British star Dina Asher-Smith was super excited when she learnt that the first leg of the inaugural Grand Slam Track Series would be in Jamaica when she signed up to compete.

“I am really excited. Once there was a meet in Jamaica I was going to find my way there somehow,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

The 29-year-old Asher-Smith, who has a Jamaican father, is the fastest British runner of all time with 10.83 for the 100m and 21.88 for the 200m, winning gold in the latter event at the 2019 World Championship.

She has had a love affair with Jamaica and often times expresses her love for the country, pointing out the support she receives from local fans.

This won’t be her first time running in Jamaica. In 2024, she won the 200m at the Jamaica Athletics Invitational meet at the National Stadium in Kingston.

“It’s about high time they get some unique stuff that befits the legacy they have given our unique sport,” said Asher-Smith at the Grand Slam Media Day at the AC Hotel on Thursday evening.

“I am very excited to be here at the National Stadium and the new track. It’s a beautiful unique track that the Jamaican people can be proud of,” she added.

Asher-Smith will be competing in the 200m and 400m events and she is looking forward to the challenge, especially in the longer event to make her mark.

“I am really excited as I am here to do the 200 and the 400 which is new to me, new philosophy and when I signed up people were texting me like, ‘is there a mistake’ and I was like no,” she explained.

“I am here and it’s part of my training plan and I am here to compete. I am here to run a real quality 400m,” she emphasised.

In February, Asher-Smith competed at the Texas Relay and had a decent 51-second split in the 4x400m.
She has also gone 52.3 indoors and might scare some of the top quarter-milers, but may find Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino and World Champion Salwa Eid Naser a little out of reach.

– H.W