James romps to victory in Rio trial
GREAT BRITAIN’S sprinters declared themselves ready to take on the world after James Dasaolu, James Ellington and Chijindu Ujah all dipped under 10 seconds in the 100 metres at the British Championships in Birmingham yesterday.
Dasaolu took victory at the Alexander Stadium in 9.93 seconds, his first national outdoor title, with Ellington also guaranteeing qualification for the Rio Olympics by coming home second in 9.96secs.
Ujah missed out on the top-two spot required for automatic selection for the Games, but third place in 9.97s will almost certainly be enough to earn him the final discretionary spot on the team.
It was believed to be the first time that three Britons had gone under 10 seconds in the same race – even with a following wind of 3m per second.
Former world indoor champion Richard Kilty’s time of 10.05 was only good enough for sixth place, all but ending his hopes of an individual spot in Brazil.
Dasaolu said: “Seven guys on the line had the (Olympic qualifying) standard, so I knew that if I didn’t finish top two, top three, my dream of going to Rio in the 100m was in jeopardy.
“Top three under 10 in the same race bodes well for the relay and for sprinting as a whole.”
If the men’s 100m threw up plenty of positives, the women’s event produced a possible dilemma for the selectors as favourite Desiree Henry could only finish third.
Asha Philip took victory in 11.17, with 19-year-old Daryll Neita also sealing Olympic qualification with 11.24.
Henry, who had looked so impressive in the heats and still leads the British rankings, could only finish in 11.26 and collapsed in tears after the race.
British record holder Dina Asher-Smith is only racing in the 200m in Birmingham and indications are that she won’t double up in Rio either.
That would leave Henry to take the final 100m place, but any change in Asher-Smith’s plans could leave her compatriot, one of the seven youngsters who lit the Olympic cauldron at the London 2012 opening ceremony, out in the cold.
Sisters Tiffany Porter and Cindy Ofili booked their Rio spots with a one-two finish in the 100m hurdles.
Elsewhere, twotime world champion Christine Ohuruogu’s place in the 400m in Rio could be under threat after she was forced out of the trials by illness.
Others to book their Olympic spots on Saturday included Morgan Lake in the high jump, although she still hopes to qualify in the heptathlon, Holly Bradshaw in the pole vault, Sophie Hitchon in the hammer and Andrew Butchart and Tom Farrell in the 5000m.