Steve Smythe takes an in-depth statistical look at the track record of the world 200m champion

Dina Asher-Smith made the final in Doha to become Britain’s most successful women’s 100m runner in world championships history, going on to secure silver, and then went even better in the 200m final to become Britain’s first ever women’s sprint gold medallist (and only seventh at any event).

Statistically she is already a class apart at the age of just 23. After Doha, the average of her 10 fastest 100m races is now 10.895, while no other British woman has run faster than 11.05.

At 200m, Kathy Cook, the previous UK record-holder and world medallist, has a PB (22.10) which is marginally faster than the Blackheath and Bromley Harrier’s top 10 average of 22.107.

Major championships and international record

2011: SIAB U17 International 200m gold; Commonwealth Youth Games 200m gold & 4x100m gold
2012: IAAF World Junior Championships 200m 7th
2013: IAAF World Championships 4x100m bronze; European Junior Championships 200m gold & 4x100m relay gold
2014: IAAF World Junior Championships 100m gold
2015: IAAF World Championships 200m 5th & 4x100m 4th
2016: Olympic Games 200m 5th & 4x100m bronze; European Championships 200m gold & 4x100m silver
2017: IAAF World Championships 200m 4th & 4x100m silver
2018: Commonwealth Games 200m bronze & 4x100m gold; European Championships 100m gold, 200m gold & 4x100m gold
2019: IAAF World Championships 200m gold & 100m silver

Progression

100m
2007    14.4
2008    13.02
2009    12.10
2010    12.00
2011    11.96
2012    11.54
2013    11.38 (11.30w)
2014    11.14 (11.03w)
2015    10.99
2016    11.07
2017    11.13
2018    10.85
2019    10.83

200m
2007    28.28
2008    26.45
2009    24.83
2010    24.50
2011    24.16 (24.11w)
2012    23.49
2013    23.14
2014    22.61
2015    22.07
2016    22.31
2017    22.22
2018    21.89
2019    21.88

Other PBs
60m     7.08i    2018
75m     9.89     2008
150m   16.70   2017
300m   39.16   2009
400m   53.49   2014
HJ       1.30     2008
LJ        4.78     2008

100m best results (legal)

Top 10 average: 10.895

10.83/0.1 – 2 Doha, September 29 2018
While unable to match all-time great Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s 10.71, a comfortable second and British record.

10.85/0.0 – 1 Berlin, August 7 2018
Won the European title in a world-leading British record from German Gina Luckenkemper’s 10.98.

10.87/0.5 – 1s2 Doha, September 29 2018
Two hours before her Doha final, ran an impressive warm-up, finishing well clear of Jonielle Smith’s 11.06.

10.88/-0.3 – 1 Brussels, September 6 2019
A clear win in the Diamond League final ahead of 2012 Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s 10.95.

10.91/0.2 – 2 Lausanne, July 5 2019
A fast time but a long way behind Fraser-Pryce’s stunning 10.74.

10.91/0.5 – 1h2 London, July 21 2019
An impressive heat ahead of Marie Josee Ta Lou’s 10.96.

10.92/1.6 – 2 Oslo, June 7 2018
A narrow loss to Murielle Ahoure’s 10.91 but there was another British record.

10.92/0.7 – 2 London, July 21 2019
Not as fast or impressive as the heat and over a metre down on Fraser-Pryce’s 10.78.

10.93/-0.1 – 1 Stockholm, June 10 2018
A metre win over Ahoure’s 11.03.

10.93/0.2 – 1s1 Berlin, August 7 2018
Saving herself for the final, this was an eased back win over Luckenkemper’s 10.98.

10.94/0.6 – 2 Rome, June 6 2019
The 2016 Olympic champion Elaine Thompson enjoyed a narrow win in 10.89.

10.96/-0.9 – 1 Birmingham, August 24 2019
Considering the headwind, this British Championships win was worth more, leaving Asha Philip three metres back in 11.29.

10.96/-0.1 – 1h4 Doha, September 28 2019
Probably her easiest ever sub-11 as she won her heat by over two metres from English Gardner (11.20).

200m best results (legal)

Top 10 average: 22.107

21.88/0.9 – 1 Doha, October 2 2019
With the pressure of being a huge favourite, she sped to a British record with her greatest ever run at the best ever time. Brittany Brown was a distant second in a PB 22.12.

21.89/0.2 – 1 Berlin, August 11 2018
A world-leading British record (and the only sub 22 so far) two metres up on world champion Dafne Schippers’ 22.14.

22.07/0.2 – 5 Beijing, August 28 2015
A British record but well beaten in an extraordinary race won by Schippers’ European record 21.63.

22.08/-0.4 – 2 Zürich, August 29 2019
Three metres down in the Diamond League final on Shaunae Miller-Uibo’s 21.74.

22.12/-0.1 – 1s3 Beijing, August 27 2015
A British under-23 record and the fastest semi of three hinted at a medal that wasn’t to be.

22.16/0.5 – 1s3 Doha, October 1 2019
A win so easy (four metres up on Dezerea Bryant’s 22.56) and controlled that the final almost looked a formality.

22.18/1.3 – 1 Stockholm, May 30 2019
A world lead at the time in cool conditions and five metres up on Olympic champion Thompson.

22.22/0.4 – 1h7 Beijing, August 26 2015
Just as in the semi-finals, easily the fastest as no one else ran quicker than 22.45 (Candyce McGrone) in the seven heats.

22.22/0.8 – 4 London, August 11 2017
Going into the championships with a mere 22.89 season’s best after suffering a broken foot, she raced herself fitter but was pipped by Miller-Uibo for bronze as Schippers won in 22.05.

22.25/0.9 – 4 London, July 22 2018
A close race saw two metres between first (Jenna Prandini 22.16) and seventh (Schippers).

22.26/1.1 – 1 Doha, May 3 2019
A great season opener was a world lead and saw her win by six metres over Jamile Samuel’s 22.90.

22.29/0.9 – 3 Gold Coast, April 12 2018
Narrowly beat the Olympic champion Thompson but finished third as Miller-Uibo powered to Commonwealth gold in 22.09.

Asher-Smith also forms part of the GB 4x100m relay squad in Doha, with the heats taking place on Friday evening and the final on Saturday night.

Read our report on her world 200m title win here, while the October 10 edition of AW will include further coverage.

Check out the dedicated Doha 2019 section on our website here.