a highlight, with Hudson-Smith facing stiff competition from James, Ndori, and defending champion Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas.
Hudson-Smith, who has battled injuries in recent years, expressed confidence after his semi-final, saying, "I felt great out there. The crowd was amazing, and I knew I had more in the tank. I'm ready for Thursday." The final is scheduled for 19:00 BST and will be broadcast live on the BBC.
