Dina leads World class team for GB

DINA Asher-smith will launch the defence of her 200m title next month after Great Britain’s World Championships squad was announced.

The 26-year-old, Katarina Johnson-thompson and Keely Hodgkinson headline the 64-strong team for the competition in Eugene, Oregon.

Asher-smith won gold in Doha three years ago, having collected 100m silver, before going on to secure silver in the 4x100m relay, and will look to improve on that haul in the United States.

Outgoing Olympic head coach Christian Malcolm said: “We are confident we’ve selected a team that optimises medal success. The World Championships is the start of a very busy summer, so there are a number of opportunities for athletes to represent their country.”

Daryll Neita, who reached last year’s Olympic 100m final and beat Asher-smith in Manchester at the weekend to become British 100m champion, is also included for the 100m and 4x100m.

Despite winning the 200m at the British Championships on Sunday, however, 25-year-old Neita does not have the time for 200m qualification, with Asher-smith joined by Beth Dobbin.

Johnson-thompson missed the Manchester championships but will look to defend the heptathlon world title she won in 2019.

The 29-year-old has been dogged by injury for 18 months since rupturing her Achilles in late 2020 and pulled out of the Olympics having suffered a calf problem in the heptathlon’s 200m.

Hodgkinson, who is expected to challenge American Athing Mu for 800m gold, is included along with Laura Muir, with the Scot aiming for her first World outdoor medal after claiming 1500m silver in Tokyo last year. Hodgkinson is joined in the 800m by Alex Bell and Jemma Reekie while Holly Bradshaw, who won Olympic bronze last year, will contest the pole vault.