Briton lowers 36-year-old 400m mark in World Championships semi-finals while gold medal favourite pulls up injured

The mens 400m was blown wide open at the World Championships in Budapest on Tuesday night (August 22) as red-hot favourite Steven Gardiner crashed out of the semi-finals and Britains Matthew Hudson-Smith broke the European record which had stood for 36 years.

Gardiner, the 2019 world champion and the reigning Olympic champion, missed out on competing at last years championships in Oregon due to injury, but had been in imperious form this season, setting the world lead of 43.74.

Approaching the closing 100m of his heat, however, the Bahamian pulled up injured, stumbling to the track, and his hopes of a second world title disappeared in an instant.

That drama unfolded not long after Hudson-Smith had created history in heat two. The European champion, who has had injury struggles to battle with this season, had more left in the tank as he clocked 44.26, taking down the continental mark of 44.48 set by East German Thomas Schönlebe back in 1987. The Briton was not getting carried away, however.

I will be happy when I get that medal, said Hudson-Smith, who will look to upgrade his bronze from Eugene last year when he competes in Thursdays final. As for today [the record], that is just job done. Coach told me to execute 300m and make sure the job was done and then, when I knew I was clear, I was saving something for the final. I just need to get that medal now.

My coach told me beforehand to enjoy it. He said: Have you done this before? and do you feel like you deserve to be here? I have worked too damned hard to not get to the final. It is all about getting that medal.

World record-holder Wayde van Niekerk made it through as a fastest loser, having clocked 44.65. Fastest overall on the night was Jamaican Antonio Watson, who won heat one in a PB of 44.13, while 2012 Olympic champion Kirani James (44.58) progressed but world indoor champion Jereem Richards missed out after a run of 44.76.