Amy Hunt was a picture of sheer shock upon claiming her first World Athletics Championship medal in the 200-metre event.
The Nottinghamshire star claimed Britain’s second medal of the Tokyo tournament with a silver, matching Jake Wightman in the men’s 1500m.
Having shared some emotional scenes with her mother in the stands, the long-time prospect explained her shock was more about finally making it after years of struggle.
“I’ve not stopped smiling or crying, as soon as I saw my mum over there with her friends I just burst into tears,” she said after finishing runner-up to Melissa Jefferson-Wooden.
“I knew I could do it as long as I could put together a really good turn and stay with them off the bend.
“Once I was with them I was thinking expletives, a lot of them thinking ‘I’m about to do this, keep going’.
“I just beat some really flipping amazing girls. Maybe some karaoke tonight to help it set in.”
Asked what tune she’d be singing to, she replied: “Probably Maneater [by Nelly Furtado], it’s really boring but that was the vibe tonight – sexy and aggressive.”
Amy Hunt’s path to the top
Hunt has been a prospect since her teens, and still holds the all-time world record for 200metres.
Yet not only has she had numerous injuries to deal with – and the scars to prove it – she’s also been doubling up with a degree at the world leading Cambridge University.
“I’m so proud of choosing the harder path and I could have chosen an easier way out many, many times,” the 23-year-old said.
“I chose to go to Cambridge to get a degree, in part for myself to look back and be proud of but also to show other young sports people and especially girls you don’t have to give up education, you can be an academic badass and a track goddess, you can do anything you set your mind to.
“I’m so proud of myself, moments before the race I was thinking about my grandad and he’s watching over me.
“I have a tattoo of him on my arm, I knew he was going to guide me and I’m so proud of my whole team for putting this together.”
Watching back her race on the TV cameras for the first time, Hunt was shocked to see the finish wasn’t as close as she thought it was.
“Oh my god I did it with a bit more than I thought! I thought it was really close!” she said surprised.
“I got out really strong even though it doesn’t look like it and I never saw Marie [Ta Lou-Smith] on my inside so I knew I’d had a good turn because that girl is on fire.
“If I could come off before her I’m the fastest on the straight without any doubt. I have the best top end speed out there so I just needed to give myself the opportunity.”
Adding to the praise British icon and Olympic gold medalist Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill explained what made the performance so special.
“She had time away from the sport and injuries but her form this year has just gone from strength to strength,” she said.
“Amy just didn’t panic, she ran all of her phases, her top end speed in the last 50 metres is phenomenal and I don’t know why she’s so surprised, we all thought she could win a medal!
“She must have had so many low moments where she thought ‘am I ever going to fulfill my potential?’, now this year it’s all come together and it’s fantastic to see.”
