Hudson-Smith 'proud' to have stand named after him

Olympic 400m silver medallist Matt Hudson-Smith is to have a stand named after him at the European championships in Birmingham in August.

The event will be held at the Alexander Stadium where the sprinter began his athletics career with Birchfield Harriers, which is based there.

Hudson-Smith, 31, from Wolverhampton, learned the final bend of the track would be named in his honour when family and friends gathered to raise a banner.

He said: “Having a stand named after me is honestly like words can’t describe.”

The sprinter added: “It’s a bit surreal really, but I’m honestly proud and I’m happy to share it with my family.”

Hudson-Smith joined Harriers as a nine-year-old and met coach Sharon Morris.

Speaking by the track, she said: “A lot of the kids here, especially at Birchfield, they really put Matthew on a pedestal, because he’s so down to earth.

“There’s a couple of times he has come and he’s done a little training session… with the kids and they really look up to him.

“They realise that if they put in all the hard work that he has, they can actually achieve something themselves.”

Hudson-Smith has made a promising start this season, with a second-place finish at the Diamond League meeting in Morocco.

He could now add a third individual European gold to his collection in front of his home crowd.

The sprinter said it would “just be surreal, getting a gold, where you literally started your career and you walked in… as a nine year old to now being 31”.

“Being like one of the best in the world and competing and representing your family, your friends, your coaches, it’ll just mean the world to me to just like show like all the effort they put into me that I can now put in… [on] the track.”

Meanwhile, the arrival of his baby daughter last summer, before he missed out on the men’s 400m final at the world championships, has given him a new sense of perspective.

“Beforehand, [you] used to compete for yourself, whereas now you kind of like compete for a little person.

“But at the same time you are a little bit more relaxed because no matter what you do… she’s just gonna be happy to see you, so I love that.”

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Related internet links

• European Athletics Championships