The show must go on! Women’s 200m heats get underway WITHOUT Dina Asher-Smith after Team GB star withdrew from event with hamstring injury as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah begin gold medal tilt
The women’s 200m heats got up and running on Monday without Dina Asher-Smith as a host of big names set about their tilt at gold with the world champion out of the picture.
Asher-Smith, 25, emotionally announced her withdrawal from the sprint over the weekend after she failed to reach the 100m final, with a hamstring issue blighting the Team GB talent.
‘It broke my heart because I am a competitor. It is the Olympics but there are plenty other championships for me to come and kill,’ she told BBC Sport.
The women’s 200m event got under way without Dina Asher-Smith in Tokyo on Monday
A heartbroken Asher-Smith withdrew from her favoured event through a hamstring injury
But the show had to go on and the likes of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Team GB’s Beth Dobbin took to the track to begin their journey to Olympic gold.
Pryce, who finished on the podium after Saturday’s 100m final, eased through to the next round with a classy performance, clocking in at 22.22 seconds.
Dobbin is still to take to the track, where she will line up against 100m champion Elaine Thompson-Herah on Monday.
More to follow.