Amy Hunt ready to topple British sprinting duopoly

By Paul Eddison in Tokyo

Amy Hunt arrived in Tokyo looking to challenge the duopoly at the top of British women’s sprinting and it certainly seems to be a trio based on her opening performance.

The 23-year-old from Newark won Olympic silver in the 4x100m relay last summer alongside Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita, as well as Imani-Lara Lansiquot, and split the first two in the women’s 100m at the World Championships.

Ninth in the semi-finals, Hunt missed out on a first global individual outdoor final by just three hundredths of a second, running 11.05s to Asher-Smith’s 11.02s.

That came despite a slow start in her semi-final, with Hunt already looking to how she can fix that issue ahead of the 200m.

She said: “I kept pushing every last inch of that 100m. I am proud of the grit that I showed to really dig deep in that last 10m and pull something out of nothing.

“The aim was to be the first to 60 and I definitely didn’t execute that and I am still learning how to start well against some of the best starters in the world.

“Hopefully I can rectify that in the 200 but I am happy with how I represented myself on the biggest stage. I was one place away from the final so I really can’t be too mad.”

Asher-Smith was the only Brit to progress to the finals in either the men’s or women’s 100m, with Jamaica’s Oblique Seville winning the former in front of the great Usain Bolt, while America’s Melissa Jefferson-Wooden won the latter in the fourth fastest time in history.

Earlier in the day, Notts Athletic Club product Anna Purchase missed out on a second World Championship final in the women’s hammer, finishing 18th in qualifying.

Her best throw of 69.35m was not enough to crack the top 12 and make it through, with a final attempt that looked to be in contention not measured after she overstepped.

Despite the disappointment, Purchase was able to take some satisfaction from a season where she won the British title for the second time.

She said: “It’s not the best, it was tough. 18th in the world is still pretty good but it has been a really good season and I have been training really well so it is tough to come out and not perform when it matters.

“That last throw I did try to give it my all. Just unfortunately the foot fell, I am unsure if it would have been far enough, but it would have been close.

“Last season was really, really difficult, missing out on the Olympics. So to come back and have such a good season is really good. It’s nice to feel proud of it but it would have been nice to finish it off and make a final.

“I’m moving to Austin, Texas, where my coach is moving. That will be a whole new adventure and a good set-up. It will be different but it will be good.”

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Amy Hunt ready to topple British sprinting duopoly

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