We can test world's best - Dasaolu

14 July 2013

James Dasaolu blazed to the second fastest time by a Briton in history - and then set his sights on gate-crashing the Jamaican and American domination of world sprinting.

The 25-year-old ran a blistering 9.91 seconds for the 100 metres at the Sainsbury's British Championships in sun-drenched Birmingham to catapult himself into medal contention at next month's World Championships in Moscow.

It is quicker than Usain Bolt has managed this year and ranks Dasaolu fourth in the world just a month out from the Russian showpiece.

Only American Tyson Gay, who tops the rankings with 9.75secs, Asafa Powell, who did not qualify for the Jamaican team for Moscow, and Gay's team-mate Justin Gatlin have gone quicker.

Bolt, the double Olympic champion and world record holder, has a best of 9.94s this year.

"It's good to finally crack that magical sub-10. And to do it in Britain means so much to me," said the unassuming sprinter, who set the mark in the semi-finals before pulling out of the final as a precaution with cramp.

"I got a really good start so I knew I was on for something really quick. I just had to relax and run to the line and see what happened. Then 9.91 flashed up. I'm really happy.

"I want to challenge the Americans and the best guys in the world. To do that I will have to run sub-10 on a regular basis, probably even go into the 9.8s.

"Now I have gone sub-10, when I line up against other sub-10 guys, I know I have gone just as quick as them. It gives you confidence to run against a world-class field.

"British sprinting is back on the up and we want to show that we can challenge the rest of the world."

Dwain Chambers took the title in Dasaolu's absence in 10.04, booking his place for Moscow.

Dasaolu is certain to join him and the real glory was his. He shattered his previous best of 10.03 - the 9.91 was a stadium record. Former Olympic champion Linford Christie is the only Briton to have ever gone faster, with his mark of 9.87 set 20 years ago.

Not since Christie also ran 9.91 at the Commonwealth Games in 1994 has a Briton hit such heights.

Dasaolu reached the semi-finals of London 2012 and won silver at the European Indoor Championships in March.

He has now set four personal bests in the space of a month and feels there is more to come.

He said: "I think I won my 9.91s by about three or four metres. Most people run their quickest times with people around them. So I like to believe, with more competition, I hope to go quicker.

"It would be a dream of mine to one day hold the British record, but I have to work harder in training. It won't come easily at all."

Dasaolu has had injury problems in the past, but these have cleared up thanks to a new, more controlled training regime under coach Steve Fudge in Loughborough.

"He will go faster," Fudge said.

And the athlete himself insisted the cramp in his calf was "nothing serious".

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