Matthew Hudson-Smith

Matthew Hudson-Smith (born 26 October 1994) is a British track and field sprinter who specialises in the 400 metres. He holds a personal best of 44.48 seconds for the distance set during the semifinals at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where he qualified for the final and finished in 8th place with a time of 44.61.

Matthew Hudson-Smith

Hudson-Smith and Martyn Rooney in 2014
Personal information
Born	(1994-10-26) 26 October 1994 Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom
Height	1.64 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight	78 kg (172 lb)
Sport
Country	Great Britain
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	400 metres
Medal record Men's athletics Representing  Great Britain World Championships 2017 London 4×400 m relay European Championships 2014 Zürich 4 x 400 m relay 2018 Berlin 400 m 2014 Zürich 400 m 2018 Berlin 4 x 400 m relay 2016 Amsterdam 4 x 400 m relay Representing  England Commonwealth Games 2014 Glasgow 4×400 m relay

Hudson-Smith was a gold medallist in the 4×400 metres relay at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and a gold medallist in the 400 metres at the 2018 European Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany. He was also a double bronze medallist at the 2013 European Athletics Junior Championships.

Career

Born in Wolverhampton,[1] he joined his local athletics club, Birchfield Harriers, in 2006. He competed in a variety of events before focusing more on the sprints from 2008 onwards. In 2010 and 2011 he mainly concentrated as a 200 metres runner. He was runner-up at the English Schools Championships over that distance in both 2011 and 2012 before finally winning the title in 2013 at the age of eighteen, after returning from a series of hamstring injuries and illness.[2] During 2012 to 2013 he studied on the AASE Apprenticeship at Loughborough College and is now a Physical Education and Sports Coaching student at the University of Worcester, allowing him to continue his education at the same time as training and competing.

That year also saw his international debut for Great Britain: he performed well at the 2013 European Athletics Junior Championships, setting a 200 m best of 20.88 seconds in the semi-finals before getting the bronze medal in a British medal sweep, behind Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake and Leon Reid.[2] He won a second bronze as part of the British 4×400 metres relay team, running the second leg.[3]

In the 2014 season he returned to competing in the 400 m, working under his coach Tony Hadley, who previously trained Derek Redmond and Du'aine Ladejo.[4] Coming from a personal best of 48.76 seconds at the start of the year, his new focus on the event greatly improved his times. He ran of 46.29 seconds at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational in Florida in April, then set a best of 45.80 seconds in Belgium in May.[2] He ran a quick race at the British Athletics Championships, but was disqualified for a lane infringement.[5]

His following race at the Glasgow Grand Prix marked a career breakthrough as he finished in the top three at the Diamond League race in a time of 44.97 seconds. This made him only the second British teenager to dip under 45 seconds for the distance and placed him second on the European rankings for the season.[4][6] Hudson-Smith surprised himself with the level of improvement, saying "I've no idea where that came from, no idea at all".[7] He was chosen to represent England at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in the 4×400 m relay alongside Conrad Williams, Michael Bingham, and Daniel Awde. On his return to Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games he ran the fastest split on the final leg to overhaul Trinidad and Tobago's Zwede Hewitt and hold off Olympic champion Chris Brown, winning the gold medal for the team.[8]

At the 2014 European Athletics Championships in Zürich, Switzerland, Hudson-Smith won the silver medal in the individual 400 m in a time of 44.75 seconds, behind compatriot Martyn Rooney. This is despite receiving a yellow card (warning) from the officials for not being stable in the set position.[9]

Personal bests

• 400 metres – 44.48 sec (2016)
• 200 metres – 20.88 sec (2013)
• 60 metres – 6.96 sec (2012)

International competition record

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
2013	European Junior Championships	Rieti, Italy	3rd	200 m	20.94
			3rd	4×400 m relay	3:05.14
2014	Commonwealth Games	Glasgow, United Kingdom	1st	4×400 m relay	3:00.46
	European Championships	Zürich, Switzerland	2nd	400 m	44.75
			1st	4×400 m relay	2:58.79
2016	European Championships	Amsterdam, The Netherlands	3rd	4×400 m relay	3:01.44
	Olympic Games	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	8th	400 m	44.61
2017	World Championships	London, United Kingdom	9th (sf)	400 m	44.74
			3rd	4×400 m relay	2.59.00
2018	Commonwealth Games	Gold Coast, Australia	–	400 m	DQ
			–	4 × 400 m relay	DNF
	European Championships	Berlin, Germany	1st	400 m	44.78
			2nd	4 × 400 m relay	3:00.36
2019	World Championships	Doha, Qatar	–	400 m	DNF

References

1. Matthew Hudson-Smith. Glasgow2014. Retrieved on 2014-08-03.
2. Matthew Hudson-Smith. Power of 10. Retrieved on 2014-08-03.
3. "Rieti ITA 18 - 21 July 2013". european-athletics-statistics.org. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
4. Williamson, Laura (2014-07-13). Matthew Hudson-Smith's lapping up the glory as teen ace eyes spot at European Championships. The Daily Mail. Retrieved on 2014-08-03.
5. EDEN FRANCIS LEADS THE WAY AT THE BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIP Archived 8 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Birchfield Harries (June 2014). Retrieved on 2014-08-03.
6. Dick, Brian (2014-07-25). Birchfield Harriers starlet Matthew Hudson-Smith given senior Great Britain debut at European Championships in Zurich . Birmingham Mail. Retrieved on 2014-08-03.
7. Athletics - Williams: Glasgow dash proves I am among the sprinting elite Archived 12 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Eurosport (2014-07-12). Retrieved on 2014-08-03.
8. Relay great final night at Glasgow 2014. Athletics Weekly (2014-08-02). Retrieved on 2014-08-03.
9. Martyn Rooney edges Matthew Hudson-Smith to take 400m gold. The Guardian (2014-08-15). Retrieved on 2014-08-15.

External links

• Matthew Hudson-Smith at World Athletics