Dina Asher-Smith full of confidence before the hardest test of the year

When the question came, Dina Asher-Smith didn't even blink. "What is it like hunting, not the hunter, now that you are one of the best sprinters in the world?", Britain's triple European champion has been asked. "I like it," he replied. "It's nice. Everyone thinks they are the best in the race. Here's how sprints work and that's how it should be. And I want to win. "

The 23-year-old proved to be world class in Berlin last year, scoring times from 10.85 seconds and 21.89 to beat his national records, winning gold in the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay. However, he knows that his work will be interrupted on Sunday, when he will be at the head of the Birmingham Diamond League in 200 meters that exude extreme class and cunning.

When you look around the starting blocks, you will see a who's who of the sprint: Dafne Schippers, the world champion; Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, double Olympic gold medalist and seven-time world champion; Blessing Okagbare and Shaunae Miller-Uibo, who this year ran the second and third fastest time in the world. There will also be a series of other sprinters that will probably be in the finals of the world championship in Doha next month.

But Asher-Smith's message is clear: carry it forward. "You can't be discouraged by anyone," he says. "There is no one on the track who is infallible or unable to be beaten."

His trust is understandable. Asher-Smith ran less than 11 seconds for the 100m three times this season and won two of his three Diamond League races out of 200m, and intends to double in Doha. He also has happy memories of Birmingham, where he had the best and almost defeated the legendary Allyson Felix as a teenager in 2015.

"I love running here," he says. "One of my favorite races of all time was in Birmingham when I ran for the first time against Allyson and I ran a huge PB from nothing to 22.30sec. I was so dead; Later I threw up Ricky Simms' shoes! He was right next to the media tent and I said, "How can I do media?" And he said, "You'll be fine!"

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"So I remember running out of skin here before and, of course, I was rewarded," he adds. "So I'm running out of skin again. I am naturally a rather relaxed and calm person, but every time I step on the track, I am strongly competitive; and every time I step on the line, I'm here to win.

"I love racing in the UK and I'm really happy to be able to race in the UK at the end of the season and closer to the world championships. It is not a last goodbye for the worlds, but it is as close as possible. "

Nor is she afraid of facing someone as big as Fraser-Pryce, who ran an amazing 10.73 at the start of this season for 100 meters after returning from pregnancy.

"Actually it makes me concentrate more," he says. "I can't be discouraged by someone else's thing. If they want to break the world record, there's nothing I can do to control it. All I can do is check my performances. I'm trying to do the best I can and if it comes in a nice sparkling shape in Doha, I'll be really happy, but even if it doesn't and I'm fast, I'll have to take it. "

Event organizers have confirmed that more than 60 global medals - including 10 Olympic champions, two Paralympic champions and 13 world champions - will compete at the Alexander Stadium.

While the indoor world champion, Christian Coleman, has retired, there is still a strong 100m field including Akani Simbine - Commonwealth champion - triple Olympic medalist Andre De Grasse and former European champion Adam Gemili. In the 400 meters, the European champion, Matt Hudson-Smith, returns to action in his local stadium for the men's 400 meters - his first race since September 2018.

British eyes will also be on the long jump fight between Katarina Johnson-Thompson and his big rival for heptatlon Nafi Thiam. Both women are focusing more on Doha and are not expected to challenge event specialists for victory. However, Johnson-Thompson, who has a personal record of 6.93m, intends to make his mark, advancing a few steps closer to his best.

"It's very important," explained Johnson-Thompson. "It's one of my strongest events but I haven't been to the level I'd like recently. So, if I can make a big leap, it would give me confidence. "