Norway’s Henriette Jaeger rounded off her season in record-breaking style at the ATHLOS London on Saturday (19) evening.
Jaeger pushed reigning world and Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino all the way to the line and while she ultimately preserved her unbeaten streak in 2026 with a 48.73 clocking, the reigning European champion also broke new ground.
Jaeger forged through the 49 second-barrier for the first time in her career, stopping the clock at a national record of 48.78 to move to sixth on the European all-time list.
The last time a European has run faster for the distance was France’s Marie-Jose Perec who won the 400m title at the 1996 Olympic Games in 48.25.
"It was an absolutely insane race. I didn't see that coming. Amalie [Iuel] and I are here, obviously to race, but also to celebrate a great season and enjoy a girls' trip. So, to pull off a race like that during a trip like this was a real highlight,” said Jaeger as quoted by NRK.
This was Jaeger’s 25th race of a season which included two gold medals at the 2026 European Athletics Championships - one in the 400m and the other in the mixed 4x400m - and a victory in the women’s 4x400m at the World Relays in Gaborone. Even her coach and mother Unn Merete was surprised.
"It was absolutely wild. Much better than I had expected. It’s almost unbelievable. I’m practically speechless sitting here,” she said.
Debuting a custom-made speed-suit, Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson closed her season with a 1:56.40 victory in the 800m and Poland's Klaudia Kazimierska took her third significant win this month, pipping European champion Georgia Hunter Bell in the mile, 4:19.43 to 4:19.54.
Kazimierska also defeated Hunter Bell in the 1500m at the World Ultimate Championship last weekend.
Updated European all-time 400m list
47.60 - Marita Koch (GDR) 1985
47.99 - Jarmila Kratochvílová (TCH) 1983
48.25 - Marie-José Pérec (FRA) 1996
48.27 - Olga Bryzgina (URS) 1985
48.59 - Taťána Kocembová (TCH) 1983
48.78 - Henriette Jaeger (NOR) 2026
48.90 - Natalia Kaczmarek (POL) 2024
49.07 - Rhasidat Adeleke (IRL) 2024
49.11 - Olga Nazarova (URS) 1988
49.16 - Antonina Krivoshapka (RUS) 2012
