Brighton and Hove AC athlete Amber Anning played a pivotal role in the success of the British women’s 4x400m relay team in securing a bronze medal at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Sunday evening, shortly after the GB men achieved the same feat. In the final event of the nine-day spectacular, the quartet comprising Laviai Nielsen, Anning, Ama Pipi, and Nicole Yeargin achieved Team GB's second-quickest time ever at 3:21.04.
During the qualifying rounds the previous night, Amber had delivered the fastest split among her teammates, completing the second leg in an impressive 49.70 seconds. Building on this performance, she followed up with a 49.82-second split on Sunday evening, engaging in a battle with Dutch star Lieke Klaver as they chased down Jamaican sprinter Janieve Russell. Passing the baton to Pipi, the gap had closed between them, the leading Jamaicans and the pursuing Dutch.
Pipi pursued leader Nickisha Pyrce down the home straight, handing over to Yeargin for an eventful final lap. Despite the intense pressure from Dutch world 400m hurdles champion Femke Bol, Yeargin held her ground against Jamaican Stacey Ann Williams, who had surged ahead.
The closing moments were charged with anticipation as Bol moved into another gear and overtook first Yeargin, then overhauled a tiring Williams just before the line to secure a first-ever gold in the event for the Netherlands.
Reflecting on the race, Anning said: “I knew the second leg was going to be the strongest. I wanted to go out there and run similar to how I did in the heats. I wanted to get us in a good position and help Nicole and Ama. It was fun. Watching the boys get the bronze gave me so much energy. I knew we could do it, and I am just so proud of the girls who brought it home.”
Factfile:
- Amber Anning is a student at the University of Arkansas and a member of their Razorback track team.
- Her personal best is 50.68s, the Sussex record set in 2023 and the third fastest time ever run indoors by a British woman.
- Amber's 4x4 college relay team set a World Indoor Best of 3:21.75 in February 2023, in which she ran the fifth-fastest first leg indoors ever.
- Amber won her first Sussex title in Quadkids at age 10. She holds numerous age group Sussex records from U13 and U15 pentathlon to 100 and 300m.
- Amber is the U15 British record holder over 300m, the U23 British record holder indoors over 300m and the U20 indoor British record holder over 400m.
Watch the race below.