Dina Asher-Smith is the champion again.
If the men’s 200m at the Novuna UK Athletics Championships was a procession with Zharnel Hughes winning in 19.90, the women’s was anything but. Dina Asher-Smith seemed a clear winner with five meters to go, but Amy Hunt was finishing faster. It took an age for the officials to clock both at 22.14, but they awarded the win to Asher-Smith. The official result sheet did not show how close the gap was. For Hunt, it was a significant improvement in her PR and a brilliant championship, in which she won the 100m and came so close to winning the 200 m. Darryl Neita was third.
Asher-Smith said afterwards: “It was an excellent race, we needed a photo-finish because neither of us knew who had won. But I am happy to come here and run a low 22; it is a fantastic time. It bodes well for us as we enter the relay. I am in great shape, and there are a few things in there that I can still tweak, so I am happy”.
Hunt commented: “The 200m is so much fun because we bring the speed and the tactics. We all finished that race and said how much fun we had because we love racing against each other. We are three very different runners. That was a very hot race, three hot times, and that was a PB for me. I couldn’t quite get the dip on the line, but it is fun to have that tactical game; it makes it more of a race. 22.1 is a serious time, you know. I moved up to third on the UK all-time list, nearly overtaking Kathy Cook, who many say I resemble, so it is exciting to be taking the next step. Getting to Tokyo and being a dark horse is super exciting”.
Dina also revealed that she had left her US-based coaching set-up under coach Edrick Floreal and will be making her preparations for next month’s world championships from her home city of London. Dina had been coached by John Blackie since she was a little girl and had left Him only when he told her that he would be unable to accompany her to Paris for the Olympics and that she needed a coach who could be there.
Dina moved to Texas in 2023 and had…
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