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Dina Asher-Smith admitted she “ran angry” after returning to the track on Sunday morning still livid with her performance in the women’s 100 metres the previous night.
Asher-Smith was at a loss to explain how she did not make the final on Saturday evening and not even easing into the 200m semi-finals with the third fastest qualifying time was enough to change her mood.
Indeed, Asher-Smith’s time of 22.28 seconds, in which she was clearly slowing down before crossing the finish line, demonstrated to her that she is close to peak physical condition for these Games.
She appeared on the verge of tears as she spoke to the BBC following her race and was polite but terse with written journalists afterwards as her frustrations from the night before lingered.
“I ran angry,” the two-time Olympic bronze medallist said. “It is not difficult. I just ran. I just wanted to qualify. The coach and I are taking each round at a time. I know I am in great shape.
“I’m just angry from yesterday. That’s all I can say. I am not feeling better, emotionally.
“My body is literally absolutely fine. I am really happy with that though. It was really easy. The easiest 22.2 I’ve ever run. I was angry, but coming down the home straight I was like ‘relax, relax’.
“I have done this many times now so I know what it takes whether you are coming off a high and you haven’t slept because you had the night of your life, or it’s the other way round. It’s just about coming out here, getting the job done and qualifying for the next round.”
I’m just angry from yesterday. That’s all I can say. I am not feeling better, emotionally.— Dina Asher-Smith
Daryll Neita and Bianca Williams are also into Monday’s semis in an event that seems to have been blown wide open by the late withdrawal of two-time world champion Shericka Jackson.
The Jamaican was scheduled to be in the same heat that was won by Neita but it was later confirmed she had not recovered in time from the injury that had ruled her out of competing in the 100m.
“I saw she wasn’t in the call room and I guess it’s the championships and anything can happen at the last moment,” Neita said.
“I really need to stay focused on myself, I can’t really be looking at the field too much but I just wish her the best with whatever’s happening.”
Neita – who was the fifth fastest in the 200m heats after clocking 22.39 secs, just 0.19s off quickest qualifier Gabrielle Thomas – has only had a few hours to process finishing fourth in the 100m final.
She revealed her coach had allowed her to send one social media post before ordering her to go to bed after she recorded the best result by a Team GB sprinter in the women’s Olympic 100m final in 64 years.
“I made history and there’s just so much to be proud of,” she said. “I went to Tokyo and came last in that final.
“To come here, step up and be amongst the best in the world ever and come fourth and just miss out on the medals, it just shows that I am definitely in the form of my life.
“It does give me that motivation, I’m just so hungry and it just shows that I really am a contender.
“I’ve got to get used to being able to switch off and refocus on the next round. Stay in that high for a moment but there is still a job to be done.”
