Gemili’s now looking out for No 1

ADAM GEMILI admits it is time he steps up to the mark and proves he is a gold-medal sprinter in his own right.

The Londoner missed out on Olympic 200metres bronze at Rio 2016 by just 0.003secs and was then overlooked by the selectors for the World Championships in London last year. Gemili did strike gold in the 4x100m relay, but now his target is the Commonwealth 100m title on Monday.

The 24-year-old said: “I’m not a young athlete any more and I’m not coming into championships to make up the numbers or fill the lanes. I’m here to win. It’s not about making the final – you have to be challenging for medals in your career. That’s what you are judged on.

“I’m old enough and experienced enough now and have that belief in myself that I should be doing that.

“Obviously winning the relay last year was fantastic but the relay is a bonus and athletes should always be looking to compete as an individual first.”

Gemili insists he is over last year’s individual disappointment when he hit out at the selectors after being forced to run at the trials while not fully fit. And he plans on using these Games – he won 100m silver in Glasgow four years ago – as a springboard for this summer’s European Championships in Berlin.

But he faces tough competition from 2011 world champion Yohan Blake and South Africa’s new sprint sensation Akani Simbine.

“It was a tough time for me last year but I’m in a good place now,” he said. “It did play on my mind a bit, the ‘what ifs’ – especially as the 200m was so open, it was anyone’s to take.

“It’s only April and the plan is to peak for the Europeans but I want to get some good competition out here and get the gold.”