“If it was a men’s issue, we would have a million different ways to combat things,” says sprint star after revealing cramps issue was “girls’ stuff”

British sprint star Dina Asher-Smith has called for more funding and research to be carried out on the impact of the menstrual cycle on sporting performances.

The defending European champion was speaking in the aftermath of booking her place in the women’s 200m final in Munich, having qualified fastest from the semi-finals in 22.53 (0.0), winning the opening heat by almost half a second from the Netherlands’ Lieke Klaver (22.92).

There were no signs of the cramp in her calves which had stopped her from successfully defending her 100m title earlier in the week and, when asked if she had got to the root of the problem, the 2019 world champion said: “[It was] girls’ stuff. It was frustrating, but just one of those things.

“It is a shame because I am in really good shape, but sometimes that is not the way everything pans out.

“It is something which I think more people need to actually research from a sports science perspective because it is absolutely huge.

“We wouldn’t always talk about it, either, because you see girls that have been so consistent and there is a random dip.

“Behind the scenes they have been really struggling, but outwards everybody else is saying ‘what’s that? That’s random’, so it could just do with more funding.

“I feel like if it was a men’s issue, we would have a million different ways to combat things, but with women there just needs to be more funding in that area.”

With Daryll Neita opting to withdraw from the 200m – and the 4x100m – to recover the for the remainder of the season, Jodie Williams was Britain’s other automatic qualifier after clocking 23.03 (-0.3).

Zharnel Hughes ?? (20.19), Charlie Dobson ?? (20.29) & Filippo Tortu ?? (20.29) win the men's 200m semi-finals at #Munich2022

Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (20.34) also qualifies as runner-up to Tortu, so three Brits in the final. ? pic.twitter.com/VBlIlvZEHV

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) August 18, 2022

Meanwhile, all three British competitors progressed from the men’s 200m semi-finals. Charlie Dobson looked in fine form, winning the second heat extremely comfortably in 20.21 (0.4) ahead of Turkey’s defending champion Ramil Guliyev (20.44).

The 100m silver medallist Zharnel Hughes also impressed, qualifying fastest overall in winning the first 200m semi-final in 20.19, while 2018 runner-up Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake made sure of his final spot by finishing second in the closing race with a time of 20.34.