Dina Asher-Smith ends 19-year association with coach John Blackie, announces USA move to train under Eldrick Floreal ahead of 2024 Paris Olympics
British sprinter Dina Asher-Smith has announced that she has parted ways with her coach John Blackie, bringing an end to their 19-year relationship.
Asher-Smith had been coached by Blackie since she was eight years old. He helped her achieve tremendous success during her junior years and then in her senior career.
The highlights of their association are her winning the gold medal in the 200m and a silver medal in the 100m at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar. She also won bronze medals in the 100m at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
That said, the 27-year-old has endured a disappointing year, finishing eighth in the 100m and seventh in the 200m at the World Athletics Championships.
On Friday, October 13, Asher-Smith took to social media to make public her decision to part ways with Blackie. She thanked him for helping her achieve a lot of success and stated that they will continue to remain close friends despite not working together anymore.
"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 has 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," she said.
"John and I will, of course, remain close friends. Thank you to John and thank you to all my team in London whose talents and hard work have helped me realise so many dreams to date," she added.
Ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Asher-Smith disclosed that she will be moving to Texas, USA, to train under the guidance of Eldrick Floreal.
"My next chapter will be led by Edrick Floreal based out of Austin, Texas. I'm very excited to join his talented training group as we head to Paris 2024," she stated.
"I can be very much on top of the podium" - Dina Asher-Smith remains upbeat ahead of 2024 Paris Olympics
Dina Asher-Smith's World Athletics Championships campaign in Budapest did not go as planned, finishing eighth in the 100m and seventh in the 200m. It was later disclosed that she was battling an undisclosed physical issue throughout the event in Budapest, which was the reason why she was below her best.
Speaking to reporters in Budapest, Asher-Smith explained that she had first felt her physical issue during the 100m final. She also said that her confidence remains high ahead of next year’s Paris Olympics.
"I was going great and then I just couldn't feel anything below my waist. That's why I was able to go and run the (100m) final because I wasn't in pain but neurally I didn't have any control. I was still dealing with that. It was about still coming back and just making everything work," she said.
"It was such a shame because I really was on the way to something quite good. But I think it gave me quite a bit of self-confidence, how I was running going into it and how I felt and despite the fact that I got halfway through the 100m. I’m taking a lot from that and pushing into Paris that I can be very much on top of the podium," she added.