This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
Wales has a new world “The variety always keeps it interesting, but to week along with the distances and times –
champion in the shape of it is such an unpredictable sport – the best that helps keep the variety.
Bridgend’s Helen Tucker. she has runner could have a really bad swim and
burst through to the top level in not be in the front pack, there are so many “The whole event takes just over two hours
olympic year after a period out variables. for the women to complete, so we train for
of the sport with a torn achilles that.
tendon. The 24-year-old won the “The transitions are the bit people forget
world title in vancounver, after about, they are almost like the fourth “You have to fully commit yourself to it and
cementing her place in the British discipline because if you get that wrong then sacrifi ce going out with friends sometimes, but
Triathlon team for the Beijing you can almost lose the race there and then. it all adds up in the end to producing a good
olympics with a second place performance.
finish in the World cup in Madrid sW You will have the advantage of having
– the main olympic selection raced over the same course in Beijing sW You are coached by your boyfriend Marc
qualifying race. sporting Wales before, with the confi dence of having done Jenkins, who is most famous for carrying his
caught up with our latest world well there – coming third in the ITU Beijing bike after it broke in the Athens Olympics -
champion and asked what it is World Cup? but fi nishing the race. That showed enormous
like to be in such great form in guts and determination, how much do you
olympic year. “i normally do five or six learn from him?
“It gives me confi dence I’m going well, but swims a week, five bikes “Marc went to the last Olympics so I learn
I don’t think I can be considered one of the from watching him train, as well as training and
favourites for the Olympics. and five or six runs,” competing with the rest of the British team.
“I really wanted to be world champion. I’m “I had a good race there in 2005 so it is nice “It has been good to speak to him about the
so chuffed. After coming second in Madrid I to have done that and I am happy to go back, Olympics because it will be less of a shock
knew I was in good form but, because I had it is just strange to be thinking about going when you get there.
got my Olympic qualifying, I wasn’t really back.
up for the worlds. “A lot of people can be overwhelmed by the
“It is a lovely location, really pretty. When whole experience of the Games and maybe
“I was really relaxed going into it and I we fi rst heard the Olympics was going to be not perform.
didn’t really have any aims I was just going in Beijing we wondered what that would be
to race - that’s what makes it even more like for the triathlon, but they have picked a “Having Marc around to guide me through
of a shock. Vancouver is my new favourite really nice setting. the whole event will help and then once the
place.” race is out of the way I can enjoy the whole
sW The big question – how well can you experience a bit more.
sW You mentioned the selection race do there, especially now?
in Madrid and securing your place for the “It has been working really well, Marc is not
Olympics in Beijing, you must be looking “The triathlon is very open, there will be 20 the only coach – there is also a guy called Rick
forward to that with renewed confi dence? girls lining up at the start line who could get Velati at Swansea University and they work
a medal. Not all of us will perform to the together to produce a programme.
“I’m still a bit shocked, it has not really best of our ability on that day, so we all have
sunk in. I had such a good race in Madrid a chance of a medal. “There is quite a lot of input and a few more
to reach the qualifying standard that I have opinions are defi nitely helping.
not really come down from that. “I just hope that if I prepare right and can
deal with the conditions on the day, then I sW Having your boyfriend as your coach, is
“It is unbelievable after last year when I can have a really good race. that going well?
only competed once. I could not run but I
kept swimming and biking sW Triathlon has to be one of the toughest “On the days when I am tired and he just tells
sports, not just in terms of competing but me to get out the door and do it, sometimes
“I was always hoping I would make the also the training you must do for it? that is the right thing to get your shoes on and
selection race. Then the day before I felt get out. I pick up a lot from just having him
that whatever happens now at least I have “The training is quite hard because the three around.
made it to this stage – I just did not expect sports give variety, which is nice, but also
such a good race. the motivation is hard because fi rst you have sW Well good luck with it and we look
to go swimming, then come back and go forward to seeing you coming up towards the
sW There is so much to do in a triathlon biking, then go for a run. fi nishing line in Beijing in the leading group?
and so there is more that can go wrong,
how does that affect your chances? “I normally do fi ve or six swims a week, fi ve “That would be brilliant. Thanks.”
bikes and fi ve or six runs, but it varies week
sportingwales
issue3twothousand&eight
SW_Issue3.indd 17 30/7/08 11:11:18
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52
Produced with Yudu - www.yudu.com. Publish online for free with YUDU Freedom - www.yudufreedom.com.