by Stuart Weir
Darryl Neita, photo by British Athletics
Darryl – joining the sub 11 club
Darryl Neita joined an elite group of women last year, the group who had run 100m in 10.something seconds. And she did it for the first time in the Olympics.
She had been knocking on the door for some time. In 2021 she had clocked 11.04 (Hengelo), 11.08 (Marseille), 11.09 (Manchester) and 11.06 (Oslo) before recording a 10.96 in the opening round in Tokyo. Her official time in the semi-final in Tokyo is 11.00 but Daryll isn’t having it, telling me that the clock stopped at 10.9993. While the officials think that constitutes a rounded-up 11, for Darryl that is another sub11! To confirm that she could do it, she ran sub 11 in the Lausanne and Zurich Diamond Leagues. Three (OK, Darryl, four) races sub11.
Darryl Neita, photo by British Athletics
After running the 10.96 in Tokyo, she commented: “I don’t want to say it, but it felt like it could have been better. Obviously really grateful and really happy for that first round, executing and getting a PR. Under 11 seconds is where you need, to be heading into the final”. Doesn’t that tell you a lot about Darryl! Rather than basking in the delight of her first sub11, she is critiquing the race and is annoyed that she had not done better!
Chatting to me in late January. Five months on from the Olympics, she reflected: “Tokyo was absolutely amazing. I went there open minded as to what I could achieve but I really wanted to make the final. Running 10.96 in the first round was great, for my first sub11. That was pretty cool. There was so much happening that I couldn’t quite take it in, in the moment. It was incredible to see the time come up. Ta Lou ran an incredible time in that heat (10.78). I was disappointed to come fourth in semi-final because I’d come fourth in London and fourth in Doha so going into the semi-final I was thinking I don’t want another fourth because fourth doesn’t get you into the final. But this time fourth was good enough for the final. And to go sub 11 again – officially 11.00 but actually 10.9993 – was incredible”.
The 2020 Olympics were a struggle for Dina-Asher Smith as she battled injuries but she took time to commend Darryl, saying: “I wanted to come and say, obviously I’m uber-proud of Daryll because I think she’s had a fantastic Championships. We thought 10.9 was on the cards for her and she’s done it and she’s made the final and she absolutely deserves it”. Darryl appreciated the comments but admitted that she is after Dina’s British record.
Darryl was eighth in the Olympic final which was a bitter-sweet experience: “It was incredible making the Olympic final but it wasn’t my favourite race. It was amazing to make the Olympic final but I didn’t perform in it the way I wanted to. It showed me also how much I need to push myself going forward. Having made the final the next level is top five and that is what I’m pushing for now”.
The 100m in the 2021 Athletissima in Lausanne was an amazing race with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce running 10.60 and Elaine Thompson-Herah 10.64. Darryl was fifth in 10.96, commenting: “That was great. I knew I was in an amazing race I was pretty sure it was going to be historic. Lane 8 was great for me. I just focused on my lane and did my best. I equalled my PR from Tokyo. It was amazing. I think it’s every sprinter’s dream to go sub11. I just want to see how much faster I can go”.
Darryl Neita, photo by British Athletics
In the Weltklasse in Zurich, the Diamond League Final, in September 2021, she came fourth in the 100m in 10.93, another PR. She was clearly delighted with her run, saying: “I had a good warm up and I felt really good. I am getting used to being on the start line with the best athletes and you know you’ve got to bring your A game every time and bring out good performances.
“Running sub11 has to be normal because that’s the only way you’re going to get medals. It’s been an amazing season to break 11 seconds for the first time and now to do it for the third time and in the Diamond League final with such an amazing field…
“All the goals that I set for this season – to qualify for the Olympics, make the final, run sub11, make the Diamond League final – I achieved them all and even came away with an Olympic relay medal”.
In Part 2, Darryl shares the journey which got her to 10.93.
