Teenage talent clocks 11.02 to become the fastest ever British female over 100m

Dina Asher-Smith smashed the British 100m record with a time of 11.02 in Hengelo on Sunday and even quicker times might not be too far away with the 19-year-old later claiming “it wasn’t the perfect race”.

Racing over the distance for the first time this year, Asher-Smith finished as runner-up to Dafne Schippers at the AA Drink FBK Games, the Dutch heptathlete also breaking her national record with 10.94. Schippers is now set to switch back to multi events and compete at next weekend’s Hypo-Meeting in Gotzis.

World junior 100m champion Asher-Smith had further proven her promise over the winter as she equalled the British 60m record when claiming European indoor silver behind Schippers in Prague. She went one step further in Hengelo, clocking a time that takes 0.12 off her previous best and betters the 11.05 run by Montell Douglas in 2008.

Speaking after the race the talented teenager, who had beaten European 100m and 200m champion Schippers over 150m at the Athletics Weekly Great CityGames Manchester two weeks before, explained she’s confident that the record-breaking mark shouldn’t be a one-off.

“It went in a bit of a blur but I remember finishing and I wasn’t completely happy with it because my start was alright but it wasn’t as good as it was in Manchester and the end bit I felt like I kind of tightened up and lost my form so I was a bit annoyed!” she said.

“At first I was a bit like ‘that wasn’t too good’. I was looking at Dafne’s time and I thought it was amazing, but I knew that I was nowhere near so I was like ‘oh, what a wasted opportunity’! Then my time flashed up and I was just absolutely over the moon. I really, really wasn’t expecting to have run that time with the kind of race I ran so I was really happy.

“I think it being May it’s kind of a good point for me to hopefully be able to go faster later in the season. I’ve got quite a few things to work on in the race so I think that points to me being able to replicate it and maybe do a bit better later in the season, who knows. It’s mainly that it wasn’t the perfect race.”

Ever modest, the giggly sprinter was quick to point out the achievement of her fellow British sprinter Asha Philip in Hengelo as the 24-year-old ran a personal best of 11.10 to finish third in what was her first race since last September. That time puts Philip joint third on the UK all-time list.

“That was her first race of the season which I probably think was better than my 11.02 if I’m being fair!” said Asher-Smith. “Because if you think about it, she hasn’t run since late last year. She did a bit in The Bahamas at the World Relays but she hasn’t run a proper race since late last year so I do think her 11.10 is absolutely amazing.”

On the topic of going sub-11 seconds, Asher-Smith added: “I haven’t quite got my head around the time yet. I am still a bit in shock.

“I haven’t really thought about what can go next, I’m trying to just concentrate on what’s happening now. I feel that it should bode well for the rest of the season.”

Chijindu Ujah was another British sprinter in action in Hengelo and the 21-year-old clocked 10.09 for victory at the meeting at which he went sub-10 seconds 12 months ago. Adam Gemili was third with 10.19.

Laura Muir moved to third on the UK under-23 all-time list for 3000m as she clocked 8:38.47 when finishing second behind Irene Jelagat’s 3000m world lead of 8:36.90.

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