Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith confirmed her status as favourite for 200m gold at the World Athletics Championships by qualifying fastest for Wednesday night’s final.
Asher-Smith eased to victory in her semi-final in a time of 22.16, three tenths of a second quicker than any other athlete managed in the same round.
The 23-year-old won her first global medal when taking silver in the 100m earlier in the championships, but always looked a more likely gold medal prospect in the longer sprint, particularly with world leader Shaunae Miller-Uibo only running in the 400m.
Her claims to favouritism have only been strengthened by her dominant displays through the rounds and a series of high-profile dropouts.
The other two medallists from the 100m, Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou, opted against doubling up after taking those prizes, while defending champion Dafne Schippers withdrew through injury before the heats.
Along with Miller-Uibo, the only women to have run faster than Asher-Smith in the world this year are Jamaican Olympic champion Elaine Thompson and Nigeria’s Blessing Okogbare, but both looked short of form in Doha, before being ruled out by injury and disqualification respectively.
Asher-Smith will bid for her first world title at 8.35pm UK time on Wednesday.
