Adam Gemili took a pot shot at British athletics bosses after emphatically proving he is much more than just a relay runner.
On a hot and humid afternoon in Birmingham, Gemili reclaimed his British 200 metres crown, shattering Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake’s two-year-old championship record despite racing into a headwind.
His success, a day after taking silver in the 100m, means the former Chelsea footballer qualifies for both events at next month’s world championships.
And it provided an eloquent and damning response to those in authority who cut his individual funding and dismissed him as a relay runner.
"To be labelled a relay runner is never nice, especially in an individual sport, but it gives you hunger in your belly,” said Gemili.
“I've kept the quotes on my phone and maybe one day I'll show people what was said about me. But for now I’ll use them as inspiration to fire me up.”
Gemili was Britain’s youngest athlete at the 2012 Olympics, where he developed a thick skin to cope with criticism that came his way following a mix-up in the relay.
He needed that resilience as his brilliant early career - 0.003sec off Olympic 200m bronze in Rio and European gold the following summer - gave way to a succession of injuries which cost him his place in the limelight.
How fitting that he should return to the Alexander Stadium, where his problems began with a ripped hamstring in 2015, and set the record straight.
Gemili, 25, easily won in a time of 20.08 seconds, ahead of Zharnel Hughes (20.25) who was himself unsettled by a hamstring grumble.
“Adam was really good,” said Hughes, who will line up alongside him at the Worlds in Doha. “He certainly proved to people he’s not only a relay runner!”
A day of sporting redemption up and down the land continued with Jodie Williams (23.06secs) winning the women’s 200m ahead of Beth Dobbin, herself returning to form after a 60kg weights bar fell on her neck earlier this year and chipped the bone.
Williams, unbeaten in 151 races as a junior, has had a difficult time in the senior ranks and moved to America to give herself a fresh start.
Her hard work and sacrifice paid off but Lawrence Okoye came up short in his attempt to go from NFL to world championships.
The British discus record holder bagged the necessary top-two finish but was short of the qualifying distance.
Holly Bradshaw won her fifth consecutive national pole vault title, clearing a British record 4.71 metres.
