Britain’s new golden girl Amy Hunt is a masterclass in talent & hard work – Love Island wannabes should take note

SUNDAY, August 16, 2026: the day we put the Great back into Great Britain and the social back into social media. And the night a veritable powerhouse of strong, fearless, talented young women came to the fore. Amy Hunt, the new Golden Girl of athletics, made history with a fourth gold at the European Championships Credit: Reuters Hopefully Amy Hunt makes youngsters think hard work is sexy – not going on Love Island Credit: Shutterstock As Amy Hunt, the new Golden Girl of athletics, celebrated her history- making fourth gold at the European Championships, Instagram and TikTok were — for once — united in their praise. (Well except for a few blokes who, helpfully, reckoned she could have “done a bit better at the start”. But hey, these are probably the same chaps who reckon they could qualify for the 2028 Olympics after doing a few park runs.) Just 24 hours earlier, our new superstar also did something completely unexpected in the me-me-me world of fame — laud lavish praise on her teammates. Because athletes, arguably more than anyone, know there is no “I” in team.In a digital world that increasingly celebrates rampant narcissism, money and “likes” over anything, how refreshing that, well, the kids really are alright. Within minutes of winning her third gold medal on Saturday, the Cambridge graduate said: “We’re the fantastic four.” Had this quote come, say, from the finalists of Love Island, how galling. But no argument here. After all, Britain’s 4x100m women had veritably powered their way to glory in 42.05secs, more than ten metres clear of Switzerland and Poland. “It’s such a privilege to be able to step on the track with these ladies and the individual superpowers that we bring,” Amy said. “It’s no joke. We’re all superwomen together out there.” First, Amy addressed Dina Asher-Smith, who ran the first leg and whose gold equalled the Polish sprinter Irena Szewinska’s overall record tally of ten medals at the championships. “I’m stood next to Dina, she’s the most decorated European athlete in history,” she said. She then turned to relative newbie, Success Eduan — nominative determinism at its finest — who is three weeks from completing a degree in midwifery. “This girl, Success, is a midwife,” she said. “She brings new babies into the world.” Finally, our new poster girl pointed to Imani-Lara Lansiquot, who had brilliantly carried the baton home. In 2021, she wrote a stage play, Armour Of Gaza, about growing up in Peckham. “Imani, that girl wrote a play,” said Amy, beaming proudly. Amy celebrated with a KFC late on Sunday night Credit: Getty Athletes, arguably more than anyone, know there is no ‘I’ in team Credit: AP All bets off, surely, for Sports Personality Of The Year. A special mention, too, to Keely Hodgkinson, who in June shredded her knee to pieces in a freak training ground accident which left her unable to walk for days. She clawed her way back to claim silver in the 800m. Great Britain’s Jazz Sawyers also scored one of the performances of the champ-ionship to take silver in the women’s long jump, finishing just one centimetre behind gold-winning Larissa Iapichino. (And for those who write in each week to tell me I’m too “feminist”, a shout out, too, to the lads — two of them helped Amy win her fourth gold in the mixed 4x100m, and Jeremiah Azu, Zharnel Hughes, Romell Glave and Louie Hinchcliffe stormed to victory in the men’s 4x100m. Heroes one ’n’ all.) Women in sport, though, have always played second fiddle to their penised counterparts: less money, fewer bums on seats and fewer commercial opportunities. There has also long been a weird body image obsession: young girls worried that if they play too much sport or lift anything over 5kg in the gym, they’ll get “bulky”. Amy, meanwhile, celebrated with a KFC late on Sunday night.Playing sport has not, traditionally, been seen as “cool”. What poppycock! Here, finally, are the women who prove it. Women to aspire to. Women who have dedicated their lives to sport, brutal training days, risking career-ending injuries day in, day out — all, largely, for not very much money. My great hope is that youngsters watching these championships on telly/the internet will realise that talent and hard work really are sexy. Going on Love Island is not. A BONE TO PICK “MILLENNIALS tuck into bone broth to ward off wrinkles”, declared a headline. Babes, millennials tuck into a whole lot more than bone broth to stay frozen in time. Botox, laser, chemical peels, IPL facials, plasma MCT, microneedling, microdermabrasion, Sculptra – you name it, me and my fellow geriatric millennials have done it. And do it. Trust me: the broth of bones ain’t touching the sides. Innuendo queen Nigella is what Bake Off kneads Safe to say a ‘soggy bottom’ is the least of the contestants’ worries this year Credit: PA “I CAN’T wait to romp in your forest” – Mel Giedroyc, season six, about a contestant’s Black Forest gateau. “They’ve got to beat it until it’s really, really stiff” – Mary Berry, 2012. “It’s all about making both balls really tight” – Paul Hollywood to Prue Leith, 2017. “It’s long and thin and sausage-shaped” – Prue Leith, 2017. Ladies and gentlemen, just a few Great British Bake Off highlights over the years. So, where, pray, could producers take the long-running series following Prue’s departure from the otherwise wholesome cookery show? Bundle in queen of innuendo Nigella Lawson, that’s where. Nigella “It’s hard for me to eat lamb without cumin” Lawson. Nigella “I love having an implement in each hand; it makes me feel busy” Lawson. And Nigella “I adore the way it comes bulging up” Lawson. Safe to say a “soggy bottom” is the least of the contestants’ worries this year. ONE IS WARNED, ALEX... ON Friday evening, everyone got a rude awakening when phones chimed, apocalyptically, with wildfire alerts. One even interrupted live TV as The One Show screened. “I think that was some sort of fire alarm,” remarked puzzled host Alex Jones. “You couldn’t make it up!,” she added cheerfully. While entirely making it up. TATE FAN STUNT IS NO FLEX Andrew Tate fans did press-ups together last week outside his prison Credit: BackGrid SORRY to go all Holly Willoughby, but men: are you ok? Community members from the grimly toxic manosphere apparently convened outside Andrew Tate’s US prison to do press-ups together last week. To what end, I am not entirely sure. But guys, it’s just not the flex you think it is. Meanwhile, a report last week claimed four in ten chaps reckon they could compete in the 2028 Olympics with a spot of training. Oh, to have the confidence of a mediocre man. Meme of the week Credit: Supplied THERE are no adequate words to describe the tragic, heartbreaking death of Jason Arday. The divisive flames of the culture wars have already been sparked and, understandably, it makes for deeply uncomfortable reading. But read, we must. The PM summed it up perfectly in his tribute. “It’s a tragedy on so many levels,” he said. “But particularly just for everybody who knew Jason – his family, obviously, his friends. We think of them today. “It’s not a moment for any rushing to judgment. It’s a moment for reflection, I would say, reflecting on how things came to this. “A really sad, sad and sorry state of affairs and I think we all today think of Jason, his contribution and his family and friends.”