With hours to go for the 2024 Prefontaine Classics, Dina Asher-Smith is hoping to turn a new leaf. Hailing from Great Britain, Asher-Smith has been quite a revelation in the track and field realm. She won the World Championships in Doha, in 2019 and followed it with a team bronze in the Tokyo Olympics 4x100m relay.

However, of late, her earlier performances were not being replicated and Asher-Smith received significant criticism. The biggest example of this was when she could not even make the top ten in last year’s World Championships. While Sha’Carri Richardson clinched the title with an impressive 10.65s, Asher-Smith ended up at the eighth position.

Dina Asher-Smith’s transformative journey from England to Texas

Such a setback definitely gave the athlete enough reasons to reflect on her path going forward. And it looks like the Brit has found it as well. Dina Asher-Smith recently traveled 5000 miles from the Garden of England to Lone Star state, Texas. This was done predominantly to get away from all the chaos and instill back the focus ahead of the upcoming Paris games. 

“I went to a new coach, a new group, and a new philosophy. And part of the transformation is that I’m far more comfortable with letting people in.” As she embarks on a new journey in Texas, Asher-Smith has been busy doing productive work outside of the track. She has indulged in pottery workshops and top golf. According to the athlete, all these activities will help her refocus and channel her mind for a better comeback ahead of the Prefontaine Classics. 

Reflecting on the same, Dina Asher-Smith stated, “I wanted to learn a new skill, something creative that stimulated my mind in a different way.” She describes her experience in Texas has a journey of self-exploration and explains that in the UK, despite not being extremely famous, she is consistently recognized by people daily.

While always a pleasant interaction, she didn’t realize the toll it took on her to constantly be “on” – having to appear camera-ready and happy, even on bad days. Texas has allowed her nearly 10 years of anonymity to simply exist without that pressure. Dina Asher-Smith notes track and field isn’t hugely popular in Austin, so she can do typical activities like going for walks or to mini-golf without her career becoming a conversational focus.

The move to Austin, Texas also meant parting ways with John Blackie, her coach of 19 years, who she considers family. A new documentary captures this transition to her current coach Edrick “Flo” Floréal and training alongside elite athletes like world indoor 60m champion, Julien Alfred and Irish 400m star Rhasidat Adeleke.

Tough test against Thompson-Herah and Richardson at Prefontaine Classics

Early 2024 results indicate the coaching change is paying off as Dina led an unprecedented 4x200m relay and shockingly ran a blazing 400m leg. While she might be preparing for a dream comeback, but her competition at the Prefontaine Classics is not at all easy. Being the frontrunners to win the title, Elaine Thompson Herah and Sha’Carri Richardson will be waiting to spoil her mission. As a matter of fact, Sha’Carri Richardson will be more than eager to settle her scores with Elaine Thompson-Herah.

The duo have clashed thrice at the Prefontaine Classics before and Herah has had the upper hand over the American every time. And as for Dina Asher-Smith, she ended up in 4th and 7th places respectively, in the last two editions. Thus, with the event just hours from now, it will be interesting to see how the rivalry will shape up. But one thing is for sure- with such a star-studded line-up, the fans will definitely have their money’s worth to the last penny.