British sprint star Dina Asher-Smith was left feeling the sting of near-success as she finished fourth in a lightning-fast women’s 100m final at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene. Despite equaling her own British record with a blistering time of 10.83 seconds, the 2019 silver medallist missed out on a medal in one of the fastest finals in history.
Asher-Smith had looked sharp throughout the rounds, having clocked the fastest time in the heats at 10.84 seconds. She slightly improved that in the final, but in a race dominated by Jamaica’s sprinting elite, it simply wasn’t enough. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce continued to cement her legacy as one of the greatest sprinters of all time, clinching her fifth world title in the event with an astonishing 10.67 seconds. Her Jamaican teammates Shericka Jackson (10.73) and Elaine Thompson-Herah (10.81) completed a clean sweep for their nation, leaving Asher-Smith just outside the podium places.
Speaking candidly to BBC Sport after the race, Asher-Smith didn’t hide her disappointment. “It sucks,” she admitted. “So close, but we’ve got the 200m which I’m definitely very fired up for.”
Despite the heartbreak of finishing fourth, the 26-year-old showed resilience and perspective, acknowledging the remarkable quality of competition she was up against. “It was a crazy final, I think you had to run 10.96 to get in. It’s really great to be up there in this kind of era when first is 10.6, second is 10.7, and 10.8 doesn’t get you a medal — that’s crazy,” she said.
Asher-Smith’s performance highlighted not only her own elite form but also the evolution of women’s sprinting, where sub-11-second times are now almost a requirement just to stay competitive. While she was pleased with how she ran, the frustration of finishing just outside the top three clearly lingered.
“I really couldn’t fault it but I’m so gutted that it didn’t get me on the podium. I was so close. But that’s just champs. I’m upset,” she added.
Still, Asher-Smith remains a formidable force and one of Britain’s most reliable athletics stars. Her attention now turns to the 200m, an event where she is a former world champion and strong contender. With her determination undimmed and motivation high, she will no doubt be looking to channel her frustration into a podium finish in the days to come.
In a championship already marked by historic performances, Asher-Smith’s run stands as a powerful reminder of the thin margins that separate triumph from heartbreak at the elite level.