ASHER-SMITH LIGHTS UP NEW HOME
ATHLETICS Muller Diamond League
ALEX SPINK in Birmingham
DINA ASHER-SMITH got the party started with a sparkling win as the £72million renovated home of British athletics opened its doors for the first time.
On a contrasting day for Britain’s top two sprinters, Asher-Smith beat a highquality field to win the Diamond League 100m at the impressive new Alexander Stadium.
But Zharnel Hughes, Britain’s other European sprint champion, once again false started, was disqualified and walked straight into a withering blast from track legend Michael Johnson.
“Zharnel Hughes has false started every race I’ve seen him entered over the last year,” said Johnson, referring to last year’s Olympic and British Championship finals.
“At this point he’s taking a lane that should go to someone who’s going to finish the race.”
No such criticism of Britain’s golden girls, with Olympic medallists Laura Muir and Keely Hodgkinson winning impressively in the 1500m and 800m respectively either side of AsherSmith’s glory dash.
The 26-year-old
Kent rocket exploded out of the blocks and held off Tokyo bronze medallist Shericka Jackson in the closing stages to win in 11.11 seconds.
The time was nothing special but for Asher-Smith, who dreams of championship medals rather than records and times, it was all about getting the job done.
“Being British I wanted to come to Birmingham in this beautiful new stadium and put on a show,” she said.
“I could have done a few things differently if I’m being picky but I’m very happy to win against this field and in this wind.
“I’m about the championships and that’s always been my focus. So all of our energy and all of our peaks are going down the end of the season.”
Asher-Smith was not done, returning for the final race to help Britain’s sprint relay women (below) to victory by a wide margin in a world-leading 42.49secs.
The old dilapidated stadium in Birmingham had been transformed into a 30,000-capacity state-of-the-art venue – heightening Asher-Smith’s anticipation of this summer’s Commonwealth Games.
“The stadium is really beautiful,” she said. “It doesn’t even feel like the old stadium, almost like we’re in Zurich, one of the fancy ones, you know?”