Dina Asher-Smith sounds warning to rivals ahead of World Athletics Championships - ‘I’m stronger, faster, better’

Published 14/08/2023 at 11:24 GMT

Dina Asher-Smith is on the hunt for medals at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, which begins on Saturday. She has made a solid start to 2023 after going undefeated in the indoor season and beating world 200m champion Shericka Jackson in the London Diamond League 100m last month. She will compete in the hugely competitve women's sprint events targeting glory.

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Dina Asher-Smith gave a defiant message to her rivals as she targets a podium finish at this year’s World Championships in Budapest.

The 27-year-old is aiming for a podium finish in the Hungarian capital and to add to her world and Olympic medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay.

It was in Doha that Asher-Smith added her name to athletics folklore after becoming the first Brit to win a major global sprint title four years ago.

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This completed a fantastic journey for the girl from Orpington after becoming a world junior champion in 2014.

"I can't relate to the girl that won in Doha because I run differently," said Asher-Smith in an interview with BBC Sport.

"I'm stronger, faster, technically better and I'm more confident. But in terms of hunger, it's just the same. I am who I am."

Her focus is now firmly on the World Championships that begin on Saturday and will be shown live on Eurosport before next year’s Olympic Games in Paris.

"I'd love to win. That would be fun," added Asher-Smith on what she hopes to achieve at the Worlds.

"I'm a medals person. They can never be taken away from you. I'm hungry and I always want to be successful.

"I feel pretty much the same as I did before I won [World gold], mainly because I don't think about it. I just always want to push to be better and do better."

A successful World Championships in 2019 yielded 100m silver and gold in the 200m, but she could not follow this up at the delayed tournament in Eugene, Oregon.

She claimed bronze in the 200m and finished fourth in the 100m while dealing with the loss of her grandmother.

Alongside dealing with the grief, a hamstring injury then ruled her out of competing at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

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But those frustrations have now been consigned to the past, with Asher-Smith believing she is gaining momentum at the right time.

"I'm in amazing shape physically - everything has been consistent, and in this sport consistency is king. I'm really excited.

"I don't like saying that I have done this a few times because it makes me sound old, but I'm experienced and I have come into competitions from a variety of places.

"As long as you're there, you're healthy, you've done as much training as you wanted to do during the season and you believe you have all the tools to be successful, that's all you need."

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