Kent athletes Adam Gemili Jack Green Dina Asher-Smith earn TeamGB places at Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
13:00, 26 June 2016
Three Kent athletes booked their places at the Rio Olympics with stellar performances on the final day of the British Championships in Birmingham on Sunday.
Adam Gemili will contest the 200m at Rio after a dramatic victory in the final race of the championships - which doubled as the trials for Rio 2016 - at the Alexander Stadium on Sunday evening.
The Dartford ace held off a strong finish from Danny Talbot to win in 20.44secs, just two hundredths clear, but crucially inside the Olympic qualifying standard of 20.50 for the second time this month which automatically confirmed his place on the plane.
European 200m champion Gemili - who has chosen to focus on the event rather than double-up with the 100m - admitted: "Danny has been running great this year. It was a really tough race and it came down right to the wire. I wasn't sure who won it but I'm glad to have got the victory."
He added: "It's another stepping stone to Rio. We've both got lots more improvements to make to go and get more competitive with the other guys in the world, but it's a good start.
"The (British sprinters) have really stepped up, we're a sort of new generation of sprinters coming through. We're hoping to go there and believe we can challenge for a medal, especially in the relay, so we're going to do our best there and hopefully come back with some sort of medal."
Gemili's Blackheath & Bromley AC teammate Dina Asher-Smith, 20, also claimed the 200m title.
The Orpington ace clocked a time of 23.11secs - also just two hundredths ahead of runner-up Desiree Henry after a storming finish.
Jodie Williams was 3rd with Blackheath & Bromley's Shannon Hylton in 5th in 24.18.
Asher-Smith revealed: "Since I was really, really small I have always wanted to be an Olympian. Today it didn't really matter about the times, the crucial thing was getting those top-two places. I feel so emotional - I'm so happy that I'm going to be an Olympian."
Like Gemili, Jack Green reached the semi-finals at London 2012 in his first taste of the Olympics and after a turbulent four years the Hythe hurdler ensured his return with second place in the 400mH final.
After a stumble on the final bend left him trailing Seb Rodger, Green stormed down the straight and finished just 0.04secs behind Rodger in 49.49secs.
Green crashed out in the London semi-finals and admitted: "I've definitely got some unfinished business. I've barely run in the past four years, I have had my time off. Today was a job.
"Obviously I'd like to win but I really don't care to be honest. I'm going to Rio and that's what today is about. After the last four years it's nice just to be going."
Also on the final day of the Championships Tom Bosworth of Tonbridge AC - who has already ensured his Rio berth in the 20km race walk - added another British 5km title to his CV with Cam Corbishley of Medway & Maidstone AC taking third.
There was a fifth place for Tonbridge's Sean Molloy in the 800m final, Bobby Clay was sixth in the women's 1,500m while Tonbridge's Nicole Taylor was seventh in the 3,000m steeplechase and Andre Wright of Medway & Maidstone missed out in the 200m heats.
Relive all the action as it happened below:
[Live Grid - Rio Trials]
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