- The British sprint sensation is still ‘very upset’ following her 100m Olympic elimination.
- Dina Asher-Smith expressed deep emotion after securing her place in the 200m sprint final.
- The Team GB competitor revealed she ‘ran with anger’ during the qualifying heat on Sunday.
The track is adorned in purple, yet Dina Asher-Smith feels a surge of anger.
Following the intense disappointment of missing out on Saturday’s 100 meters final, the British sprint star was still upset the next morning.
Admitting she ‘ran with anger’ during her 200m heat on Sunday, she clocked 22.28 seconds, moving into the semi-finals with the third fastest time of the round.
Asher-Smith is acutely aware that a sought-after individual Olympic medal is attainable in this discipline on Tuesday night, especially with world champion Shericka Jackson withdrawing prior to her heat.
At 28, she felt she could have achieved a podium finish in the 100m but was eliminated after placing fifth in the semi-final.
Dina Asher-Smith is still furious about failing to reach Saturday’s 100 metres final at the Olympics
The British sprint star admitted she ‘ran angry’ during Sunday’s 200m heat at the Olympics
‘I ran angry,’ stated the 2019 world champion after finishing second in her 200m heat, closely following Nigerian Favour Ofili.
‘It was one of the smoothest 22.2s I’ve ever run in my life, showcasing the hard work my coach and I have put in to get me in prime shape.
‘Physically, I’m perfectly fine. My anger stems from Saturday’s outcome. I am not feeling any better emotionally. I’m still very upset.’
Asher-Smith, who left her BBC interview barely holding back tears, showed a stark contrast in mood to her teammate Daryll Neita.
Asher-Smith is aiming to collect an individual Olympic medal in the 200m sprint final
Asher-Smith wasn’t at her best as she finished in fifth place in the 100m sprint semi-finals in Paris
Despite her disappointment on Sunday, she managed to maintain a sense of pride in her fourth-place finish in the 100m, marking the best result for a British woman in the Olympic history of the event since Dorothy Hyman secured a silver medal in 1960.
Neita convincingly won her 200m heat with a time of 22.39 seconds and is also eyeing a medal, competing against the likes of American Gabby Thomas, who is favored to win, as well as new 100m champion Julien Alfred
Along with Neita, Britain’s Bianca Williams also progressed to tonight’s semi-finals.
‘Finishing fourth at the Olympic Games in the 100m is a phenomenal achievement,’ Neita said. ‘It’s slightly bittersweet since I missed the medals, but it certainly fuels my motivation.
‘It demonstrates that I am genuinely a contender for a medal. I am truly in the best form of my life.’
