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Despite this she insisted that her Championships pass and for me Moreover, in the final the GB
London dream was still possible not to be on the team.” team held on to beat the USA
five months after breaking her But her determination that this team and win the gold medal in
foot and having a metal pin would not be allowed to happen a new UK and European record.
inserted.“ Everyone had said meant she was able to convince Adam ran brilliantly as did the
that she not going to be able the selectors and so gain selec- rest of the team to give the GB
to run at all in 2017, but said tion for the 200 metres, and the team its first sprint relay gold at
Asher-Smith, “I just thought I 4x100 metre relay quartet; and these championships completing
couldn’t let that happen because in the men’s squad Gemili, was the race in 37.47 seconds. It was
it is the World Championships. selected to be part of Britain’s something like redemption for
I know the times were not good 4x100m relay squad at the cham- him after he missed out on an
and the races were rusty, but I pionships. He said: “I put in an individual place in the 200m
really don’t mind. When you appeal and just asked for slightly following his hamstring injury.
have a really big injury it puts more time to prove my fitness”. His bitter disappointment at
everything into perspective.” Britain’s selectors made the being denied sufficient time to
Now she was engaged in the decision after the trials despite prove his fitness gave way to the
agonising process of rehabili- giving themselves a deadline of kind of unbridled joy unique
tation. She had hoped that the July 24 before confirming the to triumphant sportsmen and
path London was going to run team. Gemili would be in the women.
smoothly. But “ it was very hit relay race but not in the individ- After facing the prospect of
and miss. Everything in my re- ual event. missing out on this the latest
hab programme had to go exact- major championship Gemili
ly to plan. We didn’t have a week The Ecstasy could walk tall like a man
or two weeks to mess about and Encouraged by the depth of destined for even greater
get it wrong and have to re-ad- talent in the squad Gemili achievements in track athletics.
just.” It was a very intense year remarked that “We have a He can say things like “I never
for her especially with pressure great chance of the gold in the self-doubt, I always believe in
of exams and graduating from relays We’ve never had an era of my ability and if I’m fit I can
university and one delay might sprinters in this country running try and run with the best in
lead to another. so quickly. “It’s just making the world” without sounding
With Philip, who ran 11.21sec, sure we get it round on the day. remotely arrogant.
and second-place finisher We’ve had a lot of heroic near In the Championships having
Daryll Neita now guaranteed misses so hopefully it’s time for run a season’s best to get
their places in the British team, a successful one.” through the final Asher Smith
Asher-Smith was given another Despite his setbacks the cloud came agonizingly close to a
three weeks to improve her form threatening his chances of medal in the women’s 200 me-
and prove her fitness before selection did have a silver lining, ters final , finishing fourth in a
the final selections are made. or in this case a gold lining as race dominated by Dafne Schip-
It was not a good time to have Adam was to run the second leg pers of the Netherlands who
recorded her slowest time of in the 4 x100m relay for the GB retained her world title, leaving
11.53 seconds but she believed team in those championships. Marie-Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory
she could go so much faster with Qualifying was taken so serious- Coast to settle for a marginal
some training in her. Having ly given the GBs track record silver. She knocked another half
come off grass she couldn’t fin- in recent years in poor baton a second off her semi-final time
ish her sprint sessions because exchange that they put the stron- as the Nethlerlands’ Schippers
of the pain in her foot…”.I was gest team out in qualifying and held off Marie-Josee Ta Lou for
so scared, as you can imagine. the final and like the ladies team gold with Shaunee Miller-Uibo
I could not let a home World ran superbly in both rounds. coming through for bronze.