Hometown hero Matthew Hudson-Smith lived out a childhood dream as he was crowned European 400m champion on the track that made him.

The 31-year-old blitzed the field from lane nine and held firm on the home straight to land his fifth continental gold and become the most decorated British man in the history of this competition.

He celebrated by heading straight into the stands and pointing at the stand which bears his name as he soaked up the acclaim of an adoring second city crowd.

“Words can’t describe how much that meant to me,” he said.

“My coach said to me ‘this is your home, defend it’. I knew it would take a hell of an effort for someone to get past me.

“No-one was going to beat me on this track, this is my home. I have been here since I was nine, I know this track like the back of my hand.

“I knew I was the best in the world, I knew I am faster than every single one of these guys. It was just me against the clock.”

Hudson-Smith’s semi-final the previous night saw him surge out the traps before being reeled in up the home straight.

It turned out he was just saving energy. Lining up in the outside lane, Hudson-Smith took control from the outset and built his lead as he surged down the back straight.

This time, there was no catching him and he crossed in 44.17 to land his eighth European medal in all.

“The whole point of rounds is to survive and advance,” he said.

“I was trying to conserve rounds and we were just laughing all the way through, me and my coach.

“I just followed the gameplan and went from there.”

Five European golds puts him level with Roger Black and Sir Mo Farah, while only Dina Asher-Smith has won more outdoor continental medals among British athletes.

Hudson-Smith’s triumph was followed by silver in the women’s 400m hurdles for rising star Emily Newnham.

The 22-year-old won a medal of the same colour at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and kicked on to new heights in Birmingham, clocking a lifetime best of 53.33 to trail only dominant Slovakian Emma Zapletalova.

“I’m so happy,” she said. “I told myself a medal was mine today and I just had to believe it.

“I needed to get out hard, which I am not known for, but being in lane nine that was required.

“Pressure is a privilege and I just wanted to show what I could do.”

Amy Hunt kept her bid for a remarkable European quadruple on track by easing into tonight’s 200m final in Birmingham.

The newly-crowned fastest woman on the continent over 100m was able to ease up down the home straight after a flying start and won her semi-final in 22.37.

“I knew I needed to put down a really hard turn, kill them to 150m and no-one was ever going to hang with me,” she said.

Asher-Smith joins Hunt in the showpiece after a similarly stress-free semi.

The 30-year-old, a world and European champion over this distance in the past, cruised to victory in the opening semi-final in 22.49.

“I don’t really think about what’s gone before or what lies ahead, I’m just trying to stay in the moment and execute,” she said.

British champion Success Eduan advanced as one of two fastest losers in 22.56 to ensure all three home hopefuls will be on the start line.

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