Gemili comes into his own EMPHATIC ANSWER TO HAVING FUNDING CUT

especially in an individual sport, but it gives you hunger in your belly,” said Gemili.

“I’ve kept the quotes on my phone and maybe one day I’ll show people what was said about me. But for now I’ll use them as inspiration to fire me up.”

Gemili was Britain’s youngest athlete at the 2012 Olympics in London, where he developed a thick skin to cope with the criticism that came his way following a mix-up in the relay.

He needed that resilience as his brilliant early career gave way to a succession of injuries which cost him his place in the limelight.

How fitting that he should return to the Alexander Stadium, where his problems began with a torn hamstring in 2015, to set the record straight.

Gemili easily won in a time of 20.08secs ahead of Zharnel Hughes (20.25) who was troubled by a hamstring tweak.

“Adam was really good,” said Hughes, who will line up alongside him at the Worlds.

“He certainly proved to people he’s not only a relay runner.”

A day of sporting redemption up and down the land continued with Jodie Williams (23.06) winning the women’s 200m ahead of Beth Dobbin, who is returning to form after a 60kg weights bar fell on her neck and chipped the bone.

Williams, unbeaten in 151 races as a junior, has had a difficult time in the senior ranks and moved to America to give herself a fresh start, seeing her hard work and sacrifice pay off yesterday

Lawrence Okoye, though, came up short in his attempt to go from the NFL to the World Championships.

The British discus record-holder bagged the necessary top-two finish but was short of the qualifying distance for Doha.