by Stuart Weir
Dina Asher-Smith runs 22.06 to win Florence, June 10, 2021, photo by Diamond League AG
Dina Asher-Smith ran #2 time in 2021 with her 22.06 win in Florence, photo by Diamond League AG
Stuart Weir wrote this piece on Florence about his British friends, the British athletes in Florence. We like it and we think that you will too!
Brits in Florence
Dina Asher-Smith topped the bill – in terms of British performances – in Florence this week but only just.
Dina won the 200m in 22.06. Afterwards – I assume in answer to some odd questions – she said: “It was really important to do a good race here today. Obviously, it’s been really hard over the past year and a bit because of the pandemic – so I’m really proud to be able to put that kind of time, and I definitely have more in me. I got my first international medal when I was only 17, and even though I’m quite young still, I have quite a bit of experience for my age [laughs]. To be honest, I train six days a week, so I don’t have too much extra time for other things – but I think having a balanced life is really important for performance. It’s actually in my best interest to dedicate time to other stuff. Everybody is different, but for me, I have to be happy all around – if I wasn’t being myself, I wouldn’t be happy which is my personality, and when I’ m happy, I ran much faster”.
Laura Muir ran a phenomenal 3:55.59 but that only got her third place in the 1500m. She commented: “I’m really happy with this result – I think it’s my second fast time ever and just short of my British Record [3:55.22]. To be able to run this fast in the time leading up to the Olympics, it feels really great”. She had to do the business in Florence with Miss Jemma Reekie running 1:58.41in Marseilles the previous night!.
Andrew Pozzi was second in the 110m hurdles in 13:25. Pozzi commented: “I think this race was just ok – although the time was right, and it was good to come second with such a strong field. I made a couple of mistakes, but that’s ok, I still feel I am in a really good shape. I’m training here in Italy, just 3h down the road [in Formia] so this still feels like home for me to be here in Florence. It’s not too far, it’s probably the easiest commute for a Diamond League event I will have this year. It was lovely, and it’s always good with the Italian fans, so it was a really nice evening”.
CJ Ujah was second in 100m in 10:10. His assessment was: “I could have done better than that. There is still a lot to work on. I am missing races. I need a couple of more races. Some parts of my race were good. It is just the end, that´s what my coach says, we have to work on this. I am 100% positive, as long as I am healthy”.
Other GB performances
Men’s 400
3 Matt Hudson-Smith 45.93
Women’s 1500
6 Eilish McColgan 4:02.12
10 Katie Snowden 4:03.86
Women’s 200
5 Beth Dobbin 22.88
400m hurdles
3 Jessica Turner 54.79
Women’s Pole vault
4= Holly Bradshaw 4.66
