2026 Highlights: World records set, thousands of fans and multiple history makers

From setting World records to multiple European gold medals to breakout performances, it has been quite the year for the Novuna GB & NI team.

An incredible 317 athletes wore the GB vest this season, starting at the World Cross Country Championships in Florida in January right through to the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen last month. There have been many standout performances over the year and here a few highlights!

2026 THE YEAR KERR MADE HISTORY

Already a world champion and Olympic medallist, Josh Kerr elevated his status to a new level this season by producing defining performances that cemented his place among the sport’s all-time greats.

Kerr kicked off the year by successfully defending his World Indoor 3000m title in Poland, an incredible feat after a coming back from injury he sustained in the 1500m final at the World Championships in Tokyo only six months earlier.

Then came at the Novuna London Athletics Meet. In front of a packed London Stadium crowd, Kerr achieved one of athletics’ most sought-after milestones by breaking the world mile record. Stopping the clock at 3:42.66, he erased Hicham El Guerrouj’s legendary mark that had stood since 1999.

The achievement represented years of dedication and the fulfilment of a long-held ambition. As the stadium erupted and the time flashed on the scoreboard, Kerr’s place in history was secured.

Two weeks later, the Edinburgh native was on home turf in Glasgow at the Commonwealth Games, ready to entertain the Scottish crowd in the men’s mile. He confidently took the title, thoroughly enjoying the Scottish roar as he egged the fans on in the final lap.

To round off his season, Kerr travelled to Budapest for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship. Against a strong middle-distance field featuring Olympic and World champions, the Scotsman delivered another masterclass. Timing his move perfectly, he surged through the closing stages to win the men’s 1500m title and become the first ever Ultimate Champion.

The victory completed an extraordinary campaign and further strengthened his reputation as the leading miler of his generation. For British athletics fans, his achievements provided moments of genuine sporting magic. From Torun to London to Glasgow to Budapest, he delivered excellence at every turn.

Kerr is currently up for World Athletics male athlete of the year, you can vote for him here

WORLD INDOORS: THE GOLDEN QUARTET

The 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships delivered one of the most memorable weekends in recent British athletics history as the Novuna GB & NI Team produced a golden surge that lit up Toruń, Poland.

Within the space of just 30 minutes, Great Britain and Northern Ireland claimed three world titles to round off a championships. Josh Kerr had already laid the foundations with a commanding victory in the men’s 3000m, securing gold on Saturday and setting the tone for the team.

The final session belonged to an outstanding trio of women. First, team captain Georgia Hunter Bell produced a perfectly judged run to take the world indoor 1500m title, showing patience and tactical brilliance before unleashing her strong kick on the final lap. Moments later, Molly Caudery added another gold, clearing 4.85m to regain the world indoor pole vault crown she first won two years earlier.

Then came Keely Hodgkinson. Already the dominant force for this indoor season, setting a new world record in the women’s indoor 800m, she delivered a masterclass in the final.  Controlling the race from the gun, she stormed to victory in a championship record 1:55.30 to claim her first world indoor title.

Together with Kerr’s gold from the previous evening, the quartet had powered the Novuna GB & NI Team to its most successful World Indoor Championships ever, finishing second in the medal table with four gold medals.

PARA ATHLETES ON THE PODIUM AT THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES

HOMETOWN HERO HUDSON-SMITH LIGHTS UP BIRMINGHAM

There are victories, and then there are home-coming victories. For Matthew Hudson-Smith, his 400m triumph at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham was much more than another championship title.

Competing at Alexander Stadium, the track where he trained as a youngster and developed into one of the world’s finest one-lap sprinters, Hudson-Smith carried the hopes of the home crowd into the final.

Drawn in the outside lane, Hudson-Smith attacked the race with confidence and authority. Running aggressively from the start, he maintained control throughout before crossing the line in 44.17 seconds to secure his third European 400m title.

No man had previously won three European 400m titles, and the achievement elevated Hudson-Smith into the record books once again. Already established as Britain’s greatest ever one-lap runner, he added another chapter to an extraordinary career that has included Olympic, World and European medals.

After years of challenges, injuries and sacrifices, Hudson-Smith stood on top of the podium in the city where his athletics journey began. An inspiration for younger athletes watching on as the crowd celebrated there local athlete as the gold medal was placed around his neck.

HUNTS HISTORIC EUROPEAN QUADRUPLE

At the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, Amy Hunt became the first athlete in championship history to win four gold medals at a single edition of the competition.

The British sprinter arrived in Birmingham in excellent form, Hunt began by claiming the women’s 100m title, securing her first individual European crown. She followed that success with the 200m, completing a stunning sprint double and confirming herself as one of Europe’s best sprinters. Yet she was far from finished; next were the relays.

As part of the British women’s 4x100m relay team, Hunt helped deliver another gold medal on home soil, delighting the packed crowd inside Alexander Stadium alongside Imani-Lara Lansquiot, Dina Asher-Smith and Success Eduan.

On the final day, competing alongside Jeremiah Azu, Dina Asher-Smith and Zharnel Hughes in the mixed 4x100m relay, Hunt anchored the Novuna GB & NI Team to victory in a European record 39.97 seconds. Crossing the finish line first, she secured an unprecedented fourth gold medal and a place in the history books.

Hunt’s journey has included setbacks and injury challenges, making her rise to the top all the more inspiring. Four gold medals. Four unforgettable performances. One historic championship.

JUNIORS SHINE ON THE GLOBAL STAGE

It was a summer to remember for the Novuna GB & NI junior teams, with the next generation of British talent announcing themselves on the international stage in style.

The young athletes delivered championship titles, medals, records and breakthrough performances, underlining the strength and depth of the pathway. From a table-topping display at the European Athletics U18 Championships to a host of podium finishes at the World Athletics U20 Championships, the future of British athletics has never looked brighter.

At the World Athletics U20 Championships in Oregon, the Novuna GB & NI team collected six medals, 2 silver and 4 bronze. The team delivered a strong all-round performance against the world’s leading junior athletes, recording eight personal bests, three national records and three area records during the championships.

The Novuna GB & NI team topped the medal table at the European Athletics U18 Championships in Rieti, securing an outstanding 14 medals, 8 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze. The team produced a series of championship-winning performances across the track and field, with several athletes also setting British U18 records and championship records.