At the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, French sprinter Just Kwaou-Mathey secured the silver medal in the men’s 110-meter hurdles with a season-best time of 13.16 seconds, finishing just behind Switzerland’s Jason Joseph, who claimed gold at 13.12 seconds, according to coverage from regional and national sports reporting.
Overcoming Injury to Claim European Silver in Birmingham
Just Kwaou-Mathey delivered a resilient performance to take second place in the men’s 110-meter hurdles final at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham. The 26-year-old Frenchman crossed the finish line in 13.16 seconds, registering his fastest time of the season on the international stage.
The path to the podium required navigating significant physical setbacks. Earlier in the year, Kwaou-Mathey sustained an unusual injury just before the French Championships in March when he tripped over his suitcase. The mishap forced him to undergo a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment in April, which heavily disrupted his summer preparation schedule.
“I couldn’t do the season I wanted,” the Val-de-Reuil sprinter explained to reporters ahead of the competition regarding his delayed start in June at Rome. Despite a challenging buildup and a pedestrian start to his racing calendar, his times gradually improved, culminating in a 13.20-second performance at the French Championships in late July.
Tactical Field and the Continental Landscape
Entering the championships, the European field in the high hurdles presented an unusually low benchmark compared to global standards. While Kwaou-Mathey’s personal best sits at 12.99 seconds, his late-summer form proved sufficient to arrive in Birmingham holding the fastest entry time among the competitors.
The French contingent maintained a strong presence in the final, fielding three athletes in the medal race to multiply their chances of reaching the podium.
Gold went to Switzerland’s Jason Joseph, whose winning mark of 13.12 seconds edged out the French runner by four hundredths of a second. The silver medal marks a notable step forward for Kwaou-Mathey, who previously collected international bronze medals at the 2022 European Championships, the 2023 and 2025 European Indoor Championships, and the 2024 World Indoor Championships.
Reflections and Looking Toward Los Angeles
Speaking immediately after the race to broadcast media, the newly crowned vice-champion expressed his surprise and relief at the color of the medal. “This medal represents a lot,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting this color this year.”
Having successfully rebounded from his spring training disruption, Kwaou-Mathey turns his attention to future international cycles. With consistent improvements on the horizon, the athlete has set his sights on the long-term goal of contending for the gold medal at the 2026 and subsequent Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
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