Britain's Hunt wins 200m for European sprint double

Britain's Amy Hunt won the women's 200m in Birmingham on Thursday to seal a European sprint double, quickly vowing to continue her audacious bid for four championship golds.

Hunt, who won the 100m on Monday, ran a strong second half of the race for victory in 22.19 seconds.

Ireland's Rhasidat Adeleke claimed silver in a national record 22.28sec, a hundredth of a second faster than Britain's Dina Asher-Smith, who won bronze.

The result means Hunt can continue in her bid to snare four championship golds as she also plans to compete in both the women's and mixed 4x100m relays.

"Two out of four, baby!" said Hunt. "I am only 50% through as I have set out for the full set of four golds.

"Now I am incredibly excited for the relays because I get to do them and have so much fun with my friends."

Hunt said that while the 100m had been harder mentally, the 200m was the hardest physically.

"I have had a lot of health things going on this year. It meant the 200 has been scary, nearly fainting after a lot of my 200m races this year," she said.

"The 100m and 200m double has only ever been done twice before. It was an amazing race. I am so incredibly proud of myself especially to do it here at home in front of this incredible crowd.

"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."

Hunt added: "I had to be brave and take it out hard to 150m and then hang on for dear life as Dina is such an incredible starter and Rhasidat such an amzing finisher so I knew I had to be on my A game tonight.

"I am thinking of my coach. I am just thinking of him and not making the mistake of getting caught up in other people's battles. This is becoming a magical week and one I will remember for the rest of my life.

"No celebrations and no champagne until Sunday night. I have got a debt to the ladies. We have got to come out here and make sure we show them who the best sprinting nation is in Europe."

The bronze for Asher-Smith, who won the European sprint double in Berlin in 2018, was a record-equalling seventh individual continental medal.

It drew her level with Croatian discus thrower Sandra Elkasevic and Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

"Obviously, I'm disappointed to have a bronze, but a medal is a medal," said Asher-Smith.

"It is 10 years since winning my first gold in the 200m in 2016 and it is an achievement to be here again.

"It says a lot to keep coming back year after year and performing, irrespective of what's going on in your life."

She added: "It's great to be part of a successful British team.

"I think it has been a good championships for us so far and we have got until Sunday!"

Asher-Smith had set the early pace in a race held in front of a raucous 20,000-strong crowd at Alexander Stadium.

She was quickly out of the blocks to steal a march on Hunt on her inside.

But Hunt, a Cambridge University graduate in English, kept her nerve and tracked her veteran teammate down the home straight.

She made the pass with 20 metres to go and erupted in joy as she streaked through the line, quickly brandishing a Union Jack flag and donning a tiara.