Dina Asher-Smith to run at London Stadium against world’s best in final race before IAAF World Championships

Britain’s fastest woman Dina Asher-Smith (coach: John Blackie) believes that the Müller Anniversary Games will have major significance in terms of this year’s IAAF World Championships, and has called on British fans to give her the perfect send off when she competes in London on Sunday 9th July.

The Müller Anniversary Games is one of best IAAF Diamond League events in the world. This year it has extra significance with the IAAF World Championships being staged in the London Stadium just four weeks later.

The world’s top stars will be in London for the Müller Anniversary Games in what will be the final race for many athletes ahead of the IAAF World Championships. Asher-Smith believes that the event is crucial to her season.

Asher-Smith said: “I want to do well at the IAAF World Championships and the Müller Anniversary Games is a key part of my preparations this year. I will face the best athletes in the world in my final race in the Olympic Stadium before heading into the holding camp. It would be great to see as many fans as possible cheering the British athletes at the Muller Anniversary Games on the 9th of July.”

The European 200m champion, who won an Olympic bronze medal in Rio as part of Britain’s 4x100m relay team, will compete on the London Stadium track, just weeks before she races for more global honours.

Asher-Smith is currently recovering from a foot injury and is determined to fight back and be at her best when she competes in London this summer.  

At a recent ‘show your true colours’ red, white and blue photo shoot, with relay teammates Asha Philip (Steve Fudge), Desiree Henry (Rana Reider) and Daryll Neita (Jonas Dodoo); Asher-Smith spoke about the positive effect of a home crowd on athlete performance.

She said: “Competing at the Müller Anniversary Games in front of a British crowd will really fire up our athletes ahead of the World Championships. The British fans are the best in the world. It means so much to us when we look up and see masses of red, white and blue in the stands and the noise of the crowd is unbelievable. It really does help us raise our game. It would be lovely to hear all of the fans cheer us on when we face the best athletes in the world at the London Stadium on Sunday 9 July.” 

Asher-Smith will be one of a host of star names at the Müller Anniversary Games and believes the event will be even more spectacular than in previous years.

She said: “This year will be the best event yet. Everyone will be in top shape and will want to get a feel for the track they’ll compete on when the World Championships begin. I am sure there’ll be some outstanding performances.”

The Müller Anniversary Games, part of the prestigious IAAF Diamond League series, will be the send-off event for the British Athletics team, in a summer which will include two global championships in the UK; the World Para Athletics Championships and the IAAF World Championships London 2017

Niels de Vos, Chief Executive, British Athletics said:

“The Müller Anniversary Games will be the stand-out Diamond League event in the world this year. Its proximity to the IAAF World Championships means that it matters more than ever. All the world’s best athletes will be want to compete so fans can look forward to seeing the best talent in the world all together on one amazing afternoon of athletics."