In a night that will long be remembered by British athletics fans, Amy Hunt delivered a sensational performance to claim silver in the women’s 200m final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, on September 19, 2025. The 23-year-old sprinter, competing in her first major global final, crossed the line in 22.14 seconds, just behind the United States’ Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, who stormed to gold with a commanding 21.68 seconds. Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson clinched bronze, finishing in 22.18 seconds, while Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith placed fifth in 22.43 seconds.
For Hunt, the achievement was as emotional as it was impressive. As the results flashed on the big screen, she stared in disbelief before breaking into tears and celebrating with friends and family. “I have not stopped smiling or crying! As soon as I saw my mum, I burst into tears. I knew I could do it—as long as I put in a good turn and was with them off the bend. I am so proud of myself. I just beat some amazing girls and I can’t believe it,” Hunt told BBC Sport after her race. The raw emotion was evident as she embraced her loved ones, dedicating her silver medal to her late grandfather. “Moments before the race, I just thought of my Grandad. I knew he was watching over me, I knew he was going to guide me. I have a tattoo of his name on my arm,” she revealed.
Hunt’s journey to the Tokyo podium has been far from straightforward. After bursting onto the scene as a teenager—setting the women’s under-18 200m world record in 2019 and breaking Asher-Smith’s British under-20 record—Hunt faced years of adversity. She balanced her athletic ambitions with an English degree at the University of Cambridge, often choosing the harder path in pursuit of both academic and sporting excellence. “I am so proud of myself for choosing the harder path. I could have chosen an easier way out many times. I chose to go to Cambridge to get a degree—in part for myself to look back on and be proud of, but also to show other young sports people, other young girls that you don’t have to give up education. You can be an academic badass and a track goddess,” Hunt said, reflecting on her dual pursuits.
Her mother, Claire, echoed the sentiment, describing the silver medal as a long-awaited reward after a tough year. “Oh my God, I’ve not actually taken it in yet. It’s just absolutely amazing, what a star. It’s been a long time coming, there’s been ups, there’s been downs, but oh my God, what a star. It’s been a year where we’ve had two grandparents, unfortunately one became very ill and one passed away. It’s been a lot for her to cope with this year, but I think that’s given her some extra passion,” she told BBC Sport.
The women’s 200m final itself was dramatic from the outset. A false start by the Bahamas’ Anthonique Strachan forced a restart, heightening the tension for the field. Once underway, Asher-Smith was quickest out of the blocks, holding third place at the halfway mark. But it was Hunt, typically not known for her starts, who found another gear in the final 100 meters, surging past Jackson to secure her place on the podium. Four-time global heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill praised Hunt’s finishing speed, telling BBC TV, “For me, the most impressive thing with Amy is her pick-up in the latter part of the race. She was not letting anyone get away from her, she was tearing down those last 30 metres. What a fabulous silver medal for her.”
Hunt’s silver was Great Britain’s second medal of the championships, following Jake Wightman’s silver earlier in the week in the men’s 1500m. Wightman’s performance set the tone for a strong British showing in Tokyo, and Hunt’s breakthrough only added to the team’s momentum. Meanwhile, Zharnel Hughes finished fifth in the men’s 200m final with a season-best 19.78 seconds, in a race dominated by American sprinting superstar Noah Lyles. Lyles’ victory marked his fourth consecutive world 200m title, equalling the legendary Usain Bolt’s record—a feat that electrified the Tokyo crowd.
Elsewhere in the British camp, defending heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson began her campaign, eyeing another medal to add to her already illustrious career. Keely Hodgkinson, the Olympic 800m champion, also advanced to the women’s 800m final with a confident heat win in 1:57.53, despite challenging warm-up conditions in Tokyo. Hodgkinson noted, “It doesn’t feel good out there. I think the whole warm-up situation, you’re warming up for almost two hours. It can be quite draining, so maybe we will have to look at doing something better come Sunday. But other than that, I’m happy to be in another world final. That’s an achievement in itself.”
Hunt’s story is one of persistence and resilience. After rupturing her quadriceps in early 2022 and enduring a lengthy recovery, she went six years without running a personal best before finally breaking through at the London Diamond League in July 2025. Under the guidance of coach Marco Airale in Italy, Hunt set personal bests over 60m, 100m, and 200m this season. Her 22.08-second run at the UK Championships earlier in the year made her the second-fastest British woman ever over 200m, trailing only Asher-Smith. That performance gave her the belief she needed heading into Tokyo, and she seized the opportunity with both hands.
For Hunt, this silver medal isn’t just a personal triumph—it’s a symbol of what’s possible when talent, hard work, and belief come together. “I am showing you that you can do everything, anything that you set your mind to, you can be the best at everything,” she said, her words resonating far beyond the track.
As the sun sets on a memorable day for British athletics, Hunt’s silver medal shines as a beacon of hope and inspiration. With the championships ongoing and more finals to come—including Hodgkinson’s 800m showdown and Johnson-Thompson’s heptathlon quest—Team GB’s Tokyo adventure is far from over. For now, though, Amy Hunt’s dazzling run and emotional celebration have captured the spirit of the championships, reminding everyone just how sweet a hard-fought silver can taste. And, as Hunt herself hinted with a smile, there just might be some karaoke to cap off the night!
