By James Toney

Croydon’s James Dasaolu did not leave Birmingham with a national title – but he left having firmly established himself among the world’s top sprinters.

Dasaolu has been threatening to do something special for some time and he duly delivered in the 100m semi-finals at the Sainsbury’s British Championships.

He clocked a scorching 9.91 seconds, moving to second on the all-time British list and becoming only the fourth Brit ever to duck the 10-second barrier.

And he will travel to next month’s World Championships in Moscow as the third fastest man in the world this year – following news of positive doping infringements by former world champion Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell.
 

Indeed only Nesta Carter and Justin Gatlin have run quicker this season with Dasaolu ranking ahead of Usain Bolt.

However, Dasaolu did not contest the final after cramping following his personal best run, denying the crowd the chance to see a showdown with Dwain Chambers – who ran 10.04 to claim a seventh British title.

But he still hogged the headlines – only Olympic gold medallist Linford Christie has run quicker in British history – with Chambers and Jason Gardener the other men to have dipped below 10 seconds.

“It’s just good to finally crack that magical number and I’m so happy,” said Dasaolu, who credits his switch of coach to Steve Fudge and recent move to Loughborough with his impressive form.

“I’m in a good place leading up to the World Championships in Moscow but I need to run this and quicker on a regular basis to challenge the best guys in the world.

“I’m not getting ahead of myself, we know that Mr Bolt will bring his ‘A game’ in Moscow.

"I got a great start so I knew I was on for something but I cramped afterwards. It was nothing serious but I didn’t want to take any risks and run the final.

“Looking back on last year, I made the Olympic semis in London and I would love to go one better in Moscow and get to the final. Of course, once you make the final, anything can happen.”

Dasaolu’s breakthrough is certainly not sudden. Those around British athletics have backed him for big things for some time and he reached last year’s Olympic semi-finals.

Coach Fudge crows about his charge’s new attitude and self-belief – and this performance will not do any harm with swagger an important skill for any successful sprinter.

“I haven’t been injured now for 18 months since I made the move and started to do things differently,” added Dasaolu, who is likely to make his next appearance back at the Olympic Stadium in next week’s Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games.

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All in a day's work: James Dasaolu takes possession of a large cheque

“The injuries I was getting were all different – hamstrings, calves, my foot. It was never anything specific. It was more about overloading in training.

“I always knew there was talent there. It was just about finding the right programme and the right person to manage it and make it happen. I never stopped believing but I needed to find the programme that worked for me.

“If you look at my season progression I knew a sub-10 was coming. We knew we were in a good place and I knew it was on the cards.

“I’m just happy to be one of the best sprinters in Britain. Going a sub-10 now gives me that confidence that when I stand with other sub-10 runners I know I can challenge them.”

And Dasaolu could herald a new dawn of British sprinting, according to British Athletics performance director Neil Black.
 

"James’ performance was incredible,” he said. “I think the thing about it was a one of a series of really, really fast runs.

“It is the first time in some time actually we’ve had a choice in terms of the challenge of who do we actually select to take to the major championships of the year.”

Sainsbury’s British Championships is the second event in the Sainsbury’s Summer Series. For more information on Sainsbury’s support of world class athletics and disability sport go to www.sainsburys-live-well-for-less.co.uk/occasions/anniversary-games/