Last updated: 9 March 2021

(Bra) by Dina Asher-Smith

Sports Bras & The Younger Me

A Letter To My 12 Year Old Self

Hey Dina,

It’s you, thirteen years later.

Ok, a quick catch up… you’re a really good sprinter now. That’s cool. And it’s so much fun. Your job is to travel the world, doing what you love at the highest level and you make friends from all around the globe. I won’t ruin the surprise and list your achievements but you’ll be really proud of yourself. Trust me.

The most pressing thing I have to tell you is that in about a year you’re going to really painfully break your foot by being half-asleep at 7am hockey practice. So, my advice is to be alert in the mornings. Please don’t go to practice half-asleep! Because you’ll try jumping over the ball when it’s passed to you… and then you’ll misjudge it, land on the ball, slip and fracture your foot. But if you don’t listen and still end up in crutches, it’s okay… it’ll show you that your love is Athletics and that you actually belong on a track.

Anyway – let’s talk about your boobs and sports bras! Well… your boob to bra journey is far less exciting than some of your friends. In fact… it won’t be as long a journey as you think as you won’t grow much more hahahahaha. But on the actual article of clothing, you’re going to end up living in these things. You’ll own more sports bras than normal bras. Actually, more sports bras than jeans, casual t-shirts… or basically any article of casual clothing. And in the most beautiful colours, styles and designs. You’ll wear one at least six days a week. (Yeah sorry, you train six days a week now. John really ramped it up).

(Bra) by Dina | Letter To My 12-Year-Old Self

I know you’ll feel a bit weird wearing one at first. I think mainly because you feel embarrassed to be changing and developing as a whole. And I get that, it’s an odd shift at first, but it’s fine. And they make sport SO much easier. No jiggling and pain, and no soreness afterwards. You can just focus on being great, rather than feeling uncomfy or worrying that you’re wobbling too much. And soon wearing one will be second nature. It’ll be so second nature that half the time you call it a ‘crop top’ and sometimes wear it with no t-shirt to train in.

Life’s good, you’re good. There’s nothing to worry about so don’t stress.

Sending lots of love, and please make sure you’re wide awake when you go to hockey 😏

Dina

Originally published: 9 March 2021