Just Kwaou-Mathey Wins 110m Hurdles Silver at European Athletics Championships

Just Kwaou-Mathey Wins 110m Hurdles Silver at European Athletics Championships in Birmingham

French hurdler Just Kwaou-Mathey captured the silver medal in the men’s 110m hurdles at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, clocking a season-best time of 13.16 seconds, according to reporting by Europe 1 and CNews.

The 26-year-old French athlete finished just four centièmes behind Switzerland’s Jason Joseph, who claimed the gold medal with a matching season-best performance of 13.12 seconds. Two other French competitors also featured in the final lineup, with Thomas Wilkes finishing fourth and Théo Pedre placing sixth, as confirmed by primary event reports.

A Late Surge Secures the Podium

Kwaou-Mathey relied on a powerful closing stretch to secure his runner-up finish. According to coverage from Europe 1, the French sprinter battled for positioning throughout the race before making the decisive push in the final meters to edge out the chasing pack and secure the silver.

The result marks a progression on the international stage for Kwaou-Mathey. Four years after claiming a bronze medal at the European Championships in Munich, he moved up a step on the continental podium, adding a silver to an international resume that includes bronze medals at the 2022 European Championships, the 2023 and 2025 European Indoor Championships, and the 2024 World Indoor Championships, as detailed by CNews.

Overcoming Injury Setbacks

Speaking to France Télévisions after the race, Kwaou-Mathey reflected on the emotional weight of the performance. “Cette médaille représente beaucoup. Je n’attendais pas cette couleur cette année,” the athlete said, noting that his season was disrupted in March when he injured himself after tripping over his suitcase just before the French Championships.

Having rebounded from that early-season hurdle, Kwaou-Mathey turned his focus toward future global competition, expressing ambitions to target gold when the Olympic Games arrive in Los Angeles in two years, according to CNews reporting.