Great Britain's Amy Hunt electrified the Tokyo Olympic Stadium on September 19, 2025, as she surged to a stunning silver in the 200m at the World Athletics Championships, announcing herself as one of the brightest new stars in global sprinting. At just 23, Hunt's exuberant celebrations—tears, laughter, and a joyous skip down the track—captured not only the magnitude of her achievement but also the emotional journey that led her to this career-defining moment.
Hunt's performance in her first major global final was nothing short of sensational. Lining up against a field that included American sprint sensation Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Jamaican legend Shericka Jackson, Hunt was hardly the favorite to medal. But as the starter's pistol echoed through the stadium, she remained undaunted. After a measured first half of the race—where she was joint-sixth at the 100m mark—Hunt unleashed a blistering finish, clawing back a 0.17-second deficit and edging past Jackson in the final meters to seize second place. Jefferson-Wooden, meanwhile, stormed to gold in 21.68 seconds, completing a historic sweep of the 100m and 200m titles. Hunt clocked 22.14 seconds, while Jackson settled for bronze, and Britain's own Dina Asher-Smith crossed the line in fifth at 22.43 seconds.
"I have not stopped smiling or crying!" Hunt told BBC Sport, still visibly stunned by her achievement. "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." Her pride was echoed by her mother, Claire, who said, "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."
Hunt's silver marked Great Britain's second medal of the championships, following Jake Wightman's silver in the men's 1500m. But for Hunt, the journey to Tokyo's podium was paved with both promise and adversity. A record-breaking junior, she set the women's under-18 200m world record in 2019—breaking Asher-Smith's British under-20 mark—and was named one of Vogue's 'faces to define the decade.' Yet, her ascent was derailed by a ruptured quadriceps in early 2022, illness, and periods of mental burnout. It would be six long years before she ran another personal best, finally doing so over 200m at the London Diamond League in July 2025.
Much of Hunt's inspiration in Tokyo came from her late grandfather, John, who passed away earlier this year. She bears a tattoo of his name on her arm and revealed, "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." The emotion of the moment was unmistakable as Hunt embraced her family and friends trackside, tears streaming down her face.
Hunt's rise has been defined not just by her athletic prowess, but by her determination to balance sport and scholarship. She juggled her athletics career with studying English Literature at the University of Cambridge, a path she chose deliberately. "I am so proud of myself for choosing the harder path," she said. "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."
This message resonated far beyond the track, as Hunt became a role model for young athletes facing the same crossroads. Her story is a testament to resilience, ambition, and the belief that academic and athletic excellence need not be mutually exclusive. As she put it, "I'm showing you can do everything and anything you set your mind to. You can be the best at everything."
Hunt's 2025 season has been one of remarkable progress. Under the guidance of coach Marco Airale in Italy, she set personal bests in the 60m (7.09 seconds during the indoor season), 100m, and 200m. At the UK Championships, she finished runner-up to Asher-Smith in a thrilling photo finish, but it was in the World Championships semifinals that she truly announced her return, running 22.08 seconds to become the second-fastest British woman ever over 200m—surpassing Kathy Cook and trailing only Asher-Smith in the national record books.
Her ability to finish strong has drawn widespread praise. Four-time global heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill told BBC TV, "Her form this year has gone from strength to strength. 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 performance was even more impressive considering the caliber of her rivals. Jefferson-Wooden's double sprint gold made her the first woman since Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in 2013 to win both the 100m and 200m at a single world championships. Asher-Smith, meanwhile, was candid about her own race, saying, "Amy did incredibly. I'm disappointed with my race. I think I could have done a better job of executing and I have to go away and work on that."
The Tokyo meet has been a showcase of British talent. Alongside Hunt's breakthrough, Keely Hodgkinson breezed into the 800m final, while Georgia Hunter Bell and heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson also impressed. In the men's events, Max Burgin is a medal contender in the 800m, and Zharnel Hughes clocked a season-best 19.78 seconds for fifth in the men's 200m—where American Noah Lyles matched Usain Bolt's record of four straight world titles.
For Hunt, the celebrations were set to continue long after the medal ceremony. When asked how she would mark her achievement, she grinned, "Maybe some karaoke tonight! (Hall & Oates song) Maneater. That was the vibe tonight, sexy and aggressive." That blend of confidence and charisma suggests that Amy Hunt is not just a star for today, but a defining figure for the future of British sprinting.
With her Tokyo silver, Hunt has not only fulfilled the promise she showed as a junior but has also inspired a new generation of athletes—proving that you can chase your dreams, overcome adversity, and do it all with style, smarts, and a smile.
