Asher-Smith storms to 200m win in Florence

Dina Asher-Smith celebrates after winning the 200m at the Diamond League meeting in Florence

Dina Asher-Smith stormed to victory in the 200m at the Diamond League meeting in Florence.

The world champion powered to an emphatic win in a season’s best 22.06 seconds, the second-fastest time in the world this year and a Golden Gala meeting record.

Asher-Smith’s time was just 0.03secs off Shaunae Miller-Uibo’s world-leading mark and she is confident there is more to come.

“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 [down] and I definitely have more in me,” she said.

Victory maintained the 25-year-old’s unbeaten start to the season following 100m wins in Gateshead and Hengelo and her season-opening 200m success in Savona last month.

Fellow Briton Laura Muir was also impressive in finishing third in a high-class 1500m won by Holland’s Sifan Hassan, who clocked a world-leading 3mins 53.63secs.

The Scot finished in a season’s best 3:55.59 and said: “I’m really happy with this result – I think it’s my second fastest time ever and very short of my British record. To be able to run this fast in the time leading up to the Olympics, it feels really great.”

Meanwhile, Andrew Pozzi and CJ Ujah were second in the 110m hurdles and 100m respectively.