Biography
I have always been an active person right from a child when I was a member of Cambridge swimming club at the age of 8. I was never an amazing swimmer although I was a solid county level swimmer and unfortunately freestyle was my weakness. I picked up running when I turned 12 to add some variety and to find a new hobby. Here I competed in sprints and long jump and soon joined Mike Smith who coached me and the other nutters who just ran round the track all evening. We had some laughs!
It was here that my multi-sport career began and I improved very quickly as a runner competing in 800's, 1500's and Cross Country in the winter. I quickly moved up the national rankings. Each year I competed in the Cambridge Junior Triathlon which I really enjoyed. At 15 years old my running was at a very high level nationally and my swimming was ticking over with the club. My French teacher Ben Baldelli, who was a top British Duathlete at the time, suggested that I tryout for the Triathlon World Class Development Programme at Loughborough University. I competed against several good multi-sport athletes, many who would become some of my best friends. I got a letter the next day telling me that I had achieved top times for the 400m and 3k assessment. The World Class Start Squad allowed me access to top coaching, some funding and the all important training camps where I could really develop my skills in Triathlon.
My next move was to join the Cambridge Triathlon Club where I first learned how to ride my Dawes Giro 200 in my white football shorts and baggy t-shirt. Those were the hardest rides of my life and I still see them as more of a survival mission for two hours! I would like to thank those boys who used to wait for me but now it is more of a survival mission for them! In 2001 I raced my first international race in Poland which was the European Youth Relays where we got 7th team home. At this race I met Dan Salcedo and began receiving training from him. Under his tuition I soon found my legs, and increased my running volume making me look more like an athlete. I raced the European Youth Relays again the next year and my first World Championship in America at the World Duathlon Championships where I got 7th .
The next two years were much more successful. I raced the Junior Europeans and got surprise 7th and the World Duathlon where I received my first Junior international medal in 3rd . This set me up nicely for the next year and after joining the University squad in Loughborough and having an excellent winter I got my international medals with a 3rd at the World Triathlon Championships in Madeira, 2nd at the Europeans and a 2nd at the World Duathlon.
My journey as an athlete has been very fast moving and I have made a lot of progress quickly thanks to excellent coaching, training partners, facilities and the support that everyone has given me unconditionally. In 2005 I had my best season yet and continued to improve up the rankings. Unfortunately no titles for my first year as an U23 but it was a solid year. I was also to move up to Olympic distance so my training changed dramatically and so did my commitment. I started the year with big domestic races of which I won 4/4. I then raced the Royal Windsor Triathlon where I made my debut at Olympic distance. I got 3rd behind Stuart Hayes and Andrew Johns. This qualified me for many other races including the European U23's in Sofia and the ITU World Cup in Salford where I under performed, but still achieved a solid 6 th and a 15th respectively. Dan and I were happy with my progress considering how little experience I had. My last race in England before the World Championships in Japan was the London International Triathlon where I received 4th place just behind Tim Don. I then headed off to the World Championships in Japan . The U23 race was a nightmare! After setting myself up in the swim I crashed out on the bike after less then 30 seconds in. Fortunately I got a start for the senior race the next day to race for experience; however it was never going to be, and after preparing myself for the second race, the humidity that I wasn't used and the events of the previous day sapped my energy to much and I ran in 30th .
The next block of training was completed in Australia to attempt to qualify for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. After a long season I had the best race of my life to finish 3rd Brit home just 35 seconds behind Tim Don in a stacked field of top athletes. Thanks to my quick run split I qualified for my first ever Games. Delighted, I now train even harder with new training methods and motivation, with the aspiration of coming top 5 and having an excellent, hopefully medal winning 2006.
