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Dina Asher-Smith fell apart as she revealed how her Olympic dreams were shattered by a hamstring tear she had hidden from the world and the hard work it took to get back to the start line in Tokyo.
As Jamaican Elaine Thompson-Herah returned home to defend her Olympic 100m title in a record-breaking 10.61 seconds – an Olympic record – Asher-Smith explained how only a select few knew of her injury and death. ‘an extended visit to the controversial German doctor Hans. -Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt.
“I was in the shape of my life,” said Asher-Smith, who was eliminated in the semifinals after running 11.07 seconds. “I can say this with my hand on my heart: six weeks ago I was very confident that I was going to win this.
“I knew every part of my race, my start and my transition, and my finish was better than some of the fastest women in the world. But when you run into an obstacle like this, suddenly everything falls back into place. I had the weakness to make myself say: ‘It is impossible that you are even here.’ “
The 25-year-old said she had only sprinted 10 days before running here and would withdraw from Sunday’s 200m events as a precaution. However, she has promised to be back to help the 4x100m relay team at the end of the week.
“I ripped it up pretty badly,” Asher-Smith said. “I was first told in Manchester that it was a breakup, that I would need surgery and that it would take three to four months to come back. So that was a lot of things to deal with. Because, frankly, they said I just can’t go to Tokyo.
“But luckily I got a second opinion and it was a slight misdiagnosis. Even though there was still a fairly large tear, it wasn’t a rupture, my hamstrings were still tied. So we turned every stone over to make sure I could hold the line. “
In the past, Müller-Wohlfahrt has used unconventional techniques such as injecting calf blood, honey, and rooster ridges extracts into his patients, but Asher-Smith said his treatment was focused on in-depth physiotherapy and rehabilitation exercises. “I decided to go to the best sports doctors in the world in Germany to get an opinion on what type of surgery I should have, if I had any hamstrings left or if I should have a plastic attachment. or metal, ”she said.
“At first I couldn’t enter the country, even though I was allowed with a medical exemption. I was in tears at Heathrow saying, “I have to go through.”
“I got a call from a doctor in Germany saying, ‘I’ve looked at your scans and you must get here because while you tore it up I don’t think it’s a break and if we we really put it and push it, there’s a chance you’re online in tokyo. I started to cry and called the selectors saying, “Pick me, pick me if there’s a chance.”
Asher-Smith said she had worn crutches and had to learn how to fully extend the hamstrings and walk, jog and run again. “But because of having three weeks off, it was ‘fingers crossed, let’s hope for the best’.”
Asher-Smith said the injury occurred 40m before the British 100m Trials final, where she still ran 10.97.
“I’m so disappointed not to be in the final. That’s all I’ve trained for the past two years. But the last two weeks of my life have been absolutely crazy. But I’m so proud to have come here and run 11.07 after a few weeks of training.
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“The easiest way would have been to turn around and say, ‘I’m not going to get on the plane.’ It would have saved my pride, it would have saved everything. But I’m an incredibly talented sprinter and I know what kind of athlete I am. I dreamed…”
At this point, Asher-Smith burst into tears, before saying, “I’ve been dreaming about this for so long. Unless I couldn’t stand or do anything on that leg, it wasn’t an option for me to give up because it’s my life.
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