British record holder Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita will be racing over 60m at the Birmingham World Indoor Tour Final, in what will be a must-watch race on a day of world-class athletics. Both athletes have shown their quality on the global stage in recent years, and they achieved medal success across the three major Championships and Games during the busy 2022 summer season.
Asher-Smith broke the British record on Friday evening at the World Indoor Tour meeting in Karlsruhe, setting a time of 7.04s to improve Asha Philip’s previous best of 7.06. Following her record-breaking feat, Dina – who won world bronze and European silver over 200m last summer – returns to Birmingham to compete at the venue for the first time since 2013.
As for Neita, she enjoyed an excellent 2022 season in the sprints, winning individual bronze in the 100m at the European Championships in Munich and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The Cambridge Harrier athlete is fourth on the UK all-time list for 60m; her personal best of 7.11 coming from this event in 2022 when she finished in second place behind Olympic 100m champion, Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah.
Asher-Smith and Neita join a superb line-up already announced for the Birmingham World Indoor Tour Final with British global superstars Jake Wightman, Keely Hodgkinson and Laura Muir already announced for February’s event. The addition of two more global medallists to the field is further reason why this event is not to be missed, as world-class athletics returns to the second city.
“I am so excited to be competing at the Birmingham World Indoor Tour Final in February”, Dina said. “I always love competing in front of a home crowd.
“It is an occasion I thrive in, so I am looking forward to getting out there and racing on the new track. It has been a few years since I’ve competed indoors in Birmingham, so it is great to have the opportunity to race there at the World Indoor Tour Final.”
Neita added: “Coming off the back of a successful 2022 for me, I am really happy to be returning to Birmingham to race against another strong field. Last year I set my PB at the venue, so I know the track is a good one for me.
“And to be racing in front of such a loud home crowd is something I’m really looking forward to and I’m sure the atmosphere will be incredible.”
Britain’s best athletes will be competing at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on Saturday 25 February with only a limited number of home straight tickets left - so don’t miss out!
