Dina Asher-Smith

British sprinter Dina Asher-Smith called for more funding to research the impact of periods on athletic performance after she pulled up with cramps, ...

was praised for openly talking about suffering back pains caused by her period during the Palos Verdes Championship. "It is a shame because I am in really good shape, so I was really looking to come and run fast here, but sometimes, that is not the way that everything pans out." "[It was] girl stuff [on Tuesday].

After Laura Muir and Zharnel Hughes won brilliant golds, Asher-Smith was unable to complete the hattrick as she took 200m silver.

After the 100m, after losing out on a gold medal, which was pretty close to my sights, I used that as redemption for the 200m.” He won Commonwealth silver earlier this month and threw 67.14m to claim bronze in Munich - Britain’s first ever European discus medal. And to do the double in the Commies and win two as a favourite brought an extra level of pressure. “I think to medal in all three in itself is a lot. It has been a time of great trials and tribulations in recent weeks for Asher-Smith, who has now relinquished both her European 100m and 200m crowns. I’m happy to be here, but not so happy with silver.”

Sprint superstar Dina Asher-Smith has revealed the cramps she experienced in her calf earlier this week, causing her to finish last in a 100m race at the ...

She recalled having a full day in bed “feeling like death” and then waking up the next day like nothing had happened. “The menstrual cycle has enormous impacts on physical health, performance, etc.,” she tells HuffPost UK. “The body experiences many changes throughout the cycle, it goes beyond just coping with symptoms of menstruation. Needless to say, she struggled to perform to the best of her ability. “Sometimes you see girls that have been so consistent and there’s a random dip and behind the scenes they’ve been really struggling. So yes, I tip my hat to Dina for even finishing the race. A colleague reveals she had her first period while sitting her GCSE exams and honestly thought she was going to die. [Dr Camilla Mørk Røstvik](https://www.abdn.ac.uk/sdhp/people/profiles/camilla.morkrostvik), a historian of menstruation at the University of Aberdeen and University of St Andrews, agrees “there needs to be more research into every facet of the menstrual cycle”. “Many of us are trying to do that through, for example, the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research (established 1970), the Menstruation Research Network and more,” she says. “People don’t always talk about it either,” she said. She says the lack of research is in line with “the overall absence of research on women’s health” more broadly. It’s one of those things.

The sprinter said she was struggling with "girl stuff" when her calf cramp set her back in the European Championships. Here's why more women need to be ...

It comes after a calf cramp caused her to limp out of Tuesday’s 100m final at the European Championships in Munich, which she put down to “girl stuff”. Chloe Gray is the senior writer for stylist.co.uk's fitness brand Strong Women. [dealing with PMS](https://www.stylist.co.uk/fitness-health/wellbeing/pms-eat-move-beat-period-burnout/570897), but for professional athletes, having a sofa day isn’t an option. [previously spoken about how “every major injury I’ve ever had has been on my period”](https://www.stylist.co.uk/fitness-health/workouts/exercise-injury-menstrual-cycle/549814) and told the BBC that her latest cramp was “a shame because I’m in really good shape so I was looking to come really fast round here”. [just 3% of participants are women](https://globalsportmatters.com/science/2019/01/11/women-underrepresented-in-sport-science-research/), and given that not all of the research on us will be done during the menstrual stage, that leaves just a tiny portion of studies that are done on periods. [Dina Asher-Smith](http://stylist.co.uk/tag/dina-asher-smith) is now calling for more [scientific research](https://www.stylist.co.uk/fitness-health/workouts/hormones-impact-mood-dr-hazel-wallace/678958) into the effect of [periods on athletic performance](https://www.stylist.co.uk/fitness-health/how-to-boost-strength-training-progress-according-to-your-menstrual-cycle/354407).

"It's something more people need to research from a sports science perspective, because it's absolutely huge.

But with women there just needs to be more funding in that area.” Asher-Smith pulled up midway through Tuesday’s race with cramp in her calf and finished last. “Yeah, girl stuff, issues,” Asher-Smith told British media.

Dina Asher-Smith suffered disappointment in the final of the 200m at the European Championships after Switzerland's Mujinga Kambundji beat her to the line.

Once I got to 110, 120, I made my move and showed my composure, cross the line for a gold medal.” “I got a medal at all three and to win the Commonwealths and win here, I’m so happy. “But it’s bittersweet.” “But it was so tough mentally – the most difficult race I think I’ve ever run. “I definitely came here for the gold,” said Asher-Smith. GB’s Katie Snowden settled for fourth with a time of 4:04.97. “I’ve only raced twice over the 200m before coming here, I’ve come back from a pretty big hamstring tear, and I’m happy I made it even just to get to the final,” said Dobson afterwards. “Once I got lane three, I said I have been here before, I just need to get out good enough and maintain it with the guys. Kristjan Ceh of Slovenia took silver. Next up, Zharnel Hughes finished in a time of 20.07 to hold off GB team-mate Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake to add 200m gold to the silver he secured in the 100m. The Brit finished in a time of 4:01.08. Then Muir kicked at the bell to add European gold to a world bronze, and a gold and a silver at the Commonwealth Games - all of which were won over a five-week period.

After finishing last in the 100m at the European Championships in Munich, Britain's fastest woman reveals her period caused calf cramps during the race.

But with women there just needs to be more funding in that area." "I still think it's quite shocking that it's taboo. Asher-Smith pulled up midway through her earlier race with cramp in her calf and finished last.

After a disappointing 100m, the British sprinter claimed silver to add to her bronze from the Worlds in Eugene.

Definitely go on holiday, and get ready for next summer." "So, I'm not super happy, but at the same time, this was an amazing race. "I came here to win, and definitely in shape to win," the 26-year-old said after the race.