The British sprinter seals victory in her final race before defending her World Championship title in Eugene.
Dina Asher-Smith heads into the upcoming World Championships in Eugene with a timely victory under her belt, after securing a win in the 200m at the Diamond League meeting in Stockholm. The reigning world champion crossed the line in a season’s best time of 22.37 seconds, narrowly edging Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji by just three thousandths of a second.
This victory marked Asher-Smith’s last race before she attempts to defend the 200m title she claimed in Doha three years ago, while also aiming to improve on her silver medal in the 100m. The British sprinter’s performance in Stockholm sets her up well for the challenges that await at the World Championships next month.
However, her form in the 100m was not as strong, having been beaten to the British title by Daryll Neita in Manchester on Saturday. Despite this, Asher-Smith showed resilience in the 200m, confirming her readiness for the global competition ahead.
In other events, Reece Prescod clocked 10.15 seconds to take second place in the 100m, trailing South Africa’s Akani Simbine. Meanwhile, Keely Hodgkinson, widely expected to contend with the USA’s Athing Mu for the 800m gold in Eugene, finished second in the 800m with a time of 1:58.18. She was narrowly beaten by Kenya’s Mary Moraa, but Hodgkinson remained positive after the race, reflecting on the solid performance and looking ahead to the World Championships. “It was solid. Everyone was trying to run in the same space. I gave it my all, she did better than me, but I’m sure we’ll race again at the World Champs,” she said.
Lorraine Ugen delivered a strong performance in the long jump, clinching victory with a leap of 6.81m, while Jazmin Sawyers finished in eighth place.