Why is Dina Asher-Smith not competing at the Commonwealth Games 2026?

BRITAIN’S fastest woman is one of the highest-profile absentees from Team England’s track squad at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. European champion Dina Asher-Smith was set to be a star attraction as Glasgow hosts the Games. Asher-Smith was originally scheduled to represent Team England in the women’s 4x100m relay squad in Glasgow Credit: Getty She was officially removed from the team roster on the opening day of the Games alongside a group of top British athletics stars Credit: Alamy But her withdrawal was confirmed on the day of the opening ceremony, dealing a significant blow to England‘s medal hopes on the track. Why is Dina Asher-Smith not competing at the Commonwealth Games? Dina Asher-Smith was originally scheduled to represent Team England in the women’s 4x100m relay squad at Glasgow 2026. Sign up for the Sport newsletter Thank you! But her name was officially removed from the team roster on the opening day of the Games alongside a group of top British athletics stars. While fellow Team England star Katarina Johnson-Thompson pulled out due to injury, Asher-Smith’s absence stems from workload management and a tightly packed summer sporting calendar. The Glasgow 2026 schedule faced significant disruption after Australia’s Victoria state pulled out as host in 2023, leaving organisers only 18 months to finalise dates. This created a tight window between major events. As a result, several top-tier sprinters withdrew from Team England’s relay setups to preserve their physical condition and focus on other major targets. These included Asher-Smith, Daryll Neita, Amber Anning, and Matt Hudson-Smith. Most read in Athletics Has she been replaced? Team England acted quickly to adjust their athletics squad following the late withdrawals. Four athletes were officially added to England’s track and field squad in Glasgow to fill the open slots. Talented young sprinter Renee Regis has stepped into the squad to bolster England’s relay options following the departure of Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita. Ebuka Nwokeji has been added to support the men’s sprint setup after 400m Olympic silver medallist Matt Hudson-Smith withdrew. Tara Simpson-Sullivan has been drafted in to reinforce England’s field event contingent, while Tom Keen has been called up to strengthen the middle-distance squad. Niamh Emerson, who took bronze at the 2018 Games, was added to the squad to replace Katarina Johnson-Thompson in the women’s heptathlon. Organisers have said that while the absence of established stars is disappointing, it opens the door for breakthrough moments for younger names. When will she be back? Fans will not have to wait long to see Asher-Smith back on the track. She is gearing up to represent Great Britain at the European Athletics Championships, which begin in Birmingham on August 10, 2026. With the European Championships taking place on home soil, Asher-Smith is focusing her efforts on defending her titles in the individual sprint events (100m and 200m) and relay competitions. She follows in the footsteps of Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson, who also chose to skip Glasgow to ensure peak fitness for Birmingham. Expect Asher-Smith to return to action in mid-August as she chases more gold medals on home soil. Comment now