Team GB are well placed going into the final of the Rio 2016 women’s 4x100m relay final but Dina Asher-Smith knows they won’t have it their own way in pursuit of a first Olympic medal for 32 years.
The Team GB quartet of Asher-Smith, Asha Philip, Desiree Henry and Daryll Neita placed second in their heat in 41.93 seconds to rank second overall for the final on Friday night.
The USA have been allowed a rerun in a bid to reach the final themselves after it was adjudged that an obstruction caused them to drop the baton in their heat at the Olympic Stadium.
Irrespective of the outcome Asher-Smith, who finished fifth in the 200m final on Wednesday nigth, is well aware that the final will be a completely different event to the heats.
“Qualification is qualification, a final is a completely different ball game. We work really hard and we know we are mentally strong so for us it shouldn’t be a problem but at the same time qualification means nothing, it gets you a good lane draw in the final,” she said.
“It’s one of those things [the Americans failed changeover] where they’ve finished the race so therefore depending on whether or not they appeal, whether or not they’re successful and they’re going to be in the race, we’ve got to go into the race with our game face.”
Team GB haven’t won an Olympic medal in the women’s 4x100m relay since Los Angeles 1984 but Asher-Smith admits all the quartet can do is give every effort and they’ll be content.
“It doesn’t matter who we’re facing, doesn’t matter what lane we have, doesn’t matter what kind of things fly at us during the race we still have to do the best performance and the one that we’ve worked for.” The Team GB men's 4x100m relay team joined the women in reaching the final, those seventh fastest, while Morgan Lake reached the high jump final on her Olympic debut.