Amy Hunt's 22.16: A Perfect Bend and the Warning in the Final 20 Metres

In Brussels, Amy Hunt crossed the 200m finish line in 22.16 seconds, her season's best, just 0.08 seconds outside her lifetime best. She finished third behind Kayla White and Julien Alfred, winner of the season standings in 21.79. Hunt described the bend as one of the best she has ever run, but admitted the final 20 metres were heavy after a long season. Hunt arrived after winning four golds at the European Championships in Birmingham. Her training has featured long reps with only 45 seconds recovery in winter, creating high density. The technique looks sound, but fatigue in the last section is a signal. The contrarian view is that success creates more risk than failure because it tempts athletes to ignore recovery. Hunt will run the 100m the following night against Sha'Carri Richardson, then face a doubled programme in Budapest. The body never negotiates. Watching her first five metres after the start will tell more than the final time.