As part of our new Sport Inspired by You campaign we have taken real life stories from athletes of all abilities to inspire the next generation of athletes. Sport is a great way to improve yourself both physically and mentally as well as a great way to make new friends. Many do often wonder how others got started or can be overwhelmed at the beginning stages. So let these stories show you how anyone can get involved and just how fun and exhilarating sport can be.

What got you interested in triathlons?

I started off as a competitive swimmer, I began swimming competitively when I was 8 years old and absolutely looked the sport. It gave me a great fitness level, so it meant I got picked for cross country teams at school and I competed in these all through secondary school and sixth form. But how I got into triathlon itself was unique. My mum wanted to celebrate her 40’s birthday by doing something different and my dad and I thought we’d enter her into a triathlon, she had a bike and we got the kit as presents for her birthday. She unfortunately didn’t enjoy it that much and gave all her kit to me and I raced the same race the year after and loved it. That’s how my triathlon journey started.

Who has been your inspiration throughout your career?

I find it difficult to pick just one sports person who’s been an inspiration throughout my career. But trying not to be cheesy – my partner Angus is my biggest inspiration now.

Any goals both small and large scale you have set yourself you have achieved or are working towards

My current short-term goals are to get back training. This year I’m taking a step back from racing due to injuries from a recent car accident so getting back to strength and regularly training is a big goal for me. In 2020, I hope to be competitive again and compete in National and British Championships, sprint and standard distance triathlons as well as compete in Regional and National open water Championships. Longer term I would like to race in some longer distance events such as middle distance.

In my first triathlon my goal was to beat my mums time from the year before and then my second triathlon my goal was to qualify for the European sprint distance Championships in Geneva. Both of which I achieved and then each year I set myself targets to get faster or new techniques to achieve. Last year I set myself the goal of adding tri-bars to my bike and using them for a race.