SAINT-DENIS, France -- Team GB's Daryll Neita finished fourth in the women's 100-metre final on Saturday, falling just short of a medal in the showpiece event in Paris.
Neita recorded the fourth-fastest time (10.97 seconds) of all the semifinal heats to give herself a good lane position for the final, only to miss out on silverware behind St. Lucia's Julien Alfred and Team USA's Sha'carri Richardson and Melissa Jefferson.
Neita's time of 10.96 seconds in the final was just 0.04 seconds slower than Jefferson in third. It represents the best performance by a Team GB athlete in the women's 100-metre final since 1960.
"I'm finding it hard to find words at the minute after that. Literally speechless," Neita told the BBC after the race. "So close to a medal, like so close. Just watching the race back I put a good race together, I came fourth in a final, a progression from my last 100-metre final in Tokyo where I came last.
"It's an amazing progression. I can only bring this fire that I have into the 200 metres, because I'm there.
"Lost for words at the minute. I'm healthy, I've got the 200 to contest in, but I was really close to that medal and I really, really, wanted that medal."
Earlier in the day, her teammate Dina Asher-Smith failed to make the 100-metre final for a second straight Olympic Games after suffering a shock exit in her semifinal.
Asher-Smith finished with a time of 11.01 seconds, which was only enough for fifth place.
"I'm just disappointed because I'm in great shape and have been in great shape all season, I fully expected to make that final, the race wasn't even fast," a confused-sounding Asher Smith told the BBC after the race.
"I know I'm in a lot better shape than that ... I just go on to the 200 metres, but again I'm fully disappointed. I should have made that."
Asher-Smith suffered the same result in Tokyo, although that was a consequence of dealing with a hamstring injury in the lead up to the Games.
She arrived in Paris in better health and with renewed motivation, hoping to secure her first individual Olympic sprinting medal at her third attempt. The 28-year-old had an outside chance at doing so, ranking sixth in the world ahead of the Olympics.
However, Asher-Smith was unable to make it through a competitive semifinal. She is scheduled to return later this week for the women's 200 metres and women's 4x100-metre relay.
Asher-Smith has a pair of bronze medals in the 4x100-metre relay from the previous two games. She also has a world championship silver in the event from 2019, and a gold in the 200 metres at the same meet.
Imani Lansiquot, Team GB's other hope in the 100-metre semifinals, also finished fifth in her semifinal.