Wolverhampton athlete surprised by honour ahead of Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships
Organisers of the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships have named a stand at Alexander Stadium after local sprinting hero Matthew Hudson-Smith.
They made the announcement with two months to go until the event gets under way on August 10.
The extension of the North stand will carry the athlete’s name until the end of the championships on 16 August. Hudson-Smith, who trained with Birchfield Harriers and is proudly from Wolverhampton, has previously expressed his wish for his home stadium to bear his name, making the surprise unveiling a particularly personal moment.
The announcement was made during a visit by Hudson-Smith to Alexander Stadium, where he was joined by his family, his first coach Sharon Morris and former sprinter and Team GB 4x400m team coach Martyn Rooney, alongside representatives of Birmingham 2026, Birmingham City Council and West Midlands Combined Authority.
A hero’s homecoming
Hudson-Smith is one of Britain’s most decorated track athletes, holding the European 400m record and ranking as the fifth-fastest person in history over the distance. His honours include two Olympic medals, four European titles and a World Championships silver medal.
Cherry Alexander, championship director for Birmingham 2026, said: “Matthew is a true homegrown star, and we were delighted to welcome him home by unveiling the Matthew Hudson-Smith Stand. We hope to fill the stand with young local fans, and maybe even the next Matthew Hudson-Smith will be in the crowd watching him compete in front of a home crowd this August.”
Hudson-Smith said: “It caught me off-guard walking in to see the stand is going to be named after me, and it was a special moment to share it with my family. It’s just an indication of all the hard work I’ve put in and to get a stand named after me is the icing on the cake of a great career. Now I want to add more to it at Europeans.
“Birmingham for me is home. I always try and represent home to the best of my ability. It just means the world to me to come back here and show my talents to kids from the area to show them that they can do it.”
Chris Jordan, director of neighbourhoods, culture, leisure and sport at Birmingham City Council, said: “It’s fantastic to celebrate local boy Matthew Hudson-Smith and his success on the international stage.
“Birmingham is buzzing for the championships, and we can’t wait to welcome athletes, fans and visitors from across the UK, Europe and around the world.”
The Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships will see more than 1,600 athletes from 48 nations compete across seven evening sessions from August 10 to 16.
