Women leap from no hopers to bronze in just four years
DESIREE HENRY was one of seven promising young athletes chosen to light the Olympic flame at London 2012. Four years later she is returning from Rio with a bronze medal.
Henry, Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita, all aged 20 or under and Asha Philip, 25, have transformed the fortunes of British women’s sprinting, winning a 4x100m relay medal for the first time in 32 years.
After the humiliation of not qualifying for a women’s 4x100m team for the London Games, further investment was made by British Athletics in the relay set-up. There were seven women in the squad here, all bidding for a place in the starting line-up, but they claim the key to their success is friendship off the track.
‘At times we did feel that people had given up on us but as individuals we know how British women’s sprinting has come along and each year we have got better and better,’ said Henry.
‘We won a medal at the Worlds and Europeans and we are becoming consistent.
‘We are such good friends and we get on so well and we only want the best for each other. The fact that we can celebrate together makes it even better.’
Asher-Smith added: ‘This means an awful lot because we worked hard to get faster as individuals and we have worked hard as a team. To be able to come out here and deliver the goods when the pressure is on is absolutely incredible. I’m so unbelievably proud of all of these girls.’
Their delight provided stark contrast to the men’s 4x100m team who finished the race sixth, although there was not the same bitter recriminations that followed their failure to get a medal at the Beijing World Championships last summer.
Adam Gemili, who ran the anchor leg, said: ‘We’ve really come together as a strong unit this year, it’s just a shame we couldn’t get that medal to show everyone how hard we have worked as a team.
‘We have really bonded as a squad. We sat down, we talked and we were so confident in our ability. Every one of these guys is like a family to me and I am just glad I could share my Olympic experience with them.’
Chijindu Ujah, a notable absentee here, was blamed for a failed handover last year which was the team’s fourth straight baton blunder in global championships. Richard Kilty, who was scathing of Ujah but later apologised, suggested any divisions have been sorted out.
‘We love each other, the team is amazing,’ said Kilty yesterday. ‘Any one of us can be replaced for just as good a man — there are eight or nine of us out there.’