Dina Asher-Smith has been named as Team GB’s athletics captain for the Tokyo Olympic Games.
The sprinter is Britain’s leading medal hope on the track at these Games, having won gold in the 200m and the 100m at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, and has already delivered her traditional captain’s speech to the squad.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to be on senior teams at championships for eight years now – My first championships was 2013 and I was brought in the year Christine Ohuruogu made her fantastic speech as team captain which set the bar so high.
“I’ve told the team to be proud of themselves, deep down proud of themselves and also to know that the future is not written. They’re probably the most mentally strong, resilient and resourceful group of athletes to be selected for the Games, they’ve turned over every stone throughout the pandemic and the lockdowns to be here.
“Somehow, we’ve all made it here, and now we are here. The future is unwritten and anything can happen in sport, and when they stand on the line the lane is free.
“It doesn’t matter who is in their race or their qualifying pool. It is up to us to take the moment, the time is right and we can truly do ourselves proud.”
