When it comes to sprints, athletes from Jamaica and other Caribbean cities rule the category.
From men such as Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell to women such as Veronica Campbell Brown, and Elaine Thompson, lots of world champions have been produced.
These are athletes of African descent and one of such names currently ruling the track is Dina Asher-Smith.
She was born in the British capital of London to Jamaican parents on December 4, 1995, and throughout her youth, Asher-Smith excelled in sprints and it became evident she had a natural talent.
She competed in the 2012 World Junior Championships in Barcelona at the age of 16, finishing seventh and eighth in the 100 metres and 200 metres respectively. While it was not a big result, it was the beginning of an illustrious career for the young British athlete.
Asher-Smith continued to hone her skills and improve her times as she progressed, making her debut at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, finishing fifth in the 200 metres final. She would go on to win her first major international medal at the 2015 World Athletics Championship in Beijing, taking home the bronze medal in the 4×100 metres relay.
More medals came for Asher-Smith in 2016 and 2017, winning silver in the 200 metres at the European Championships in Amsterdam and two gold medals at the European Indoor Championships in Belgrade, in the 60 metres and 4×100 metres relay. She also won bronze in the 4×100 metres relay at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Asher-Smith’s breakthrough came in 2018 when she won three gold medals in the 100 metres, 200 metres and 4×100 metres relay at the European Championships in Berlin. It made her the first British woman to win three gold medals at a major championship.
She later took silver in the 4×100 metres relay at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
Success continued for Asher-Smith in 2019 as she won a gold medal in the 200 metres sprint at the World Championships in Doha, becoming the first British woman to win a major global sprint title. She also won a silver medal in the 100 metres and a bronze medal in the 4×100 metres relay. Her performance in Qatar cemented her status as not only Britain’s fastest woman but one of the world’s best sprinters.
Asher-Smith’s success on the track did not go unnoticed as he was named the 2019 British Female Athlete of the Year by the British Athletics Writers’ Association, and in 2020, was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in recognition of her services to athletics. She also took home her second Olympic bronze medal in the 4×100 metres relay at the 2020 games in Tokyo.
Her success has also seen her become a role model for young athletes, especially young girls who aspire to succeed in sports through hard work and dedication.
Asher-Smith has earned a place in British sporting history and athletics as a whole. At just 27 years of age, there is no doubt that she will continue to inspire and thrill fans as she competes at the highest level.
