The tears of Tokyo dried a long time ago and Dina Asher-Smith insists there is no Olympic hangover, writes Alex Spink in Eugene.
Back at the World Championships, where she won 200 metres gold last time round, Britain’s fastest woman wants it known that her Japanese misadventure has not set her back.
“I don’t feel hard done, I really don’t think like that,” she said as she fine-tuned ahead of this weekend’s 100 metres showdown in Oregon.
“That would suggest a medal was mine and was taken from me. Sport doesn’t work that way.
“It’s why we like it, why we hate it. Why you cry, why you celebrate. It’s why the highs are so high and the lows leave you weeping in bed.
“You’ve got to quickly move on. The gun goes and it doesn’t matter what you did yesterday, you have to show it today.”
Asher-Smith could be forgiven for retracing her journey from Doha to Eugene, through a momentum-wrecking pandemic, and asking ‘why me’?
The Covid-forced postponement of the Olympics nudged it out of her reach as when it finally came around she was undone by injury.
“But what do regrets achieve?” she asked, not waiting for an answer. “What good does wondering ‘what if’ do? New year, clean slate: that’s what I always say.
“I choose to see everything as unwritten as that makes me hungry, keeps me disciplined and dedicated. In this sport there’s always a new level you’ve got to get to.”
Right now that step up looks a little ominous. The 26-year old has checked into ‘Track Town’ ranked outside the top 20 for 100m and 18th for 200.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, at the grand old age of 35, leads the 100m list on 10.67 seconds - compared to 10.98 by Asher-Smith, whose 200m season's best of 22.27 is well adrift of another Jamaican, Shericka Jackson (21.55).
Dina is not even British champion, having been dethroned over the shorter distance by relay team mate Daryll Neita.
“It’s been a personally challenging time for me, a tough few months,” said Asher-Smith, declining to expand but later revealing on Instagram how the passing of her grandma - her “partner in mischief” - had left her heartbroken.
Yet the Kent rocket’s body language here is upbeat and self-assured, almost like she knows she will be alright on the night.
"With the sprints you honestly and truly have to just focus on yourself," she said. "The women I compete against are capable and talented, but they also come from different training camps, different schedules, different philosophies.
"Some are going to peak earlier than others so, if you want to sleep at night, it's about concentrating on what you're doing. Believing in your process."
