Dina Asher-Smith in action at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Birmingham (© Getty Images)
Newly crowned European 100m champions Dina Asher-Smith and Zharnel Hughes will compete at Birmingham’s Muller Grand Prix on 18 August, the last of the ‘qualifying’ IAAF Diamond League meetings ahead of the two finals.
Asher-Smith broke her own British record to claim the European 100m title in 10.85 in Berlin on Tuesday.
“Last night was everything I wanted it to be a more,” she said. “To win gold and run a British record and 10.8 in such an iconic stadium was just incredible.
“Coming to a championships outside of the UK and performing well really brings home how amazing the support back home is. My phone was constantly lighting up with messages and notifications last night and that really reinforces just how lucky we are to have amazing and loyal athletics fans in Britain.
“I know that the job is only a third of the way done for me over here in Berlin at the moment as I have still the 200m and 4x100m to go,” she added. “I know the 200m field is going to be very strong there as the last Diamond League race before the final but I am in good shape and love competing against the best in the world in front of my home crowd.”
For Hughes, being introduced in Birmingham as the European champion is something that will be a memorable first.
“Last night was amazing,” said Hughes, who won the gold medal in a championship record of 9.95. “To claim a first major international title is a dream come true and is what I’ve been working towards for so long now.
“To have had pockets of British fans and British flags in the stadium last night indicates how amazing our fans are, so to be able to return home with a gold medal around my neck and compete in Birmingham is going to be such a memorable home-coming on 18 August.
“With that said, I’m not there to make up the numbers,” he added. “With the quality of the guys in the race, I’ll be looking to run a really great time for the fans to repay them for getting behind us Brits here in Berlin.”
Reece Prescod, who claimed the 100m silver medal in Berlin with a PB of 9.96, will also be in the line-up, so too will world leader Noah Lyles, world indoor 60m champion Christian Coleman and Commonwealth champion Akani Simbine.
Organisers also announced that US pole vaulter Sandi Morris will return to the city where she won the world indoor title earlier this year.
The world and Olympic silver medallist is one of just two women in history to have cleared 5.00m outdoors.
Organisers for the IAAF
