Dina Asher-Smith ran a season’s best to finish fifth in the women’s 200m final in Rio.

The Orpington sprinter, who runs for Blackheath and Bromley Harriers, recorded a time of 22.31 seconds as Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson completed an Olympics double.

Asher-Smith had set her sights on a personal best but insisted she was pleased to mix it with the best athletes in the world on the biggest stage of them all.

She said: “I was quite happy with that, considering my rounds didn’t go exactly as my coach and I had planned. I pulled a fifth back and was mixing it until near the end. I was really happy and I’ll take that.

“Obviously I want to run a personal best every time and get faster and faster, but I don’t think anyone out there ran one, it wasn’t one of those races.”

Asher-Smith, 20, admits her self-belief has improved this year and says she hopes to take her form into next season.

“This year I’ve learned not to freak out when I see other people go like that because it’s what they’re going to do,” she added.

“This year I’ve believed a bit more. Although I got exactly the same place [as last year] I’ll go again next year and the year after that.

“Next year I’m going to remember to relax for the last bit. As soon as you start thinking about catching the others you start thinking about having the wrong mentality.”

Asher-Smith now turns her attentions to the women’s 4x100m heats which begin at 11.20pm tonight (August 18).