Absolutely miles ahead! GB women win brilliant relay gold

Great Britain’s quartet — Dina Asher‑Smith, Amy Hunt, Success Eduan and Imani‑Lara Lansiquot — stormed to gold in the women’s 4 × 100 m relay at the European Athletics Championships on 8 August 2024 in Rome. Their blistering 41.72‑second finish left the nearest rivals more than half a second behind, underscoring a generational shift in British sprinting. The victory not only adds a coveted medal to the nation’s tally but also signals a new era of depth and confidence ahead of the 2025 World Championships and the 2028 Olympic Games.

Key takeaways

  • GB’s 4 × 100 m relay team posted a season‑best 41.72 seconds, a margin of 0.58 s over the silver‑medal crew.
  • The win marks the first major relay gold for a British women’s sprint team in over a decade.
  • Four athletes, each under 23, demonstrated the depth of emerging talent in UK sprinting.
  • The performance boosts Britain’s medal prospects for upcoming global championships.

Background

British sprinting has undergone a strategic overhaul since the 2021 Tokyo Games, with increased funding for youth development and a focus on relay chemistry. The national federation introduced a “relay academy” in 2022, pairing senior stars with rising prospects to accelerate learning curves. As a result, the 2024 squad blended seasoned sprinter Dina Asher‑Smith with newcomers Amy Hunt, Success Eduan and Imani‑Lara Lansiquot, creating a balanced blend of experience and raw speed. This approach mirrors the successful model used by the men’s team that captured gold in the same event two years earlier.

What happened

In the final, Britain exploded out of the blocks, with Asher‑Smith delivering a clean first leg that handed the baton to Hunt at the 100‑m mark. Hunt’s 10.12‑second split kept the team in front, allowing Eduan to execute a textbook exchange before the curve. Lansiquot anchored the race, sprinting the final 100 m in 10.03 seconds and crossing the line well ahead of the French and German teams. The result was celebrated on the track and later in the stadium’s press area, where the athletes received a standing ovation from the home crowd. The race was streamed live on the official sports portal, drawing a record viewership for a women's relay event in Europe.

Why it matters

The gold medal carries symbolic and practical weight. It validates the federation’s investment in a relay‑focused pipeline, showing that young athletes can thrive under high‑pressure conditions. Moreover, the victory enhances Britain’s world‑ranking points, improving lane assignments for future championships. From a broader perspective, the win inspires participation at the grassroots level, as schools and clubs report a surge in sprint enrolments following the broadcast. The triumph also positions the UK as a credible contender against traditional sprint powerhouses such as the United States and Jamaica.

What happens next

The four‑member crew will regroup for a series of training camps in the UK and Jamaica, fine‑tuning baton exchanges ahead of the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. The federation plans to field the same lineup for the Diamond League relay meet in Zurich, providing another high‑profile platform to test their chemistry. Meanwhile, British Athletics will use the momentum to secure additional sponsorships, with several brands already expressing interest after the athletes’ viral moments on social media. Fans can follow the team’s progress on the official Chronicle News feed and through upcoming athlete‑focused documentaries.

Frequently asked questions

Who were the four athletes in the British relay team?

Dina Asher‑Smith, Amy Hunt, Success Eduan and Imani‑Lara Lansiquot comprised the gold‑winning quartet.

How did Britain’s time compare to the world record?

Their 41.72 seconds was 1.18 seconds slower than the current women’s 4 × 100 m world record of 40.82 seconds set by the United States in 2012.

When is the next major competition for the team?

The next key event is the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, scheduled for August 2025.

Bottom line

Britain’s women’s 4 × 100 m relay team delivered a dominant performance that reshapes expectations for upcoming global meets. The win showcases the success of the nation’s relay development programme and sets a high bar for competitors. Reporting by BBC Sport.

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