DINA FACES A BRUM’S RUSH
Race against crock for sprint sensation after relay agony
DINA ASHER-SMITH arrives back in Britain today for a scan which will decide her Commonwealth Games fate.
The poster girl of Birmingham 2022 pulled up injured at the World Championships when breaking down in the women’s sprint relay.
She yelped in discomfort, Britain’s medal chance disappeared and, with only nine days until the 100 metres heats begin at Alexander Stadium, now faces a race against time.
“I hope it’s nothing serious because I have got a lot more races to do this year,” said the 26-year old, who won a bronze medal in the 200 metres on Thursday.
“I was literally like ‘what is happening’? I’m stunned, a bit shocked. I felt good, we were running well. If I’d felt anything in the warm-up I’d never have run.”
Asher-Smith is entered for the 100m and the 4 x 100m relay in Birmingham. She was never down for the 200, the distance at which she ruled the world in 2019.
This setback comes a year after her Olympic chances in Tokyo were ruined by a torn hamstring, though she was able to return and win a relay medal.
The British quartet were on for a repeat at Hayward Field when Asha Philip and Imani Lansiquot got the baton to the nation’s fastest woman in third place. Asher-Smith set off at breakneck speed but 70 metres in pulled up sharply, although she got to Daryll Neita whose stunning leg took them from last to sixth with the fastest split of the race.
Lanisquot said: “Our immediate thought collectively was ‘is Dina OK?’ The priority is making sure she’s good. We’re a team.”
British 100m champ Neita said: “It wasn’t nice to see Dina. She obviously wasn’t very comfortable and in my head I was like ‘please just stop’ but she kept going.”
The United States took gold in 41.14secs, ahead of favourites Jamaica.
Britain’s sprint relay boys powered back onto a global podium a year after being stripped of their Olympic silver medal. Zharnel Hughes, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, Jona Efoloko and Reece Prescod clocked 37.83 seconds to finish behind USA and surprise winners Canada.