World 400m silver medallist wants to become “like the Six Million Dollar Man” so he can fully take aim at the top prize in Paris
He came so close. With 40 metres of the men’s 400m final at the World Championships to go, Matthew Hudson-Smith was out in front. But, as he attempted to engage the gear which would give him the closing speed to secure gold, it simply wasn’t there and a late surge from Jamaica’s Antonio Watson meant he had to settle for silver.
It was a frustrating climax to a frustrating year. An at times crippling battle with Achilles tendinitis meant races had to be kept to a minimum, training was disrupted and the run-in to Budapest consisted of a catch-up programme of running, pool work and almost relentless physio.
Adding to the exasperation was the fact that, when Hudson-Smith was good, he was very, very good. In the semi-final in Budapest, he broke the 36-year-old European record with a time of 44.26, having “shut it down” with 50m to go. That meant hopes were high for the final but the lack of race time meant a lack of consistency just when he needed it most.
In the knowledge that, at his peak, the European champion is firmly in the mix with the world’s best, his top priority going into the winter has been to make himself as robust as possible before he gets into the meat of preparations which he hopes will carry him seamlessly towards the Olympics.
It’s a process with the intention of turning him into, as he puts it, “The Six Million Dollar Man” – a reference to the 1970s TV sci-fi series in which the hero is rebuilt to possess superhuman strength, vision and, most importantly, speed.
Coached by Gary Evans in America, Hudson-Smith trains alongside the man who will be one of his main rivals for glory in Paris – Olympic champion Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas. AW caught up with Hudson-Smith during a return to the UK last month, where he was making a visit to his club Birchfield Harriers and the remodelled Alexander Stadium.
Matt Hudson-Smith (Getty)
What has it been like being back in Birmingham?
Like memory lane. I grew up here so I know this track. It’s almost like being in a new home but it’s not your home, it’s been really renovated. And the track’s blue! I can’t get used to that. The staff are all the same, though, and I know them all so it’s been great to see them.
I’ve been decompressing in a way where I got to see family and friends, but I’ve been busy seeing everyone. It’s…
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