Dina Asher-Smith has admitted becoming the joint most-decorated athlete in European Championships history had been quietly driving her on after securing another gold medal in Birmingham.
The British sprint great moved on to 10 medals at the competition after helping the women’s 4x100m relay team storm to victory on Saturday night.
It means Asher-Smith has now drawn level with legendary Polish sprinter Irena Szewinska at the top of the all-time standings.
And the 30-year-old revealed afterwards that reaching the landmark was something she had specifically targeted heading into the season.
“That was my aim, honestly, coming into this season,” Asher-Smith said.
“I knew that with the last European Championships, I was getting a bit close, so it was just in my vision board, but not in the forefront.
“I’m proud to have done it. It’s been over a decade of hard work with some incredible ladies and incredible championships. So yeah, I’m very happy.”
It was a fitting way for Asher-Smith to reach another significant milestone in a career packed with them.
Dina Asher-Smith has admitted becoming the joint most-decorated athlete in European Championships history had been quietly driving her on after securing another gold medal in Birmingham
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PA
She now possesses seven European gold medals among her overall haul of 10, having established herself as a dominant continental force during more than a decade at the highest level.
Her latest success came alongside Amy Hunt, Success Eduan and Imani-Lara Lansiquot as Britain clocked 42.05 seconds to comfortably beat Switzerland and Poland.
Asher-Smith was responsible for getting the hosts flying.
The former world 200m champion clocked 11.37secs on the opening leg, the quickest of any starter, before passing the baton to Hunt.
Dina Asher-Smith helped Great Britain to an oustanding win at the European Athletics Championship
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PA
Hunt then produced a blistering 10.10secs split before Eduan clocked 10.43secs on the third leg.
Britain briefly slipped behind Switzerland and endured a slightly untidy final changeover, but Lansiquot responded emphatically with a 10.15secs anchor leg to seal gold.
There was a nervous wait afterwards while the result was reviewed before Britain’s victory was confirmed.
For Asher-Smith, however, the night represented something bigger than another relay medal.
She won her first European Championships gold a decade ago and has remained a central figure in British sprinting ever since, becoming world 200m champion in 2019 and establishing national records over both 100m and 200m.
Even in Birmingham, where Hunt beat her to the 200m title, Asher-Smith has continued adding to an extraordinary body of work.
Great Britain’s relay team celebrates their gold at the European Championships
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PAShe may not be finished yet, too.
Asher-Smith could move clear of Szewinska and become the outright most-decorated athlete in the 92-year history of the championships if she is selected for Sunday’s inaugural mixed 4x100m relay and Britain reach the podium.
She admitted, however, that selection remains in the hands of Britain’s coaches.
Hunt, meanwhile, is chasing history of her own, with the 24-year-old potentially becoming the first athlete to win four gold medals at a single European Championships.