Dina Asher-Smith returns from injury to help Team GB set national record

(From L) Britain's Asha Philip, Britain's Dina Asher-Smith, Britain's Imani Lansiquot and Britain's Daryll Neita pose after winning in the women's 4x100m relay heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 5, 2021. (Photo by Javier SORIANO / AFP) (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images)
The British 4x100m team set a national record (Picture: AFP via Getty)

Dina Asher-Smith shrugged off a hamstring injury to return in the women’s 4x100m relay heats and helped Team GB set a new national record.

Asher-Smith saw her individual hopes dashed as she failed to recover sufficiently from a torn hamstring in July.

She failed to qualify for the 100m final and then withdrew from the 200m event in tears.

But the 200m world champion was able to compete alongside her British team-mates on Thursday, with Great Britain winning their heat.

Asher-Smith ran the third leg as the Team GB quartet ran a British record time of 41.55 seconds.

Great Britain's Dina Asher-Smith during the Women's 4 x 100m Relay Round 1 at the Olympic Stadium on the thirteenth day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan. Picture date: Thursday August 5, 2021. PA Photo. See PA story OLYMPICS Athletics. Photo credit should read: Joe Giddens/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.
Asher-Smith impressed in the 4x100m relay final (Picture: PA)

In doing so, they won their heat ahead of USA and Jamaica – who were without individual women’s 100m gold and silver medallists Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce – and reached the women’s 4x100m relay final, which takes place on Friday.

Asher-Smith will line up alongside compatriots Asha Philip, Imani-Lara Lansiquot and Daryll Neita as they look to improve on their Rio 2016 bronze.

‘There was never any doubt in my mind that I’d be lining up here today because the relay’s really important, we got a bronze medal in Rio,’ Asher-Smith told BBC Sport.

‘These ladies are in great shape, they’re incredibly talented, so I knew I had to rest up and get ready for the team event. I’ve been training hard to get ready.’

‘It (winning a medal) would be absolutely amazing but again that is not the thing I think about right now. It is about staying focused.

‘That is where my head has been for the past week. It hasn’t been in what happened. It hasn’t been about the 100m or 200m. It has been about me getting back on the training track and making sure I bring my absolute A-game to this race.

‘Of course, it (a medal) would mean incredible things to everybody. We are the bronze medallists in Rio. It would be amazing for us to get another medal again, for all of us, for all of our lives, for all of our individual dreams and aspirations.

‘To get that we have to stay focused and make sure we execute and do what needs to be done.

TOKYO, JAPAN - AUGUST 05: Chijindu Ujah, Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Team Great Britain pose after competing in round one of the Men's 4 x 100m Relay heats on day thirteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 05, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The men’s team also qualifiied for the final (Picture: Getty Images/AsiaPac)

‘After the 100m I did say there was no way I wasn’t going to be here for the 4x100m girls. I only had one day off then John (Blackie, coach) had me back on the training track.

‘Essentially all I need is a few more weeks and sessions. He was saying if I had a few more days it would have been the 100m final, another week and it would have been 10.8. It’s one of those things where I’m chasing times.’

The men’s 4x100m team also advanced to Friday’s final.

Chijindu Ujah, Zharnel Hughes, RIchard Kilty and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blacke came second in their heat with a time of 38.02.

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