Charlie Dobson delivered one of the biggest surprises in Diamond League history when he won the 2024 series final in Brussels (men’s 400m) – and he once again judged his race to perfection as he took victory in front of a sell-out home crowd at the 2025 Novuna London Athletics Meet.
As the one-lap event reached its crescendo, TV commentator Hannah England couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing: “It’s Matt Hudson-Smith trying to get the home win but it’s not going to be him…it’s going to be Charlie Dobson, the other Brit, who takes the win in the closing stages,” she said in disbelief.
Olympic silver medallist Hudson-Smith, the British (and European) record holder with a best of 43.44, South Africa’s Zakithi Nene – world leader at the time – and the USA’s Vernon Norwood, multiple Olympic and world 4 x 400m relay gold medallist, were locked in home-straight battle but it was Dobson, who came from nowhere in lane seven, who thundered down the track to take a joyous win in a 44.14 personal best.
“I’m over the moon, that was incredible,” he told reporters post-race. To be amongst people like Matt and (Zakithi) Nene and running in front of a massive home crowd, it’s just awesome to get that performance. Going into races I don’t set myself massive expectations. Obviously I have a race plan and I want to execute that plan, and we know that if I do that then I’ll run really well. I think that’s what I did today; it felt well-paced, tactically it went perfectly, and I won the race, so what more can I ask for?”
Hudson-Smith held on for second (44.27) while Nene finished third (44.29).
“Thank you London once again,” wrote Dobson on Instagram once his statement Diamond League win had sunk in. “Amazing result in an amazing stadium.”
Come Tokyo, Botswana duo Busang Collen Kebinatshipi and Bayapo Ndori, fifth and seventh respectively in London, stole the show. Kebinatshipi won 400m individual gold in a national record and world leading performance (43.53) with Ndori taking bronze (44.20) and the pair – as part of an impressive Botswana quartet – won the world 4 x 400m relay title. Nene’s South Africa team finished third.
Dobson reached the semi-finals of the World Championships 400m (individual) and finished sixth in the 4 x 400m relay with teammates Lee Thompson, Toby Harries and Lewis Davey.
The Novuna London Athletics Meet will return to the London Stadium on Saturday 18 July 2026. Buy your tickets now: https://www.britishathletics.org.uk/events-and-tickets/novuna-london-athletics-meet-2026/
The Novuna London Athletics Meet – the world’s biggest one-day athletics event – is the eleventh meeting of the 2026 Wanda Diamond League. The series comprises 15 of the most prestigious events in global track and field across four different continents and begins in Doha on 8 May. It concludes with a single final across two days in Brussels (4-5 September).