Nia Wedderburn-Goodison is already running laps around the rest of us. At sixteen Wedderburn-Goodison became the British under-20 champion over 100 metres. Since then, the Nike athlete has been working even harder to finesse her craft, accumulating accolades and medals throughout it all. Now at twenty, the British runner is one of the fastest around and only getting faster. Beyond being a natural athlete, Wedderburn-Goodison is also a down-to-earth girl and true style icon—laidback, calm, and all about fostering the connection between mind and body. She appears on our call with her hair wrapped in a scarf that culminates in a big bow on the top, radiant and more poised than the average twenty-something should be (for Wedderburn-Goodison staying cool under pressure is the name of the game). For Wedderburn-Goodison’s i-D shoot, we commissioned three emerging designers —Asterisk, Path and SF10G—to select pieces of their archive and customise them inspired both by Wedderburn-Goodison and by Nike’s Air Max Muse and Air Superfly trainers. After the shoot we got a chance to hear all about Wedderburn-Goodison’s style, motivations and flying across the track.
How did running first come into your life?
Nia Wedderburn-Goodison: I started when I was five, which everyone’s always shocked at, because most athletes don’t start till maybe like 10 or 11. I did a sports day, and I won that sports day by like a decent distance. Both me and my sister won our year groups. Basically from that day onwards, both my parents started taking me to a track club. I’ve just been going since then, I haven’t stopped.
Who shaped your journey the most and pushed you to grow?
My family. They’re the one consistent factor throughout my career. Coaches come and go, training partners come and go, but first of all, my family got me into it, and then obviously they’ve never left.
What’s the difference between what you listen to while running and in your normal life, and why?
I don’t have a specific artist, I would say I switch between aggressive music and calm music. It depends on what competition is and what mood I need to be in. I like Beyonce.
Walk me through a day in your life. What’s your routine?
It’s very boring right now because I’m off-season and I’m at university at the moment, but in season I would normally go to training first thing in the morning. Sometimes I like to do a bit of yoga in the morning before I go to training. I don’t like being tired going into a training session. Then straight after training, I go to university. I’m typically home by six. Then I catch up on some uni work or watch football. My team is Liverpool.
When do you feel most like yourself?
I think probably when I’m in routine, so like on the track.
Fashion and sport are both forms of self-expression. How has sport influenced your style, and how?
I think my approach to sport is kind of similar to fashion. I’m very relaxed when it comes to sprinting, people even say my style of running is quite relaxed, so it’s no coincidence that, off the track I like a relaxed style. For me, anything that’s comfortable, that is what I wear.
How did it feel wearing the clothes designers customised for you on this shoot?
It was really nice. I told them when I first came in, I’m open to experimenting with everything. And we definitely did experiment. I enjoyed it.
What message would you tell yourself at 15?
I’d probably say “Be patient.” You’d like to think, “Oh, I’m going to win gold everywhere I go” which at 15 I was definitely thinking, I still kind of think that now, to be honest, but just be a bit more patient.
What would you like to say to girls who might be inspired by you or who want to start running?
Consistency is the most important thing. Because I’ve been doing this for like fifteen years now, and I think throughout those years, I’ve just been building, building, building to get the position I am now. Even with bad competitions, you can’t be like, “Okay, I’m done. Now that’s it.” You have to keep going.
Was there ever a time when you considered giving up? And why didn’t you?
I’ll be so honest, I have not considered giving up. I’ve considered, in training sessions, giving up, not quitting the whole sport. I went to Jamaica to train for a while in 2023 and there was a hill session that we did. I think that was the first time I ever thought to myself, like, I actually can’t. And I sat down on the floor. I basically quit. But the coach who was there looking after me in Jamaica, he’s a sprint legend, he basically grabbed me and forced me to start. You know, I was encouraged by people around me to not give up.
Most and least glamorous aspects of running?
Training in general. A lot of people throw up in training. I haven’t thrown up yet, but just the whole training session can get really bad. The lactic is terrible. Like, you’re on the floor, you know, you can’t walk. You’re tired, you’ll literally lie down anyway. It could be in the mud. It’s not glamorous. Winning, though, is very glamorous.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years, I definitely want to reach that point where I’m just, like, 100% dedicated to the sport. In 10 years, I just want to have the best mindset that I possibly can.
Questions From Designers
SF1OG:What makes you feel powerful?
Just performance, to be honest, even if it’s not winning. I think just getting to that start line is something not everyone can do.
What does dressing up mean to you?
It’s just a fun experience to try new things on. You look good as well.
What would you like to be remembered as?
As someone that’s really humble, who was graceful in both winning and losing. I think personality matters just as much as you know your achievements.
Which shapes symbolise strength to you?
I do like a triangle, you know, it’s different to the other shapes.
ASTERIX: Everyone sees your strength first. How do you use fashion or jewelry to show the softer, weirder, or more creative sides of you?
Right now, I feel like my style is a bit cool, relaxed…I like head scarves. I have a nose piercing. Maybe I’ll experiment more in the future.
In creative fields, we often hit blockages or moments where progress feels stuck. As an athlete, do you experience similar phases, and what do you do to reset your mindset and move forward from frustration?
The best thing for me to do is straight away just start setting goals, because I can’t dwell on it for too long. I got, like, a couple of months ago, a bad result in terms of athletics. And the first thing I did was open my laptop and start plotting out goals for the next season, because it’s something to look forward to, rather than look back at the past. Write down some goals, work out everything, like the dates of competitions that are happening next year and what I want to put into training next year.
Sport takes so much energy. Where do you sneak in space to play, create, or just be yourself?
I like reading. I game quite a lot of my friends. Exclusively Fortnite.
PATH: What do you think athletes and designers share in terms of mindset or approach?
I really admire designers because obviously they’re so focused on perfection: perfecting their path, their craft. They’re really working towards the smallest details. It’s kind of similar in athletics, where there’s a lot of technical things that athletes try to improve on every single year that you might not see. It could be the smallest thing in your technical approach from year to year. Like keeping your chin lower down, more tucked in in the race, you know?
As a designer, I often visualize the outcome, the environment, and the reactions it might create. How do you prepare mentally to achieve the goals you’ve set for yourself?
It’s quite similar. I do a lot of visualization, especially the week before races. It’s always good to see the track and see myself running on the track before it happens. Sometimes I’ll save a picture of the track that I’m going to race out on my phone, so I can kind of see it like every time I check my phone screen. It really helps me position myself in the moment.
Who or what inspires you outside of sport, and how do those influences shape the way you present yourself?
It’s definitely a cliche answer: Usain Bolt. But honestly, it’s the longevity. He’s basically the person that you look at you, like, I want to be an athlete because of him. And then there’s people like, I like Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce as well. What they’ve done for women in the sport is crazy. That’s what that’s what you aspire to do, what they did.
photographer CHARLIE GATES
stylist ADA MATYLDA
hair stylist LAURAINE BAILEY
make-up artist ALICE DODDS
photo assistant TOMMY FRANCIS
digital operator KRISTOS GIOURGAS
styling assistant OLIVIA EZECZUKWU
production LUCY BUTTERFIELD AT UNIT 9