Dina Asher-Smith paid an emotional tribute to her late grandma after winning a brilliant bronze medal in the classiest World Championship 200 metres race ever staged.
A year after injury ruined her Olympics and left her devastated in Tokyo, Britain’s defending champion returned to the world stage and won the medal she had her heart set on.
Shericka Jackson succeeded the Kent star as champion by winning in a championship record 21.45 seconds - the second fastest time in history behind Florence Griffiths Joyner’s 34-year old mark. The Jamaican covered the first 100m in 11.04secs before coming home in an astonishing 10.41.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, complete with an electric pink wig, was second in 21.81 followed by Asher-Smith, holding her position up the straight to easily finish third (22.02) and claim Britain's third medal of the championships.
There was no-one within a tenth of a second of her. Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah was not in the same postcode.
Asher-Smith then revealed how she had been inspired by the memory of Sislyn, who passed away in May and was laid to rest the week before last month’s British trials.
The 26-year old described her mum’s mum as the “bedrock” of their family, saying her loss had “knocked her for six”.
Asher-Smith said: “Truly, this is for my whole family, but I dedicate the medal to my grandma. It has been such a tough few months for us.
“This year has been especially difficult. I felt like I had been in great shape but sadly my grandma died just before the first race of the season."
Sislyn came over from Trinidad to work as a nurse in the NHS as part as the Windrush generation. She lived to the age of 92..
“She had been ill for quite a long time," Asher-Smith added.. "For a long time, athletics was way at the back of my mind.
“The funeral was the week before the trials. If I am being honest my brain has been everywhere. It has been a new sensation for me.
"I am proud to have done her and my own family proud today."
