Matthew Hudson-Smith, the newly-crowned European 400-metre champion, playfully suggested he might run for Mayor of Birmingham and Wolverhampton following his gold medal victory. The Wolverhampton athlete, who has a deep connection to the Alexander Stadium where he trained, secured his third individual European title with an impressive time of 44.17 seconds.

Having grown up on the very track he dominated, Hudson-Smith expressed immense pride in his performance. Assigned lane nine, he quickly established a lead that he maintained throughout the race, despite challengers attempting to close the gap.

In a heartfelt interview with the BBC, Hudson-Smith shared:

Honestly, no, words (can’t) describe how much that meant to me. On paper, I was a second faster than these guys. I knew it would take one hell of an effort to get past me. Nobody is going to beat me on this track. This is my home.

He humorously declared his ambitions, stating, "I have got my stand. Now I will go for Mayor of Birmingham and Wolverhampton. Vote for me, innit!"

Despite his monumental achievement, the atmosphere was slightly marred by empty seats in the stadium, indicating a lack of local attendance even for the final featuring their home favorite.