Dina Asher-Smith

Geraldina Rachel Asher-Smith, born on 4 December 1995, is a British sprinter who competes in the 60 metres, 100 metres, and 200 metres. Competing internationally since 2011, she is the fastest British woman on record and holds British national records in all three sprint events. As of 2026, she has won eleven national titles across indoor and outdoor competitions.

Asher-Smith was born in Orpington, London, to Julie and Winston Asher-Smith. She has Jamaican and Trinidadian ancestry. She attended Perry Hall Primary School and Newstead Wood School in Orpington, earning nine A stars and two As in her GCSEs followed by three A-Levels. In 2017, she graduated with a BA in History from King's College London. She worked as a kit-bag carrier at the 2012 London Olympics and is a supporter of Manchester United F.C.

Coached by John Blackie until 2023, Asher-Smith set a world age 13 best in the 300 metres in 2009. She won three English Schools Championships titles over 200 metres before earning gold medals at the 2013 European Junior Championships in the 200 metres and the 4 × 100 metres relay. In 2014, she secured the World Junior 100 metres title.

In 2015, Asher-Smith became the first British woman to run a legal time under 11 seconds for the 100 metres. That year, she won silver in the 60 metres at the European Indoor Championships, becoming the fastest teenager ever at that distance, and broke the British 200 metres record at the World Championships. At her Olympic debut in Rio in 2016, she placed fifth in the 200 metres and won bronze in the 4 × 100 metres relay.

At the 2018 European Championships, Asher-Smith won gold in the 100 metres, 200 metres, and 4 × 100 metres relay. In 2019, she won the World Championship gold medal in the 200 metres with a British record time of 21.88 seconds, alongside silver medals in the 100 metres and relay, becoming the first Briton to win three medals at a single World Championships. She was also the 2019 Diamond League 100 metres champion.

She earned a bronze medal in the 4 × 100 metres relay at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and a 200 metres bronze at the 2022 World Championships. After relocating her training base to Austin, Texas, under coach Edrick Floreal in late 2023, Asher-Smith won the 2024 European 100 metres title and a relay silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics. By 2026, she became the most successful athlete in European Championship history with eight total gold medals.

Her achievements have earned her public recognition, including being named European Athlete of the Year in 2018 and being featured on the Powerlist as one of the UK's most influential people of African-Caribbean descent. She continues competing in global sprint events.