Saturday, 1 July 2017

World Championships: Reece Prescod wins at British trials as Christine Ohuruogu beaten

PRESCOD 1ritish Athletics selectors face a World Championship dilemma after Reece Prescod and James Dasaolu secured 100m places at the team trials.

Prescod's win, edging out Dasaolu by 0.02 seconds with 10.09, means Chijindu Ujah or Adam Gemili will miss out when three picks are announced on 11 July.

Asha Philip won the women's 100m in 11.21, with Dina Asher-Smith sixth and now a doubt for August's championships.

Ex-Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu was eliminated in the 400m heats.

Ohuruogu's failure was the first moment of drama on a day where guaranteed places were up for grabs at London's World Championships, beginning 4 August.

To secure their place, athletes had to finish in the top two in the final of their discipline and must have also achieved a qualifying time for the World Championships this summer.

Dasaolu and Prescod both already had the necessary time but the 21-year-old burst through in the closing 40m of the men's final to win.

"I cant believe it," said Prescod. "It's such a blessing. I can't describe how happy I am. The last year has been a real struggle for me but now I can focus on the world championships."

Ujah withdrew from the final with cramp, meaning either he, Gemili or Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake - who all hold the qualifying time - will need the nod from selectors to be part of Britain's offering in the individual 100m.

Ujah is the third-fastest sprinter in British history, Mitchell-Blake has the quickest clocking of 2017 and Gemili has major championship experience, including a fourth-place finish in the 200m at the 2016 Olympic Games.

"Ujah went flat out in the semi-final which he didn't need to do," said BBC Sport pundit Colin Jackson. "Let's hope it's not serious for him."

Commentator Steve Cram added: "That leaves the selectors with a little bit of a headache, who are they going to have to fill that third spot?"

Two-time world champion Ohuruogo boasts the quickest 400m time in British history, set in 2013, but she was third in her heat and will not contest Sunday's final.

Afterwards, the 33-year-old said she would be available to selectors for 4x400m relay obligations at the World Championships if needed but her time at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium was 13th fastest across the four heats.

She could run the World Championship qualifying time somewhere in the next week and prompt consideration from selectors but her best effort in 2017 is outside the top 10 in the country and it therefore looks highly likely she will miss out.

Perri Shakes-Drayton, who has raced just eight times since damaging her knee at the 2013 World Championships, impressed in the 400m heats, winning in 53.02.

Asher-Smith - European champion and the fastest British female sprinter of all time - raced outdoors for the first time this year having recent recovered from a broken foot.

But she was left trailing as Philip won her fourth British title, benefiting from a good start to hold off Daryll Neita, who clocked 11.25 despite being slow from the blocks.

The pair are both guaranteed a place at the Worlds, while Asher-Smith, who was visibly emotional after the race, will now likely focus on the 200m.

The 21-year-old said: "I have been training for three weeks so I am so happy - everyone said I was not going to be able to run at all in 2017 but I thought, I just can't let that happen because it is a World Championships. The London dream is definitely back alive."

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