Hours after the drama of the Olympic 100m final, the world’s finest female sprinters got straight back to work for the 200m heats that saw the withdrawal of world champion Shericka Jackson
Daryll Neita was allowed a single Instagram post when she got back to the athletes’ village. The messages of support and goodwill might have been flooding in following her fourth-place finish in the women’s Olympic 100m final in Paris – the best performance by a female British sprinter at the Games in 64 years – but there was more work to do.
It was comfortably past midnight by the time the 27-year-old climbed into bed and, with an 8:45am bus to catch for her 200m heat on Sunday, she was under strict instructions from her coach Marco Airale to put everything to one side.
“My coach said: ‘One Instagram post, no [other] social media, no scrolling and then bed’. I even messaged him to say: ‘My phone’s going off now’,” said Neita. “I have to really stay focused and recovery was so important last night. I just had to put that aside. In the post I made, I said: ‘Thank you for all the messages and I’ll get back to everybody at the end of my individual races’.”
There is an increasing chance that she might well be an individual Olympic medallist when the time comes to do that. Airale insists that Neita is actually better equipped to launch an assault on the 200m and, with Jamaica’s world champion Shericka Jackson now having withdrawn from the event with the same fitness issues that thwarted her 100m plans, opportunity is knocking.
The USA’s Gabby Thomas impressed in the morning heats, running fastest overall with 22.20, while Nigeria’s Favour Ofili (22.24) finally got her Games up and running after her national federation failed to register for the 100m, and Dina Asher-Smith began to work through the pain of missing out on the 100m final with a run of 22.28.
There were no issues for the newly crowned Olympic champion Julien Alfred (22.41), who had had just two hours’ sleep, or Neita (22.39).
“I saw she wasn’t in the call room and I guess it’s the championships and anything can happen at the last moment,” said Neita – who had been due to race in the same heat as Jackson – when asked about the Jamaican’s absence. “I really need to stay focused on myself, I can’t really be looking at the field too much, but I just wish her the best with whatever’s happening.”
Having to refocus so quickly meant there was no time to dwell on the “bittersweet” nature of a 100m final that saw Neita coming so close to the prize she covets.
(Getty)
“I think yesterday was a lot of adrenaline; a lot to process. But it does give me that motivation, I’m just so hungry and it just shows that I really am a contender,” she said.
The support from friends, family and the watching public aren’t the only messages the European 200m silver medallist has been receiving, though. Her beloved dog, Melon, is in a “doggy hotel” in the UK but the bulletins on him have been regular.
“He’s in the UK but I’m just getting updates of him and, like, 50 chihuahuas every hour!” laughed Neita. “The lady will send me a video with him with 50 other dogs in the garden. He’s doing fine, so I can relax. When I get back to London, I’ll reunite with him – I’m sure he’d be proud.”
Another athlete with a point to prove is Asher-Smith. A few hours on from her failure to reach the 100m final, the 2019 world 200m champion admitted she “ran angry” on Sunday morning, attempting to process what had clearly been a huge disappointment.
The 28-year-old cut a quiet, despondent figure and, when asked if she felt better after competing again so soon, she responded: ‘No. Not at all. I am not feeling better, emotionally. My body is absolutely fine. I am really happy with that, though. It was the easiest 22.2 I’ve ever run.
“I have done this many times now so I know what it takes, whether you are coming off a high and you haven’t slept because you had the night of your life, or it’s the other way round. It’s just about coming out here, getting the job done and qualifying for the next round and having the day to sleep today.
“I ran angry. I just wanted to qualify. The coach and I are taking each round at a time. I know I am in great shape.”
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