# Desirèe Henry

Desirèe Henry (born 26 August 1995) is a British sprinter who competes in the 100 metres and 200 metres. She won an Olympic silver medal in the women's 4 x 100 metres relay at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the bronze medal in the 4 x 100 metres relay at the 2016 Rio Games, and a silver medal in the 4 × 100 m relay at the 2017 World Athletics Championships in London.

## Childhood

Henry was born on 26 August 1995 in Edmonton, London. She attended Highfield Primary School and St Anne's Catholic High School. She is of Antiguan and Guyanese descent.

## Career

Henry is the 2011 World Youth Champion in the 200 meters. Her personal bests are 11.06 for the 100 meters, 22.46 for the 200 meters and 52.27 in the 400 meters all set in 2016.
Henry was one of seven young people who lit the Olympic cauldron at the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony. All were nominated by famous British Olympians, with Henry being nominated by decathlete Daley Thompson.
She ran the anchor leg as Great Britain won the 4x100 metres relay at the 2014 European Championships in Zurich.
Henry improved her personal bests in 2016 to 11.06 in the 100 meters and 22.46 in the 200 meters and earned selection for the Rio Olympics. She began sprinting over 400 meters in 2015 but soon returned to shorter distances. In Rio, she reached the semifinals of the 100 metres, running 11.09, having run 11.08 in her heat. She went on to win a bronze medal in the sprint relay, setting a new British record of 41.77, along with her teammates Asha Philip, Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita.
She won a silver medal as part of the 4x100 metres relay team at the 2017 World Athletics Championships in London and gold in the same event at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome.
On 5 July 2024, Henry was named in the British 4x100 metres relay squad for the Paris Olympics. She won a silver medal in the event, having run on the last leg in the heats.

## International competitions

| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
| Representing Great Britain ||||||
| 2011 | World Youth Championships | Lille, France | 1st | 200 m | 23.25 |
| 2012 | World Junior Championships | Barcelona, Spain | 4th | 200 m | 23.34 |
| 2013 | European Junior Championships | Rieti, Italy | 2nd | 200 m | 23.56 |
| 2013 | European Junior Championships | Rieti, Italy | 1st | 4 × 100 m | 43.81 |
| 2014 | World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | 2nd | 4 × 200 m | 1:29.61 |
| 2014 | World Junior Championships | Eugene, Oregon, United States | 4th | 100m | 11.56 (wind: -1.0 m/s) |
| 2014 | World Junior Championships | Eugene, Oregon, United States | — | 4 × 100 m | DNF |
| 2014 | European Championships | Zürich, Switzerland | 7th | 100 m | 11.43 (11.21) |
| 2014 | European Championships | Zürich, Switzerland | 1st | 4 × 100 m | 42.24 |
| 2015 | World Championships | Beijing, China | 4th | 4 × 100 m | 42.10 |
| 2016 | European Championships | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 2nd (sf) | 100 m | 11.09$^1$ |
| 2016 | Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 12th (sf) | 100 m | 11.09 |
| 2016 | Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 3rd | 4 × 100 m | 41.77 |
| 2017 | World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 18th (sf) | 100 m | 11.24 |
| 2017 | World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 2nd | 4 × 100 m | 42.12 |
| 2019 | World Relays | Yokohama, Japan | – | 4 × 100 m | DNF |
| 2024 | European Championships | Rome, Italy | 1st | 4 × 100 m | 41.91 |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris, France | 2nd (h) | 4 × 100 m relay | 42.03 |
Note: Results in brackets indicate superior time achieved in qualifying rounds.
$^1$Did not finish in the final