Matt Hudson-Smith roars to European 400m record in Oslo

British sprinter runs 44.07 at Bislett Games as Dos Santos beats Warholm in 400m hurdles duel, Ingebrigtsen wins 1500m thriller and Gebrhiwet runs second fastest 5000m in history

As Matt Hudson-Smith gears up to defend his European 400m title in Rome in a few days’ time, the British quarter-miler showed he is in the form of his life as he improved his European record from 44.26 to 44.07 at the Diamond League in Oslo.

Racing in cool and still conditions on Thursday (May 30) the Birchfield Harrier won his race in style, leading into the home straight and surging away from his rivals to win by just over half a second from Kirani James, the London 2012 Olympic champion from Grenada clocking 44.58.

Hudson-Smith’s name and number on his singlet was pinned on upside down but there was nothing cockeyed about the 29-year-old’s running at these Bislett Games.

Hudson-Smith will be aiming to win his third European title in Rome early next month, whereas at the Paris Olympics he will hope to add another global medal to the world silver and bronze he earned in Budapest and Eugene.

“I wasn’t sure what shape I was in and the time didn’t matter in a way as I care about victories rather than times and preparing for the Olympics,” he said.

“At the end of the day times are temporary but medals are forever. I really want to come away from Paris with a medal.

“This year I am healthy so that gives me confidence as last year I came into the season with tendonitis in my Achilles so I had a very up and down season and it was bittersweet to get so close to the gold after the injury.

“With the Europeans so close I will probably have to be back to training tomorrow. I will get a view from my coach. I did not even realise my number was upside down tonight – maybe that will be my lucky charm going forward!”

The 400m hurdles was a closer race – and what a race it was as Alison dos Santos of Brazil out-ran Karsten Warholm in the closing stages to beat the Norwegian in front of the Olympic champion’s home crowd in 46.63.

In his first 400m hurdles of the summer and with light rain falling, Warholm went out in his usual hard fashion but tired slightly in the closing stages to clock 46.70 as Dos Santos, who was two lanes inside him and a stride or two down with 100m to go, caught and passed him.

Kyron McMaster finished a detached third in 48.49.

There was delight for the home crowd in the 1500m, though, as…