BY AYODELE ODUMADE AT THE LONDON STADIUM

For once at these World Championships, the favourite to win an event delivered. Dutch sprinter Dafne Schippers successfully defended her 200metres world title, as she took gold in 22.05 seconds.  Her victory was never in doubt, as she got better round after round. She said: “It was very important to win. I worked so hard in the last years and last year was not the easiest for me. I changed everything and got a new coach, so I’m very happy.

“It’s great, especially with a gold medal, I am very pleased. My secret is enjoying the sport and enjoying my racing. I feel a little bit nervous starting out, but I’m a final runner and I’m grateful for the experience now it’s over.”

The Ivorian, Marie-Josee Ta Lou was second in 22.08secs, which was a personal best and national record, picking up another silver medal to add to the one she gained in the 100m. She has emulated the feat achieved by her compatriot, Murielle Ahoure in 2013.

She has now established herself as the fastest woman in Africa and is fast becoming their darling. She said: “Another silver but I am so happy. At the camp before these championships I felt a problem in my legs but I didn’t want to tell my coach. I prayed that I would be ok and I have been.

“I did all I could in that race. To get silver medal is more than I could have asked for. I am so grateful for having a championship like this. It has been a special week for me. “I am very proud of both medals. I hope I have inspired a lot of girls back in the Ivory Coast.”

Shaunae Miller-Uibo, of the Bahamas, who had a mishap after coming so close to taking gold in the 400, had to settle for the bronze her as she ran 22.15secs.  She said: “I’m thankful for my performance. The ladies brought their A game and it was really competitive. That’s what I love to do: compete against the best. It was an amazing feeling, I had some fun and now I’m going home with a bronze medal too, so I’m really happy.

“It’s been a great experience for me, with my first attempt at the double. It was different but I liked it. I’m definitely going to try it again in 2019. The crowd was amazing, I loved competing here. They just roar from the get go and really get your spirit going.”

There was more heartbreak for Team GB as the darling of British sprinting Dina Asher Smith missed out on a medal as she came fourth in a season’s best time of 22.22secs. For Dina personally, it was a major achievement considering she missed a large chunk of the season due to a broken toe. She has shown she is heading in the right direction as she produced her best finish yet in a global competition. She has also proved that she belongs to the elite sprint group.

She said: “I was coming down the home straight thinking like ‘I didn’t know I was in this kind of shape’. But to see I missed out on a bronze medal by seven hundredths – which okay, in sprinting, it’s a lot – but when you’ve broken your foot it’s really not that much. I’m quite frustrated but in reflection I’m really happy to have done a 22.22 off hardly any training.

“I didn’t even have placings in my mind; I was so happy to be here. As I came down the home straight the crowd were getting louder and louder and I was thinking ‘This is going quite well, keep going.’ Fourth is my best finish ever in a world final, but so close.”