Asher-smith sprints into pole position with 100m triumph
British runner defeats Fraser-pryce in Brussels Second fastest time of life huge boost for Doha
If Dina Asher-smith’s plan was to head to the World Championships under the radar, she is doing a pretty poor job of it.
In beating Shelly-ann Fraserpryce, the double Olympic champion and fastest woman in the world this year, to the Diamond League 100 metres title in Brussels last night, Asher-smith catapulted herself into pole position for the world title. This just a week after finishing second in the Diamond League 200m final. Forget being the hunter, Asher-smith will now have to deal with being the hunted in Doha.
It is difficult to overstate how important this victory could prove at the most crucial time of the year. Three times this season, Ashersmith has found Fraser-pryce or her fellow Jamaican Elaine Thompson – who was absent from Brussels – too quick for her in 100m races, but this reversal will be a huge confidence boost.
Faced with a slight headwind and a chilly night in the Belgian capital, there was nothing to choose between the two athletes for much of the race until Asher-smith finished stronger to triumph in 10.88sec.
That she managed the secondfastest time of her life in conditions so unsuited to sprinting shows just how strong a run it was. Fraser-pryce clocked 10.95sec in second place, with Marie-josee Ta Lou third in 11.09 sec.
Having beaten her main 100m rivals and everyone in the 200m aside from Shaunae Miller-uibo, who will not contest the event at the World Championships, it is not unfeasible to consider whether Asher-smith’s sights may elevate from two global medals this month to double gold.
Ever keen to downplay her achievements, Asher-smith insisted she was not going to get ahead of herself.
“It’s cool, but at the same time [Fraser-pryce] is a multiple Olympic champion and you’ve got so many fantastically talented and experienced women,” she said.
“It’s great but a Diamond League is a one-off race. When the championships come and you’ve got rounds, I’m sure everybody will bring their absolute A-game and it will be an interesting race.
“I’m very happy to have put together some good performances, particularly in the Diamond League finals, because even though it’s not a championships, it’s the right time of year to be getting faster. But it’s all about mentality and I like to think of myself as a hunter, perpetually.”
While her Belgian heptathlete rival Nafi Thiam entertained her home crowd in the high jump, Katarina Johnson-thompson opted to warm-up for her World Championships medal quest with a moraleboosting long jump display of impressive consistency.
Having produced her furthest jump for 4½ years last time out in Birmingham, Johnson-thompson followed up here with a best of 6.73m to finish third behind German winner Mihambo Malaika in a field of long jump specialists.
Most pleasing was the rest of her sequence, with just one foul and follow-up efforts of 6.64m, 6.62m, 6.70m and 6.65m to show the type of consistency that will be vital when she has only three attempts during the heptathlon in Doha.
“I’m happy with the placing to finish third, but disappointed with the distance because I feel like I’m in better shape than that and could have got a PB today,” she said.
“The longest jump came in the first round, which puts everything at ease. I’ve fallen into the trap before of starting with no jumps. I’m happy with where I am heading into Doha. This is the best prep I’ve ever had.”
One man who will not be in Doha is Mo Farah, who yesterday insisted he had “no regrets” over his decision to skip the World Championships.
The four-time Olympic champion had flirted with a return to the track for the 10,000m in Doha for much of the past year, only to opt for the more lucrative option of competing in the Chicago Marathon on Oct 13 instead.
That decision means Farah is yet to represent Britain since retiring from the track in 2017, despite remaining on centralised funding. “I don’t have any regrets [about missing the worlds],” said Farah, who will target a sixth successive Great North Run title tomorrow.
“It’s too close to Chicago and if I want to get ready for the 2020 Olympics, I have to do more marathons. It is better to do one where I can feel strong and make sure I’m up there among the best in the world.”