BIRMINGHAM GRAND PRIX GLORY DASH
Brilliant Philip just World class, as tearful Dina bounces back in style
ATHLETICS
DINA ASHER-SMITH wept tears of joy after an injury comeback that should see her heading to the World Championships in London.
Asher-smith (below) had not run for five months before nervously going on the track for the 100m at Birmingham’s World Championship trials yesterday.
She finished only sixth in 11.53secs behind winner Asha Philip (11.21), but it was enough to tell her recovery from a broken toe was complete.
The relief was obvious as Asher-smith wiped away the tears as she revealed she couldn’t even walk after an operation to put a screw into her broken toe.
She said: “I was so scared. I’d wake up in the morning, I couldn’t walk. It was a painful operation
“I have only been training for three weeks.
“Everyone said you have broken your foot, you are not going to be able to run in 2017. But I just thought I can’t let that happen because it is the World Championships.
“When you have a big injury it puts everything into perspective.
“I am going to put some more races in me, then I will be ready for when it matters. The London dream is definitely back alive.” Asher-smith is targeting the 200m at the Worlds, for which she qualified through being reigning European champion. She is not in the 200m trials today, but is still expected to get a discretionary place from the selectors. There was a shock in the men’s 100m final. Favourite CJ Ujah pulled out of with a minor injury and little-known 21-year-old Reece Prescod, from Middlesex, won in 10.09sec. James Dasaolu (10.11) was second, and with those two automatically picked it means either Ujah or Adam Gemili will miss out when the team is selected on July 11. Prescod said: “Once I got to the final I knew it could be anyone’s game.” But it looks like the end for Olympic and World champion Christine Ohuruogu. She will not be running the 400m at the stadium that is just a short walk from her family home in Newham. Ohuruogu failed to qualify for today’s final, but could be picked for the relay team at the Worlds as, at 33, she nears the finale of a medal-laden career.