You can see hints of Dina Asher-Smith’s running style in her personality.

The excitable way she addresses the media as if she hasn’t done it hundreds of times before, drawing parallels with the impossibly springy limbs which powered her to World Championships gold.

But, after winning the 200m in Doha, becoming the first British woman in history to claim a world sprint title, the 23 year old showed a different side.

Her initial celebrations were slightly muted and she became overwhelmed with emotion. Draped in the Union flag, she wiped a tear away, preserving the perfectly painted “cat-eye” make up she applies for every race.

“I’m sorry, I’m not normally like this,” she told the BBC’s trackside interviewer.

“Normally I am so chatty and full of energy, but I am lost for words. Everybody keeps saying world champion, world title, but it hasn’t sunk in and honestly I don’t think it ever will. I have dreamed of this and now it’s real.”

A hot and sticky Wednesday evening inside Doha’s Khalifa stadium was the unlikely venue for the culmination of more than a decade of hard work by Asher-Smith, her coaching team and committed family, including mum Julie and dad Winston.

The journey to the top of the world began 15 years earlier and 4,000 miles away, at Bromley Bees academy, in South East London. A career in athletics wasn’t the aim back then, rather an outlet for an eight-year-old Dina to expend some of her boundless energy.

It wasn’t long before Asher-Smith, who was born in nearby Orpington, was spotted by John Blackie, a coach at Blackheath and Bromley athletics club. The pair have been together ever since.

When Dina made history last year by winning three gold medals at the European Championships in the 100m, 200m, and 100m relay, Blackie was reduced to tears.

“I don’t break down too often,” he said. “I’m usually pretty circumspect, but when you see something like that, so close to perfection…,” he said.

He suspected she might eventually reach the apex of world sprinting after watching her become the quickest teenager ever over 300m.

Asher-Smith’s mum Julie also played her part in maintaining a teenage Dina’s focus on athletics, promising her treats if she made a certain time; first an iPhone, then a smart handbag.

Julie, a human resources manager and vice president at Blackheath and Bromley club, is a constant presence at her daughter’s athletics meets.

The pair shared an emotional embrace after Dina won gold in Doha, with Julie whispering how proud she was of Dina in her ear, while dad Winston, a mechanical engineer, watched from the stands.

Asher Smith is popular with her teammates, too. Shannon Hylton is a close friend and the pair have been running together for more than a decade:

“What you see is what you get with Dina, she’s that smiley and happy in real life,” Hylton told Sky News.

“She’s very loyal. It’s so nice to have someone in your corner who does your sport. This world champs really bodes well for the Olympics next year, to have that medal round her neck, she’s got her sights on Olympic gold next and her rivals know that.”

A world junior champion, Asher-Smith is now building a healthy collection of major senior medals. As her achievements on the track have mounted, so has her marketability.

She is signed to the same management company as both Usain Bolt and Mo Farah, and has done major fashion photoshoots for magazines like Vogue, Elle and Grazia as well as walking the runway at Paris Fashion Week last year.

While she remains utterly dedicated to improving in athletics, Dina has ensured she has plenty of fallback options should anything go awry.

An exceptional student, she received the news of her brilliant A-level results while competing at the European Championships in 2014 and earned a place to study history at Kings College London, graduating with a first class honours degree in 2017.

Natasha Smith, who taught Dina history at Newstead Girls’ School, praised her former student.

“Despite all the lessons she missed whilst competing she never skipped a beat – her work was always in on time she was always completely prepared for lessons,” she said.

“I think it’s important to say that even though she is phenomenal on track, you can’t underestimate the intelligence of this young woman. She could have gone to the top university – Oxford or Cambridge, she was amazing.”

At London 2012, Asher-Smith was a box carrier for athletes including Jessica Ennis-Hill inside the Olympic stadium.

If all goes to plan she will be among the favourites for gold in both the 100m and 200m at Tokyo 2020, but those who know her well say she will focus only on the task at hand.

“Pressure is a privilege,” said Hylton.

“It means you’re in a good position. Dina turns pressure into diamonds, always performs well and is able to block out the expectation, she’s just so professional in what she does.

“She’s the target now.”

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