Sprinter claims first senior major medal with Commonwealth 100m silver at Hampden Park

Adam Gemili says his Commonwealth 100m silver is “the greatest stepping stone” towards achieving his sprinting goals.

The 20-year-old clocked 10.10 to finish behind Jamaica’s Kemar Bailey-Cole and claim his first senior international medal in Glasgow on Monday night.

Having been ranked outside of the top 10 on this season’s Commonwealth list ahead of the Games, Gemili – who ran a personal best of 10.04 in Germany earlier this month - qualified as quickest in the heats before recovering from not the best start to clock 10.07 and win the second semi final. He left the blocks much more efficiently in the final and his strong start helped him on his way to finish between two Jamaicans in the top three – Nickel Ashmeade running 10.12 for bronze.

“It’s my first senior medal, I’ll always remember it,” said the Blackheath & Bromley sprinter, who adds Commonwealth silver to the European under-23 gold he won in 2013 and the world junior title claimed the year before that.

“I’d like to be more established and this is the greatest stepping stone in doing so.”

After running 10.15 in round one the day before, Gemili had spoken about how he thought he would need to dip under the 10 second barrier for the first time in order to claim gold and he wasn t wrong as Bailey-Cole ran 10 seconds flat.

And while sub-10 seconds remains a goal, his Games experience seems more precious right now.

“The times will get better, but for now I’m just going to enjoy myself,” said Gemili, who now focuses on the 200m – the event in which he finished fifth at the World Championships last year and possesses a 19.98 PB – at the European Championships in Zurich.

“This is my first senior medal so to do it on British soil is a good feeling. These guys are running awesome week in week out and it s a confidence boost for me.

“The reaction I received gave me goosebumps,” he added. “When I was tired I was grateful for the atmosphere as it gave me the determination to push for the line. I did not feel I was an English athlete in Scotland, but a British athlete competing in Great Britain.”

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