Dina Asher-Smith’s Coaching Change: Preparing for Paris 2024

British sprinter Dina Asher-Smith, a prominent name in athletics, has made a significant decision by parting ways with her long-time coach, John Blackie, just nine months before the highly anticipated Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Asher-Smith, aged 27, who clinched a bronze medal in the 100m at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, had been under the guidance of John Blackie since she was eight years old. However, she is now embarking on a new chapter in her career, with Edrick Floreal as her coach, and she will be based in Austin, Texas.

This decision follows a series of disappointing results at the World Championships this year, where Asher-Smith finished in eighth place in the 100m final and seventh in the 200m. She chose to share her coaching transition with an emotional statement on her Instagram page, expressing her gratitude and admiration for John Blackie, saying, “After 19 years, John Blackie and I have ended our coach-athlete partnership. My life changed by meeting him, and I will forever be grateful to him. His intellect, patience, and dedication have taken me from an energetic eight-year-old to a world champion with over 20 international medals and many Olympics, World, Commonwealth, and European finals. John and I will, of course, remain close friends.”

In her statement, Asher-Smith also acknowledged the contributions of her London-based team, whose talents and hard work have helped her achieve numerous dreams. She looks forward to her next phase, led by Edrick Floreal in Austin, Texas, as she sets her sights on the Paris 2024 Olympics.

During her time under John Blackie’s coaching, Dina Asher-Smith established herself as the leading female sprinter in Britain and one of the best in the world. She secured 100m bronze medals at the last two Olympic Games, in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021, and claimed 200m gold at the 2019 World Championships in Doha. Her last major championship title came in 2019, and she narrowly missed out on a world 100m bronze in 2022 by a mere 0.02 seconds.

The decision to change coaches comes after Asher-Smith’s disappointment at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, where she expressed her surprise at her performance, despite feeling in great shape. With the goal of securing her third Olympic medal, Dina Asher-Smith is determined to make the most of this coaching transition.

This move marks a pivotal moment in her career as she prepares for the challenges and opportunities that the Paris 2024 Olympics will undoubtedly bring. Dina Asher-Smith remains a symbol of dedication and resilience in the world of sprinting.