Former Olympic 100m champion Alan Wells believes Britain will do well to even get a man into the Games semi-finals but backed Adam Gemili to take the fight to the Jamaicans and Americans at future championships.
Gemili’s personal best of 10.08sec, at Regensburg, Germany, ranks him as the 34th fastest in the world this season while Dwain Chambers, whose personal best is 9.97sec, has only clocked 10.25sec in 2012. Team GB’s other 100m runner at the Games, James Dasaolu, ran a 10.18sec in May.
Wells, sprint gold medallist in 1980, said: “I think if Dwain or Adam make it to the semi-finals they’ve achieved their aspirations. I think that’s the potential for them at these Games.
“Dwain’s obviously done better than that in the past but he’ll really have to seriously pull his socks up just to make the semi-finals. At his best, which he’s not right now, he’s a finalist but it’s so, so competitive.”
Wells has watched Gemili closely in his few races and was disappointed by the 18-year-old at last month’s Olympic trials, where he finished second to Chambers. But the Scot predicted a bright future for Gemili.
“I think there’s quite a lot to come from him although not necessarily this year,” said Wells. “He’s fantastic for his age but you look at the way he runs and there’s so much more to come.”
Gemili’s best is nearly half a second slower than Usain Bolt’s world record but Wells is confident that he could take on the Jamaican in the future.
“I think it all depends on how he’s handled and managed going forward,” said Wells. “He’s got the potential to improve. Whether he beats those guys, who are supreme athletes, in the future will be an interesting one to watch.”
Faster, Higher, Stronger — Stories of the Olympic Games begins tonight at 7pm on BBC Two and runs until Thursday 12 July.
