Adam Gemili will be on the plane to Rio this summer after winning the British 200m title
By Mark Crellin
Last Updated: 26/06/16 7:57pm
Adam Gemili has booked his place at the Rio Olympics this summer after winning the 200m at the British Championships in Birmingham.
The meeting was also serving as the Olympic trials and reigning European champion Gemili won in a time of 20.44 seconds at a rain-drenched Alexander Stadium to guarantee his place in Rio.
His London 2012 room-mate Danny Talbot chased Gemili home in 20.46 seconds to secure the second automatic spot on the team and leave the selectors with a very tricky decision to make regarding the third spot, which appears to be between Zharnel Hughes and the United States-based Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake.
Hughes was fifth at last year's World Championships but, seemingly not fully fit, he could only manage fourth on Sunday in 20.84.
The 19.95 Mitchell-Blake ran when competing for Louisiana State University in May makes him the second fastest Brit in history but he missed the trials as a precaution, citing the effects of hamstring and calf injuries.
Gemili has no selection worries and said: "This time last year, I was watching on TV as my hamstring was in two pieces.
"That third spot [on the team for Rio] will be tough. Rather them than me.
"I am glad I booked my place, I wanted to do that automatically. If I didn't, then it would have been a tough selection for everyone.
"I know those guys aren't 100 per cent but when they are they can fly."
Talbot added: "It was built up between those three [Gemili, Hughes and Mitchell-Blake] but I don't see it as a case of they have to leave someone behind. I see it as I've earned my place."
Matthew Hudson-Smith clocked a very impressive 44.88 in winning the 400m title, a year after stress fractures in his back ruined his 2015 season, following a breakthrough 2014.
And Rabah Yousif Bkheit finished second in 45.52 to join Hudson-Smith on the plane to Rio.
In the 110m hurdles, Andrew Pozzi produced one of the performances of the weekend, winning in a personal best 13.31, into a headwind, with Lawrence Clarke also booking his Rio spot by coming second in 13.44.
