Hunt could have as many as three opportunities to add to her tally this week, as se competes in the 200m and both the women’s and mixed 4x100m relay events.
Typically not the quickest off the blocks at almost six-foot tall, Hunt was seventh in the eight-athlete final after the first 10m.
But she held her form superbly to overhaul her rivals and end her wait for gold, just two years after finishing seventh in the previous European final in Rome.
“I just had such a magical feeling,” Hunt said.
“I’ve won English Schools here, raced here as a 13, 14-year-old. I just had a feeling that this was going to be my night.
“My first gold. I think it was definitely time for an upgrade, and I’m now kind of fully established.”
British record holder Asher-Smith lined up in Birmingham as the defending champion – but the 30-year-old could not force her way into medal contention.
Asher-Smith, bidding to win a historic seventh gold and become the joint-most successful athlete in the history of the championships, finished fifth in 11.10, as Poland’s Ewa Swoboda (11.02) and Belgian Delphine Nkansa (11.06) completed the podium.
Like Hunt, Asher-Smith will have further opportunities to draw level with Croatian discus thrower Sandra Elkasevic and Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who earlier won a superb 5,000m gold on his comeback from injury.
Both will return to action on Wednesday, when attention turns to the women’s 200m medals before the weekend’s relays.
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