Dina Asher-Smith insists she has moved on from her year of heartbreak after setting a new British 60m record. The 27-year-old sprinter defeated Daryll Neita at the World Indoor Athletics Tour final in Birmingham.
Dina Asher-Smith improved her own British 60m record in the heats when she clocked 7.03 sec, winning in 7.05 sec in the final.
All of this came for her after last year’s disappointment and heartache. She lost her grandmother before the World Championships and finished fourth in the 100m and third in the 200m in Eugene before a hamstring injury hampered Great Britain’s relay chances of honours.
“I understand how it looks in public. It’s usually good to keep track life separate from our personal life, but sometimes things are so big that you can’t”, said Dina Asher-Smith. “It was a really challenging year for me in 2022, but – and I know this sounds crazy – it wasn’t really physical. More like a human being. We are all human, we all have ups and downs in adult life. So all I’m hoping for now is easy – no major life events for the next two years and that will be great. But I’m happy and just really excited for the outdoor season. I’m really excited to go to practice. Now I have a few days off, after which we will prepare for the 100m and 200m”, added the British athlete.
Daryll Neita ran 7.13 sec in the final to finish behind Dina Asher-Smith, but is among the favorites for the 60m title at the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul, which starts on Thursday, as her compatriot will not compete in Turkey.