Asher-Smith and Muir refuse to panic despite disappointment in Paris

O n a night when the extraordinary almost became routine, one word kept ringing out across the Stade Charléty PA system: “Incroyable! Incroyable! Incroyable!” There were three world records over two hours, in the women’s 5,000m, the men’s 3,000m steeplechase and the men’s two-mile race – even if World Athletics classifies the latter as a world best – along with plenty of joyous smiles.

For many athletes it was the perfect dress rehearsal for next year’s Olympics. One notable exception, though, was Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, who struggled home in fourth in the women’s 200m with a scarcely believable 22.57sec. Not only was it nearly three-quarters of a second off her personal best, it was her second-slowest time since 2018. Only two weeks ago, in her season opener in Italy, has she run worse.

For someone who won the 200m world title in 2019 and took bronze in the same event in 2022, it represented a painful night and a worrying trend. But the message from Asher-Smith is clear: there is no reason to panic, her mistakes are fixable and form is temporary, class permanent.

“I feel like I am in really good shape,” she said. “So I was a bit disappointed with that. I really did come here to win. But I feel really good. And the season is long, there are a lot of races to go.”

Asher-Smith shook her head when asked whether she was concerned before races in Oslo and Stockholm this month. “I’m never worried,” she said. “You guys know me by now, I am always very up front. I really think I am in a good place. My coach will have a few things to say because I think he was expecting me to run well.”

Another British athlete who looked on the bright side in Paris was Laura Muir, whose step up to the 5,000m for the first time since 2017