Stakes and pressure are both getting on the nerves of athletes as the Paris Olympics draws in. And perhaps the one most plagued by it is Daryll Neita. Everything seemed to be going well for the British sprinter as she made a blistering season debut, winning the 200m sprint in 22.62 seconds at the Suzhou Diamond League. She also aced the Doha Diamond League with a staggering time of 10.98 seconds! But that was until Sha’Carri Richardson came into play.

The British sprinter faced her first defeat of the season at Prefontaine Classic Eugene, where Richardson won the 100m title by clocking in at 10.83s. Meanwhile, Neita stood 4th, finishing at 11.00s. But that was not it! She was defeated again at the Oslo Diamond League on May 30 by Brittany Brown, who won the 200m event by clocking in 22.32s, with Neita finishing third at 22.50s.

In light of such unsatisfactory finishes, reports also claimed that the athlete had opted to change her event, going from 200m, where she was set to face the likes of Shericka Jackson and Richardson, to 100m.

However, to add insult to injury, another recent schedule update on the official website, proved to be the final nail in the coffin! Glaringly absent from the list was Daryll Neita’s name, a clear indication that the former European Champion has changed her mind yet again and decided to completely withdraw from the next leg/springboard to Paris, scheduled to be held on June 2. Instead, she will reportedly prepare for the upcoming European Athletics Championships on June 7.

Had she participated in the event, the two-time Olympic bronze medalist would have faced the likes of Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith (Ivory Coast), Gina Mariam Bass Bittaye (Gambia), and Natasha Morrison (Jamaica), among others.

While it’s not clear if her recent results were a major reason for her withdrawal, on the surface level, it does look like it might have had something to do with it! Or, on the contrary, though, Neita might just be willing to pay all her attention to Paris only, not letting any other factor discourage her. But having said that, how well equipped is the 27-year-old Brit as she aims to gun for glory at the Olympics?

Can Daryll Neita clinch her first individual gold this year?

With two Olympic bronze medals and two World Championship silver medals in the 4x100m relay, the London resident has come close to winning the biggest events in her discipline. However, an individual gold still eludes her. After back-to-back wins at the Suzhou and Doha Diamond Leagues, the Team GB sprinter hopes to bag another European title. But, her eyes are on the main prize as she inches forward toward this year’s Olympics showdown. 

However, if her recent performances are any indication, the sprinter seems to treading on a tightrope, with a mixture of good and not-so-good finishes. While her recent 200m runs saw her getting to a podium finish at least, the same cannot be said for the 100m division. Notably, going head-to-head with Sha’Carri Richardson, who’s also had her eyes set on her first-ever Olympic gold, the road is going to be treacherous for the Brit.

Shanghai Diamond League (200m)

Oslo Diamond League (200m)

Doha Diamond League (100m)

Eugene Diamond League (100m)

But that doesn’t mean that the athlete is not confident of her abilities. In an interview with BBC, the 27-year-old revealed how there’s nothing that can stop her, saying, “My goals are through the roof. I don’t put limits on myself at all.”  

Additionally, with newfound purpose after defeating Richardson in Suzhou, she further said, “100% I am aiming for individual medals this summer. I don’t see why anyone shouldn’t believe they can; everyone should aim to be the best.” “It would mean the world to me. I have put in so much work to be in this position. It would be all of that hard work and dedication paying off. I just believe it’s possible. It would be the best feeling ever,” she further stated.  

As for her team members, her coach Marco Airale also exuded positivity about Neita’s form, even referring to her as a “supercar” who just needs some backing. “In two years (between 2019 and 2021 when Neita reached the 100m Olympic final) she completely changed and turned into a supercar…Now my work is just to make sure that supercar is really performing, just putting a bit of oil in somewhere….For me now, it’s making the athlete run at their best and I think she can be one of the best in the world,” the coach, who hails from Italy, said.

On the other hand, Richardson seems extremely self-assured as well. “I am literally training five days out of the week, to the point literally like nine to five in corporate is like my nine to five on the track working out,” the 24-year-old said as per olympics.com. Notably, after her absence from the Tokyo Olympics owing to testing positive for cannabis, the star athlete is set to give it her all this year. “I ain’t going nowhere, I’m locked in, I’m working…I have no plans of letting life, adversity, any obstacle stop me from being in Paris,” she further added.

Now, that could be a hurdle in Neita’s ways as we’ve seen in recent times, with Sha’Carri comfortably passing her. However, as the Brit aims for her first individual gold at this year’s summer Olympics, she has to pass the test in Rome next weekend. Only time will tell whether the European Champions act as a confidence booster for the sprinter.