ASHER-SMITH AIMS TO PULL A FAST ONE ON SCOTS

BRITAIN’S fastest woman is in a tearing rush to compete in Glasgow — an ideal warm-up for the big Home Nations free-for-all to come in the Commonwealth Games. Sprint sensation Dina Asher-Smith, holder of the British records over 100 and 200metres, has committed to compete for Team England on the Gold Coast in April. And the 22-year-old can hardly wait for the friendly rivalry with her Team Scotland pals to start. Asher-Smith, who confirmed yesterday that she’ll be running in the Muller Indoor Grand Prix at the Emirates Arena next month, laughed as she said: ‘We’re going to have a good old fight at the Commonwealth Games. ‘There are so many incredible athletes from all over the British Isles but Scottish athletes, particularly, have been doing so well. ‘You’ve got Laura Muir (who won’t be at the Games), Eilidh Doyle, Eilish McColgan, Lynsey Sharp, Andy Butchart, so many people who are very talented. ‘I love being on GB teams with them because they bring up the medal count. But they’ll be on the other side when we get to Australia. It will be nice, though, to see them perform as well.’ Asher-Smith’s sheer speed, much in evidence as she finished fourth in the World Championships 100metres final before picking up a silver in the 4x100 relay, makes her an obvious contender for gold in major competitions. And the pace she’s set on the track extends, just a bit, to her ‘relaxing pastimes’ away from athletics. Where others might settle on a simple New Year’s resolution of ‘trying to read more’, the 22-year-old has set a fixed target of a new novel every fortnight. ‘I’m halfway through the first one now,’ she revealed. ‘I’ve never let my reading go but I want to be more consistent. ‘Last year was the final year of my degree and I’ve never read more in my life. I wanted to maintain it rather than let it drop off. ‘I’ve been enjoying a mental break over the last couple of months because my brain has literally been saturated. ‘But I love reading and love learning. That’s something I want to continue so I’ve set myself the challenge of reading a book every two weeks. ‘I’ve started well but we’re not two weeks into January yet. I’ll be bringing books with me to Glasgow and everywhere else this year.’