Described as a ‘supercar’ by coach Airale, with whom she has worked since her move to Italy two years ago, Neita secured the first individual international medals of her career in 2022 with European and Commonwealth 100m bronze.
It is only three years since she finished eighth in her first global final at the Tokyo Olympics, but she demonstrated her exciting progress by finishing within 0.24 seconds of the podium among a star-studded 200m line-up at last summer’s World Championships.
“I’m just really proud of my journey and I’m enjoying it, that’s probably the main thing,” Neita says.
“I’m not someone who is too focused on the past or future, I like to be in the present. When you’re in the present moment, good things happen.
“For me it’s about staying on that high vibration, taking the positives from everything that happens, and seeing the glass as half-full all the time.”
It is a journey which started when Neita, the second-fastest British woman in history, was scouted at a school sports day – an opportunity without which she believes she “wouldn’t be where I am now”.
Keen to “give back”, she recently launched an initiative close to her heart – the Daryll Neita Athletics Community – to provide the next generation with those invaluable opportunities, as she also aims to produce inspiring performances on the track.
There has been a focus on increasing power and strength over recent months to build the foundations for a potentially exhausting Olympic schedule; Neita would race six times over five consecutive days should she achieve her aim of making both individual finals, before the relays are contested.
Her rivals certainly caught a glimpse of that hard work in last month’s curtain-raiser in China, which will only fuel her belief as she builds towards her shot at Olympic glory.
“This part of the season is all about going out there, learning from your races and building towards the summer because Paris is the main goal,” says Neita.
“Every time you go out there you can learn something new. Everything leading up to Paris is a stepping stone – but you have to enjoy the process.”
