French sprinter Kounta claims European silver with Christie’s guidance

Kounta secured the 400‑metre silver medal at the European Athletics Championships on Saturday, finishing 0.23 seconds behind hometown favourite Matthew Hudson-Smith at the Alexander Stadium. The French athlete clocked a season‑best 44.40, the second‑fastest time of his career.

Why the medal matters

The podium finish comes just months after the French Athletics Federation handed Kounta a six‑month suspension for social‑media posts that were deemed hateful, including remarks about Israel. He has since apologised, saying he was merely expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people, and he received backing from teammates who affirmed his character.

I'm coming back from a very long way, people don't know how hard it's been.

Beyond the controversy, the medal signals a turnaround in Kounta’s performance. He began the summer with a personal best of 45.12 seconds, but a new, injury‑free approach and a professional mindset have propelled him to new heights.

Christie’s role as a mentor

Since 2021, Kounta has been coached by former Olympic champion Linford Christie. The British sprint legend, who won the 100 m gold at the 1992 Barcelona Games, has acted more as a father figure than a traditional coach. "He was there for me in very difficult times, in years when I was at rock bottom," Kounta said, recalling the loss of his own father and a period when he considered quitting the sport.

Christie did not prescribe a detailed race plan; instead he urged Kounta to run his own race. "Just run how I normally do and that helped me relax," the Frenchman explained. The guidance allowed him to focus on his strengths and ignore the pressure of competing alongside the fast‑starting Hudson‑Smith in the adjacent lane.

Looking ahead, Kounta aims to build on his indoor season, where he already claimed a relay medal, and hopes to translate his newfound confidence into future championships.

While he entered Birmingham with gold as his goal, the silver will be celebrated as a stepping stone. "I came for gold so I was disappointed at first. Now we've got silver, we're not going to mope, we're going to celebrate this," he said.