Dina Asher-Smith injury costs Great Britain relay medal
The 26-year-old, who won 200m bronze on Thursday, pulled up with an injury ahead of the final changeover with Daryll Neita in the 4x100m on Saturday
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Dina Asher-Smith faces a race against time to be fit for the Commonwealth Games after suffering a relay nightmare at the World Championships.
The 26-year-old, who won 200m bronze on Thursday, pulled up with an injury ahead of the final changeover with Daryll Neita in the 4x100m on Saturday.
She continued racing to hand the baton over but it halted the squad’s momentum and Neita could only cross the line in sixth with the team clocking 42.75 seconds in Eugene.
The USA beat Jamaica – who included Shericka Jackson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah – to gold with Germany third.
Asher-Smith was coy about the nature of the problem – although it appeared to be an hamstring issue on her left leg – but only has nine days until the 100m on the opening day of the athletics of the Commonwealth Games on August 2.
“I’m still stunned. If I’d felt anything in the warm-up I’d never have run. I’m shocked. It’s just something that I couldn’t continue with. I feel really bad,” said Asher-Smith, due to run the 100m and 4x100m relay in Birmingham.
“I hope it’s nothing serious because I have got a lot more races to do this year. I feel awful. I felt good, we were running well,” she said.
“I will have to go and have a check with my physio but I just feel a bit confused because I felt fine coming in, went around the bend and my legs just stopped corresponding with me.
“I was literally like ‘what is happening? Body what did you do to me?'”
When Asher-Smith collected the baton from Lansiquot Great Britain were third but despite Neita’s brilliant run they were unable to pull anything back.
Neita said: “She did amazingly well to keep running. I saw her face and I was like: ‘no, no, no, don’t give it to me’.
“I didn’t want to run away from her because I saw her face and it didn’t look nice. The fact that she wanted to get the baton round just shows what a team player she is and what a fighter. She’ll be fine.
“When you watch it back you will see how much we were in the lead. This is just a freak thing.
“The main thing is Dina gets herself right and she’s ready for the Commies.”
Lansiquot also supported Asher-Smith with the squad embracing on the track after the race.
She said: “We win together, we lose together. All that matters is, ‘are you ok?’ We know how good we are. It’s just not our day and the most important thing is getting back on track.”
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