Matthew Hudson-Smith set for clash of titans with Muzala Samukonga and Kirani James in season finale

Olympic 400m silver medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith will be headlining a highly anticipated 400m final on Friday at the season-closing Diamond League meet in Brussels.

With a personal and season-best time of 43.44 seconds, Hudson-Smith enters the race as the fastest man in the field, setting the stage for an electrifying end to the season.

Olympic 400m bronze medalist Muzala Samukonga grapples with fame and criticism after setting national records and winning Diamond League races.

The European record holder will face off against a stacked lineup of world-class talent, including Grenada’s Kirani James, Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga, and Great Britain’s own Charlie Dobson.

Hudson-Smith has had a sensational season, clocking the fastest time of his career, and looks poised to cement his position as one of the top 400m runners globally.

Kishane Thompson has expressed admiration for the high standards Usain Bolt set in sprinting that churned out a generation of other sprinters that clocked sub 9.8 speeds.

However, his path to victory will not be easy. With a field packed with Olympic champions, World Championship medalists, and emerging stars, the race promises to deliver fireworks.

«I do not want to say what I will do, I just want to run my best,» Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga said in the lead-up to the final.

Samukonga, who finished third at the Paris 2024 Olympics, has been in stellar form, recording a personal-best time of 43.74 seconds this season.

The Zambian athlete is viewed as one of the top contenders for the title, as his consistently strong performances this year have kept him in the conversation as a serious threat on the global stage.

Mondo Duplantis has clarified whether he will be open to challenging Femke Bol and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone to a race after obliterating Karsten Warholm.

Meanwhile, Grenadian superstar Kirani James, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist, remains a force to be reckoned with.

James, who holds a season-best of 43.78 seconds, has been a fixture in the 400m scene for over a decade. As one of the most experienced athletes in the race, his tactical acumen and racing experience make him a formidable competitor in any high-stakes final.

USA’s Vernon Norwood and Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori are both eager to challenge for podium positions. With identical season and personal bests of 44.10 seconds, the two athletes are evenly matched and could spring a surprise on the rest of the field.

Both runners have shown consistency throughout the season, positioning themselves as dark horses in this Diamond League finale.

The legendary American sprinter has reflected on maintaining a unique 400m record under 44 seconds 22 times, two decades after retiring.

Competing alongside Hudson-Smith for Great Britain will be Charlie Dobson, whose season-best of 44.23 seconds ranks him among the top contenders.

Botswana’s Busang Collen Kebinatshipi, who has recorded a season-best time of 44.22 seconds, will also be looking to make an impact in a race filled with potential medal winners.

Belgium’s Jonathan Sacoor, rounding out the field with a season-best of 44.98 seconds, represents the local hope and will be eager to perform well in front of a home crowd.

The final will mark the last major showdown of the 2024 season, and with so many sub-44 second runners on the start line, anything is possible in what is expected to be a thrilling conclusion to the year’s Diamond League campaign.