In the shadows no more, the breath of Daryll Neita’s sprinting talent was illuminated with a dazzling victory in the women’s 200 metres at the UK Athletics Championships in Manchester on Sunday. In a championship record of 22.25 seconds to boot. That her domestic rival Dina Asher-Smith opted out did not devalue this performance one bit. The 2019 world champion is no longer omnipotent on home soil. On the global stage, the 26-year-old Londoner is a threat to all.
An Olympic finalist in the 100m at the Tokyo Olympics, Neita benchmarks herself against the best of the Caribbean and the USA, and over both sprint distances now. Under the tutelage of her Italian-based coach Marco Airale, she has made significant gains, a level above the athlete who disappointed herself with bronze at last summer’s Europeans and Commonwealths.
“I went into the winter, worked on so many things, and my mindset has evolved,” Neita said. “I’m not scared to beat people, I want to be No 1. I also know where the rankings are, I know who is running 10.6 and 10.7. I’m not there yet but I’m working towards it. I’ve done a lot of 100 but not a lot of 200. This week was getting more practice at the event. I’m not bothered about people’s predictions, opinions or validations.”
The constant comparison with Asher-Smith is a blessing and a curse, you sense. Different paths, divergent stories, relay colleagues but competitors apart. That the crowd in Manchester were denied a head-to-head duel removes lustre but each brought star power of their own. There was no groupthink or backroom deals done in avoiding each other here. Personal decisions, and a gold for each.
“I decided with my coach that we would just focus on the one event this year,” said Neita, who headed off Bianca Williams in second. “When I did the double last year, it was really really tough although it was a good statement and I don’t think I really missed out on much yesterday especially with that weather.
“I think the 200 is very wide open and I am still learning it, I am still figuring it out, as it is new to me. I am coming out of the races where I want to be. It is a great stepping stone in the right direction towards the worlds in Budapest.”
Zharnel Hughes completed the men’s sprint double, running a wind-assisted 19.77 secs in the 200m to finish strides clear of Joe Ferguson. At 27, the reigning European champion is pushing himself harder than ever before – to the extent, he revealed, that he was briefly hospitalised in the offseason following a session that ventured beyond his limits.
“I couldn’t breathe,” Zharnel Hugheshe recounted. “My sugar dropped. I didn’t pass out. I was blanking out a little bit. But I’m here I’m excited and I’m running fast. I was forcing myself to hit the times. Lactic acid is not a joke, man.”
Others to secure automatic berths in the British team for Budapest included Victoria Ohuruogu in the women’s 400m, Jazmin Sawyers in the long jump, Jessie Knight in the 400m hurdles and Keely Hodgkinson, who was pushed significantly in the 800m by a resurgent Jemma Reekie, who will be worlds-bound as well.
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As will Laura Muir despite a shock defeat to Katie Snowden in the women’s 1500m final, the second weekend in succession that the Olympic and world medallist has been bested by a domestic challenger. “There’s a lot going on,” said the Scot, without expansion. Something has knocked her off-kilter.
Much attention has been focused on the economic peril facing the sport. A deficit of sponsorship and broadcast coverage. Dwindling financial reserves at UK Athletics. The governing body – and the four home nations who oversee the pathways – is witnessing a regression in the available talent pool which, in turn, threatens to jeopardise its all-important medal returns.
Outside of the sprints and the 1500m – where Neil Gourley cemented selection with his UK title – little is in rude health. Only three field eventers hold UKA’s required qualifying mark for the worlds. Most of the jumps, throws and multi-events have become de facto no-go zones. Across the pack of lottery-funded athletes, a slim majority are yet to obtain the demanded standard.
UKA, sources confirmed, remains intent on rejecting wildcard invites based on rankings for those who fall short and will stick to its controversial strategy of taking smaller squads to global events. A few frenetic weeks lie ahead for those outside the cut line.
