Amy Hunt Fifth in Loaded Zurich 100m as Julien Alfred Shines
Zurich, Switzerland — Amy Hunt finished fifth in a star-studded women’s 100m at the Weltklasse Zurich Diamond League on Thursday, as Olympic champion Julien Alfred of St Lucia stormed to victory in a meeting record of 10.70 seconds. The race, billed as one of the deepest of the season, saw world champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden of the United States take second, while New Zealand’s Zoe Hobbs, who beat Hunt to Commonwealth gold last month, finished third.
Hunt, the 24-year-old Briton who arrived in Zurich fresh from a historic four-gold haul at the European Championships in Birmingham, clocked 11.04 seconds. It was her first 100m since that seven-race, seven-day campaign, and she admitted the step-up from continental competition to the elite one-day circuit was significant.
“It’s my first 100 since the Europeans and I’m excited to stand on the line and get announced as European champ,” Hunt said before the race. “It’s going to be a fast one for sure, and it means I’ve got to be on my toes.”
The race itself did not disappoint, with Alfred producing a powerful surge off the bend to pull clear of Jefferson-Wooden and Hobbs. Alfred’s 10.70 was a new national and meeting record, while Jefferson-Wooden crossed in 10.82 and Hobbs in 10.90. Hunt, who had hoped to challenge the top three, found herself in a tight battle for the minor placings but ultimately held off a late charge from the field to secure fifth.
A Historic Night in Zurich
Hunt’s performance came amid a night of extraordinary results at Zurich’s Letzigrund Stadium, where two world records fell and Swiss fans were treated to a near-miss in the 800m. Brazil’s Alison dos Santos smashed the men’s 400m hurdles world record with a stunning 45.80-second run, while American Masai Russell broke the women’s 100m hurdles mark in 12.09. Switzerland’s Audrey Werro, roared on by a capacity crowd of 25,000, came within 0.42 seconds of the oldest outdoor world record in athletics, clocking 1:53.70 in the 800m.
For Hunt, the Zurich meeting was an opportunity to measure herself against the best in the world. The field included not only Alfred and Jefferson-Wooden but also Hobbs, who beat Hunt to Commonwealth gold in Glasgow last month. Hunt called the lineup “amazing” and said she was “super excited to just have fun with it.”
Why This Race Matters for Hunt
Hunt’s rise in 2026 has been meteoric. At the European Championships in Birmingham, she won both individual sprint titles and two relay golds, becoming the first British woman to win four golds at a single European Championships. But the 24-year-old Cambridge University English graduate understands that continental dominance does not automatically translate to success on the Diamond League circuit, where the world’s best gather every week.
“It’s fun just to do the 100,” Hunt said. “This year has been a really big one for us in terms of establishing myself as a 100m and 60m runner. So I’m really, really excited to be able to come in for the Diamond League and have that outlook of just having fun with it before we head into the final part of the season.”
Hunt’s fifth-place finish in Zurich is a solid result against a world-class field, and it provides valuable experience as she looks to build toward the World Championships and beyond. She noted the importance of racing against “some of the greatest ladies of all time” and said the experience sets her up for the future.
A Changing of the Guard in Women’s Sprints
The Zurich 100m highlighted a shifting landscape in women’s sprinting. Julien Alfred, the Olympic champion, continues to lower her personal bests and is now firmly established as the world’s top sprinter over 100m. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, the reigning world champion, remains a constant threat, while Zoe Hobbs has emerged as a major contender after her Commonwealth victory.
Hunt, though, is part of a new generation pushing the boundaries. Her ability to medal across multiple events—she also has a 60m national record—gives her a versatility that few can match. As she stated, she wants to be “in the same position as them” in the future, with rivals “excited to be racing against me.”
The Diamond League season now heads to Brussels for the final on September 4-5, and Hunt will not be there—she did not qualify for the final in the 100m. But she will be watching closely, knowing that the lessons learned in Zurich will be invaluable as she plots her path to the top. The 2026 season has been a breakout year for her, and the future looks bright.
As for the broader implications, the women’s 100m is becoming one of the most competitive events in athletics. With Alfred, Jefferson-Wooden, Hobbs, and Hunt all in the mix, the podium at next year’s World Championships is far from predictable. The Zurich race served as a reminder that the depth of talent in the event is greater than ever, and that Hunt’s fifth-place finish in a meeting-record 10.70 is no small achievement.
In a night filled with world records and near-misses, Hunt’s performance was a quiet but significant step forward. She left Zurich with her head held high, having raced against the best and learned what it takes to compete at the very highest level. As she said, “It really challenges me to elevate my game.” And that, ultimately, is what the Diamond League is all about.
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