Page 3 - BBHAC Winter 2014-15 Gazette web
P. 3
Interview 1
Dina Asher-Smith...
our rising star sans pareil
She is already well known Having interviewed Dina didn’t mind coming second
outside athletic circles as Asher-Smith recently I to Daphne who is an amazing
well as inside but perhaps admitted to her, somewhat athlete.” She wasn’t happy
not yet a household name; tongue in cheek, that I with certain technical aspects
she is young and a student wanted some permanent of the race but acknowledged
of life, yet she is already record of where she is at now that in such a high pressure
a veteran of the track in before athletic fame takes situation as this she could end
serious competitions; she her from us and gives her to up running it quickly. Besides,
is one of UK Athletics’ the whole world. She replied she dwelt instead on the fact
rising stars and yet so far with guarded modesty that that her time was a new British
as Blackheath Harriers we should have to wait and record and a personal best for
is concerned she is our see what happens and take which she was ‘very grateful’
very own darling sans nothing for granted. At least it If these and other potential
pareil. shows that she is not one to be frustrations facing an athlete,
overwhelmed by the transient particularly a sprinter, might
lure of fame and celebrity be dispiriting, then she is not
and is realistic about her likely to be phased by them.
prospects at the highest levels Last year she sustained a
of international athletics. hamstring injury just before
Yet it’s hard to ignore the a key race. “The hamstring is
calibre of the person you’re one of the most problem areas
interviewing when since 2009 because of the nature of our sport
she’s been setting records and and the nature of the movements
gaining titles at all age levels that we make” she comments.
including European Junior But by being aware of it and
Champion in 2013, World taking necessary precautions
Junior Champion at 100m in she could have some degree
2014, and then last month at of control over limiting the
Hengelo, although finishing damage; “when you listen to your
second to Dutch sprinter body you’ll know there’s something
Daphne Shippers, breaking wrong and is heightening but you
the British 100 metres record still get over it.”
held by Montell Douglas in a But if accepting that these
time of 11.02 seconds. In her setbacks are likely to happen
opinion it had not been a great sometime in your career, it
race but despite this she was is still vital to realise your
able to see beyond the surface potential to the full when
of what for others might seem circumstances permit. Winning
to be a disappointment. she says is not everything but
“The way I ran the race wasn’t to win convincingly certain
ideal” she says “or the way criteria need to be met and
I’d like to run 100 metres, ‘doing things properly’ to
and there were lots of things attain technical proficiency is
I could improve on, but I for her more important than
