Dina Asher-Smith is relishing the prospect of defending her European title after a successful Commonwealth Games campaign.

The 22-year-old sprinter secured a bronze medal in the 200m before claiming gold for Team England in the 4x100m relay on Australia’s Gold Coast.

And for the ambitious sprinter, this is just the start of things to come this year with the European Championships taking place in Berlin in August.

“I am definitely happy in the 200, having run a 22.2 in April, which I didn’t know that I could do,” she said.

“If I get faster from here, I am really happy and I can guess that’s going to happen because we’re in April and I’m aiming to peak in August.

“But obviously, when you come to a Championships you just bring your best and I was happy that showed itself in the form of a bronze medal.

“Having graduated from uni now, I’ve got far more chances to do Diamond Leagues and travel more often - become more like a professional athlete, rather than a part-time student as well.

“So that I’m really excited for, and I’m really excited for the European Championships. 

“Obviously, as reigning European champion, I go into that trying to retain my title so that’s super exciting - I’ve never been in that situation before, so it’s going to be really cool.

“It should be a really exciting year for me.”

Asher-Smith can call herself the fastest teenager in history and it seems she is set to break more records, but the Commonwealth Games were a reminder of how she got here in the first place.

“It means a lot to represent your country and represent England, which we don’t get to do too frequently,” she said.

“I am very grateful because my mum was right in front of us on the podium - I saw her almost crying there, holding up and recording the whole ceremony.

“When you see that moment and see how much it means to somebody that obviously has done so much for you as a human being, never mind as an athlete, it comes full circle and reminds you why you did it in the first place.”

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