0:06 The World Traum podcast hits its 50th
0:08 episode this week. Thanks to all of you
0:09 who have listened, downloaded, and
0:11 shared these interviews over the past 18
0:13 months from all around the world. If you
0:15 want to let us know the kind of thing
0:16 you'd like to hear more of, where you're
0:18 listening from, or indeed to ask us
0:20 anything World Triathlon related, you
0:22 can now also email us at podcasttriathlon.org.
0:25 podcasttriathlon.org.
0:31 As we reach the 50 episode milestone on
0:33 the World Triathlon podcast, we get to
0:36 hear from a man who took 2021 by storm,
0:37 racking up an Olympic gold and silver in
0:40 Tokyo, a first World Triathlon Series
0:42 win, third place in the overall series,
0:44 and most recently a storming month of
0:46 Super League. It is, of course, Alex
0:48 Yei. Alex, how are you and where are you?
0:49 you?
0:51 >> I'm wonderful. Yeah, that was a a cool
0:52 intro. you don't really think about
0:54 what's happened this year until yeah
0:56 until you kind of finish the year and
0:57 you look back and you're like wow this
1:00 is yeah that was a pretty cool year and
1:02 uh yeah I'm in I'm in London at the
1:05 moment I'm at home I've visited a few
1:07 few schools over the last few days which
1:10 has been yeah really rewarding and I got
1:11 to go back to my infant school this
1:13 morning they done a little display and
1:15 just to see the the kind of glimmer in
1:17 the kids' eyes was was really cool and
1:18 yeah hopefully I can have a bit of an
1:20 impact maybe they'll be a bit more quiet
1:22 for their teacher today or literature,
1:23 >> which is Yeah. called
1:25 >> faster or Yeah.
1:28 >> Yeah. Exactly. Well, we did we did a
1:29 there's something called the daily mile
1:31 which is initiation to kind of keep kids
1:33 active and running and we did that that
1:35 mile together this morning and then the
1:37 kids had playtime straight away and I
1:40 looked out the of the the office where
1:41 all the teachers were and you could just
1:42 see the kids doing the same lap running
1:44 again. They probably ended up running
1:45 two miles, which is Yeah, it's just
1:48 super cool to to see them inspired and
1:51 and enjoying exercise and
1:52 >> and that kind of side of things, which
1:55 is Yeah. No, it's it's lovely that I can
1:57 kind of have that impact on my local community.
1:58 community.
1:59 >> You got a pretty good reception from
2:00 them then, did you?
2:02 >> How old infant mean? What What kind of
2:04 age are we talking?
2:06 >> Infant is between four years old to kind
2:08 of sermon years. So, you kind of real
2:11 start of education in the UK. And uh I
2:13 guess that's the time when uh kids are
2:15 not afraid to ask you the the hard
2:17 questions like how many times you fall
2:18 off your bike and how much money do you
2:20 make and those are the questions which I
2:22 really enjoy because they challenge you
2:25 and you have to find a find a way of uh
2:26 dealing with them and and making sure
2:28 you're involved. The school has a load
2:30 of values which they they wanted me to
2:31 involve in the assembly. So trying to
2:33 figure those in and
2:36 >> um yeah no I really enjoyed it. Um they
2:38 they keep you on your toes definitely
2:40 and um they all have a bit of bit of a
2:42 medal in their fingernails I think. So
2:45 >> it Yeah, exactly. It's not a medal as
2:46 much as it is mine.
2:48 >> Yeah. To be able to give have the sort
2:50 of immediate context of someone who was
2:52 at their school and has these medals and
2:55 but then also that things like that the
2:57 daily mile that immediately make the
2:58 kids think about those sort of
2:59 distances, right? And then they can
3:01 relate to the sort of distances people
3:02 are doing in triathons or in the Olympic
3:04 games and things that you know it's it's
3:05 it's all these little elements, isn't
3:07 it, to to sort of building up in their
3:09 heads what is actually possible for them
3:11 to do, not just what they see on a
3:14 telly. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. Cuz uh we
3:16 finished doing the mile and and one of
3:17 the the teachers said, "Oh, that's how
3:19 far Alec pretty much how far Alex swims
3:21 in his races." And they were like, "Wow,
3:23 no way. That's amazing." And then when
3:25 they heard I did 40k of biking and 10k
3:27 of running, they were like, "That's all
3:28 right." So, it was really funny to see
3:30 that they um thought that the swimming
3:31 was the hardest thing and I was like,
3:34 "Yeah, me too. I agree with you." But,
3:35 uh, yeah, it was it was really amusing
3:37 and to see the kids kind of brains were and
3:38 and
3:40 >> yeah, no, it's it's just thrilling to to
3:42 be able to to have that impact
3:43 >> and it's great to have you on for our
3:45 half century and there's a lot to talk
3:46 about and great for our listeners to be
3:47 able to hear from you. It seems like you
3:49 don't necessarily do a huge amount of
3:50 podcasts. You've been doing obviously school.
3:51 school.
3:52 >> No. Yeah.
3:55 >> No, no, it's it's cool like um it's an
3:58 honor to be the 50th as well. Um,
3:58 >> well, I mean,
3:59 >> thank you for having me.
4:01 >> If if you Google Alex Ye podcast, don't
4:03 know if you've ever done that, but there
4:05 is an American Alex Yei who does a show,
4:08 a podcast called Racy Friendships, which
4:10 I immediately was like, hang on, is this
4:12 some sort of like triathlon offshoot
4:14 we've not heard about where our Alex Yei
4:16 is actually sort of doing some kind of
4:19 uh I don't know, sitcom with various
4:21 pals tuning in.
4:24 >> Yeah, bit secret. I'm afraid that's what
4:27 I'm into, but maybe in the future I'll
4:28 have a podcast. Um, >> yeah,
4:29 >> yeah,
4:30 >> but people might find me a bit boring. I
4:32 think I feel like I need a bit more
4:34 about me before I before I start doing
4:36 stuff like that. But yeah, I've really
4:38 enjoyed listening to them. So, um, yeah.
4:41 Uh, it's a pleasure to be on.
4:44 >> Brilliant. Well, I um I'd like to start
4:45 with the comingings and going in in
4:49 Tokyo and uh it feels in some ways a
4:50 long time ago and in some ways, you
4:52 know, kind of like yesterday as well
4:54 from not being certain of a place on the
4:58 team at all to to two Olympic medals and
5:00 and then everything from, you know,
5:01 coming so close in Edmonton and and the
5:02 Super League that, you know, that is an
5:05 incredible turnaround. Did the nature of
5:08 that kind of yin and yang as it were? I
5:10 suppose like the uncertainty to to just
5:12 absolute certainty of your kind of
5:15 ability all the more did that sort of
5:17 play in a bit to each one of those start
5:18 lines you were hitting and you were
5:20 feeling good and like a little bit of
5:22 was there a touch of invincibility
5:24 because that would be probably a bit too
5:26 much for your first your Olympic debut
5:28 but you know were there factors like
5:29 that that were all kind of clicking into
5:31 place that that gave you an extra
5:34 confidence? I think for me this year uh
5:35 I stood on the start line every time
5:38 with a purpose and I think that's been
5:40 the amazing thing about it. Um this year
5:42 is that I was able to stand in Yokohama
5:44 and I knew that was opportunity to race
5:46 the best I could and and then on on the
5:48 start line between me and Alistister in
5:51 leads it was um very much about racing
5:52 my own race and making sure I could get
5:55 the best out of myself and and yeah that
5:58 led on to kind of a bit of belief in
6:02 myself I think. Um uh it's always
6:04 when you're racing kind of your idols
6:05 and I was extremely lucky to have a
6:09 quick rise and 2019. Um, but there's a
6:10 difference between thinking you can do
6:12 it and actually doing it. And that first
6:15 race in Leads where I was able to put
6:17 together, in my opinion, my best swim,
6:19 bike, and run performance, I think made
6:23 me believe that, oh, right, I'm actually
6:25 I'm actually, yeah, good enough and I
6:28 can I belong in uh at the front of a
6:31 race and I I can pull turns and I can
6:32 mix it up and I can do those things. And
6:35 I think that belief um in yourself is
6:37 something which is is super important to
6:39 to stand on the start line and and
6:41 believe and for me I stood on the start
6:43 line with a purpose at at the first two
6:44 races of the year. But then on on the
6:46 Olympics that I actually stood on there
6:47 with a purpose but belief as well in
6:49 what I was doing and the complete
6:51 clarity that I I was able to prepare the
6:54 best I could in those uh months between
6:56 leads and and the Olympic and the
6:58 Olympic Games and yeah I came away with
7:00 a silver medal and for me I sat down
7:02 with my coach after and we agreed that I
7:04 I feel like I got everything out of my
7:07 body. Um and I'm really proud of that.
7:09 What what was different about your
7:11 mindset or the preparation then heading
7:13 into Yokohama that perhaps hadn't
7:14 happened before that was giving you that purpose?
7:15 purpose?
7:18 >> I think for me uh with everything I do,
7:19 everything has to have a purpose. I
7:21 think that's what motivates me. That's
7:23 what gets me out of bed is understanding
7:25 why I'm doing something and that it's
7:28 leading to me getting better. I think
7:30 for me, I'm really internally driven and
7:31 when you're in the winter months, there
7:32 are not things which are directly
7:34 measurable. It racing you can't compare
7:35 yourself to people. You don't know where
7:38 you're at. But for me, there's things in
7:41 training which I can directly compare uh
7:43 myself to. And whether that's really
7:44 small things like how many strokes I'm
7:46 doing per length or my stroke rate or a
7:49 time I do for 50 meters, um those things
7:50 for me are the things which really
7:53 motivate me and I think kind of transfer
7:56 into where I'm in competition. And uh
7:59 for me, I think I I was able in races to
8:01 just come back to the present and the
8:04 race because um for me, I'd always let
8:06 my mind wander and worry about what
8:07 other people were doing. But I found
8:09 this year I've been able to kind of
8:10 bring myself back to me and and worry
8:12 about kind of what I'm doing and make
8:14 sure that my strokes going well in the
8:15 water. I know where I'm at and I'm
8:17 showing the best line and I'm aware of
8:19 who's around me. Um and those things I
8:20 don't think I did so well in the
8:22 previous years. and I've been able to
8:25 kind of dial into that mindset and
8:26 that's allowed me to kind of get to the
8:28 run in the best possible position and
8:30 yeah be competitive throughout races I think.
8:30 think.
8:33 >> And it wasn't just I suppose getting to
8:36 April not certain of your your place on
8:37 the start list necessarily but it was
8:39 that that year delay as well obviously
8:41 to the whole games that perhaps made
8:44 that made the results you've had that
8:46 little bit more likely by virtue of what
8:47 you were able to to concentrate on
8:49 during that time off. you know, are
8:52 there are there specific like windows of
8:53 things you were working on during that
8:54 year, during that kind of downtime from
8:57 actual racing that you can attribute in
8:58 some way to to what's happened this year?
8:59 year?
9:01 >> Yeah, for me in 2020, I I think I'd
9:04 happily admit um that Alistister would
9:05 probably have gone ahead of me if there
9:07 was two slots in in the Olympics. And I
9:10 have complete um I'm at peace with that.
9:11 That would have been absolutely fine.
9:13 And I'm extremely lucky that although
9:15 the pandemic was an awful time, I I was
9:19 able to have that extra year of uh of
9:20 delay but also opportunity to train a
9:22 little bit more and be consistent. And
9:24 for me
9:26 um the lockdown gave me the clarity I
9:29 think most of all that I was doing it
9:30 doing triathon because I love triathlon
9:32 and I love the lifestyle and I really
9:33 just enjoy swimming, cycling and
9:37 running. And um I moved down with Olivia
9:40 Mafar as my girlfriend um to her parents
9:42 house and we found a way to swim, we
9:43 found a way to cycle, we found a way to
9:44 run even though we could only do one
9:46 thing outside each day. And um that kind
9:49 of hustle um I just loved and I really
9:52 enjoyed. And I think for me that was one
9:55 thing that that changed in me is that I
9:56 just had that complete clarity that I
9:58 just um love the lifestyle and I love
10:00 what I'm doing and I really want to I
10:01 really wanted to be back at competition
10:03 but at the same time I was just really
10:05 really enjoying just what I was doing at
10:08 the time I suppose. Yeah. You take the
10:10 racing the competition element away and
10:12 yet what you're wanting to do every day
10:14 is still figure out how you can get that
10:15 swim in, how you can get that bike and
10:17 running. Exactly. And it does it makes
10:19 it a sort of, you know, ticks all the
10:20 boxes of why you're why you're doing it
10:22 in the first place, I guess.
10:25 >> Yeah. For Yeah. For me, I've never
10:26 really had an opportunity. Well, apart
10:28 from my crash in 2017, I've never really
10:30 had that opportunity to to really ask
10:33 myself uh about it because you just go
10:34 through you find yourself going through
10:36 the motions so quickly and competition
10:38 winter goes past so quickly and
10:39 competition comes up so quickly that you
10:42 don't take a step back and be like, I
10:43 don't have to swim this morning. I don't
10:44 have to cycle this morning, but I want
10:47 to. and it's it's what I enjoy and I I
10:48 want to find a way to do it and I want
10:52 to get better and for me I think it's
10:54 led me to be quite internally driven and
10:57 I want to now for the future find what
10:59 my body's capable of doing and what I
11:02 can do as a person in myself um and if
11:04 that brings more success then amazing
11:06 but also I just want to find my limits
11:09 as a as a human being and and yeah be
11:11 able to to put on a show and and for
11:13 people to enjoy it and be inspired and
11:14 take up the sport. So I think yeah for
11:16 me that was real nice that I was able to
11:20 have the opportunity to uh to just yeah
11:21 well spend time with my girlfriend and
11:23 training with her and work hard with her
11:25 but then also yeah have that that
11:26 complete clarity in my mind.
11:29 >> Yeah to be able to do that with someone
11:31 you know with her must have been a big a
11:32 big help as well then. Yeah.
11:35 >> Oh it's massive because as much as I
11:37 said said that there you're you're human
11:39 there times when you find it hard to
11:40 wake up you find it hard to get out the
11:42 door. So to have a companion, a partner
11:44 in crime, it's it's I think it's it's
11:47 been so helpful for me and she's Yeah, I
11:49 should really cut my medals in half and
11:51 give well I should cut them in 100 and
11:53 give them to 100 people, I think. So but
11:55 yeah, I'm really really lucky.
11:59 So, as 2021 began and and um yeah, Yogan
12:02 was the first race there and like you
12:04 said, the you know, Johnny's place was
12:06 was sealed, there was an awful lot going
12:08 on in the background, you know,
12:10 discussions in various teams as well.
12:12 Certainly like GB wasn't the only one as
12:14 far as where those ex final places were
12:18 were going to go to. Um were you just
12:19 looking at it right, you're going to do
12:22 what you can do and in a sense let fate
12:25 fate take its course or were you I've
12:26 got that's got to be me. I've got to be
12:32 the second GB male. For me, um whether I
12:34 qualified for the Olympics or not, I was
12:36 always going to do
12:38 regard irrespective of what was going to
12:39 happen. My focus of the start of the
12:42 year was was leading Yokohama because I
12:44 was actually outside the top 30 as well.
12:46 But for the Olympic um ranking and for
12:47 those who don't know, you have to be in
12:50 the top three. you have to have three of
12:52 your nation's athletes in the top 30 to
12:54 qualify three athletes um for your
12:57 gender for the Olympics. Um so Tom and I
12:59 were both kind of on the points chaser
13:01 at the start of that year. Um but at the
13:03 same time I just wanted to race my two
13:06 best races in those first uh two races
13:09 and I was almost a chunk of my year was
13:10 okay we're focusing on Yokohama and
13:12 leads these are two biggest race in the
13:14 season then you almost treat that as a
13:16 mini season then um whatever happens
13:18 after that will happen and luckily those
13:19 two went really well and then all of a
13:22 sudden you're like oh my goodness we're
13:24 we're I've just won leads and I've uh
13:26 got this opportunity now what's what we
13:29 doing now and so yeah that was that was
13:31 kind of my focus and I have a huge
13:33 amount of respect for Tom who who did so
13:35 many races and work so hard for us. And
13:38 I think um yeah, we've been incredibly
13:40 lucky in in Great Britain that we've had
13:42 so many people who who work behind the
13:44 scenes and work so hard for us to kind
13:48 of get us to to to that point. And um I
13:51 think it shows on race day that uh that
13:53 it's not only our performance which is
13:54 leading to that but it's the support
13:56 behind it and the little things which
13:59 you don't realize um which yeah we're
14:01 incredibly lucky to help.
14:03 >> And I suppose in the in the immediate
14:05 fallout of leads you very quickly
14:08 realized that it was you like was there
14:10 that at what point was the formal
14:12 conversation had that you would get in
14:16 that place? Did he take um to his
14:17 credit, Alice actually came up to me
14:19 after the race and just said, "Uh,
14:21 congratulations, mate. You were amazing
14:24 today." Um, he was a a real gent about
14:28 it. He was, um, yeah, he explained that
14:30 he had a he thinks he had an ankle
14:32 injury and he had to have some surgery
14:34 unfortunately. Um, and it was
14:36 unfortunate the way he he raced that
14:38 final race because he's obviously left
14:40 an incredible legacy in our sport. But
14:43 um yeah, he was incredibly nice to me
14:46 and um yeah, we we kind of I went
14:48 straight actually into a heat camp uh
14:50 the next day uh which is quite funny to
14:53 think about now um to to prepare for for
14:55 the Olympics. Um >> Wow.
14:55 >> Wow. >> So
14:57 >> So
14:58 >> yeah, it was
15:00 >> in Lra in LRA. So yeah, we were in Leeds
15:02 and then we moved down south to LRA and
15:05 kind of got cracking straight away. Um
15:06 which is which is crazy to think about
15:09 now when you look back at it. Um, but
15:11 yeah, it was it was it was non-stop, but
15:14 it was really really enjoyable enjoyable
15:16 few weeks of my life.
15:19 >> So, was Luffer the new the new leads? Is
15:21 that is that how it's going now?
15:23 >> Don't get me in trouble, mate.
15:24 >> No, I'm just playing. I absolutely love
15:26 Luffer and I'm incredibly lucky to be
15:28 working with um Adam Elliot down there
15:31 and he's been incredible help to me and
15:33 um yeah though we've had only had a
15:34 short time together I feel like we get
15:38 each other and he he was yes as much his
15:40 medal is mine that the hard work he's
15:42 put into me and invested in me and
15:44 incredibly lucky to have coaches of past
15:47 and O'Neal who was incredibly well had
15:49 taught me so many good good things that
15:51 I feel like I've brought down to lur and
15:53 I feel like I learned so much from the
15:55 excellence I had and in in leads and the
15:57 amazing athletes I I was able to train
15:59 with that I feel like I have opportunity
16:01 to kind of bring uh the things that I
16:02 really enjoyed there and the good bits
16:05 about the culture into to LRA and
16:06 hopefully I don't want to make it my
16:08 center is it's a a collective of
16:10 athletes but I really want to be able to
16:13 put in things which I I feel uh are
16:14 beneficial and and will make make
16:16 training more fun and enjoyable but also
16:18 we all get the best out of each other
16:21 and I feel like everyone's
16:22 really bought in and it's it's really
16:24 exciting where the sense ago.
16:28 >> So just so just prior to well I suppose
16:30 your base then at the start of 2021 was
16:32 LRA was it like that that's where living
16:34 and that's where you were training and
16:36 and who else is was training there or is
16:37 training there at the moment and you
16:39 know is that where you literally left
16:41 off to Tokyo from and it was like a all
16:44 right good luck dude. Yeah. So I during
16:46 lockdown I was living with my girlfriend
16:50 Olivia uh for about six months and then
16:53 LRA was actually the first um because of
16:55 the the kind of fantastic swimmers they
16:57 have in in British swimmer based in LRA
17:01 the likes of Adam PT um etc. Um they
17:03 they had first pool access and we were
17:04 able because of the risk assessment to
17:08 actually get a lane ourselves and um so
17:09 that was kind of a no-brainer for me
17:11 obviously needing to work on my swim. So
17:13 I I stayed in Luffer and I got to know
17:16 Adam and uh there was kind of a a
17:18 natural transition there where um I was
17:20 I was incredibly lucky to be welcomed in
17:23 and everyone was really welcome in. Um,
17:25 and now, yeah, I I kind of have stayed
17:28 ever since. And, um, yeah, I train with
17:31 with the likes of Sophie Caldwell and,
17:33 uh, Jody Simpson was there until a
17:35 couple of months ago and and Olivia Mafi
17:37 is my girlfriend. And then on the male
17:39 side, I train with Harry Lu, who's also
17:41 my housemate. Um yeah,
17:44 >> and Ben Dyster as well who's all these
17:47 guys are are incredible talents and and
17:48 have so much to give in the sport and
17:50 they they've they've given me so much of
17:52 their time and um it's going to be
17:53 really exciting to see where they will
17:55 go and there's so many more I could name
17:58 who who are I'm sure going to you all
18:01 know very soon. So it'll be I'm just
18:03 loving it, mate. It's it's been just
18:04 really really enjoyable.
18:06 >> Yeah. Yeah. Your battles with Ben go
18:07 back quite a long way as well, don't they?
18:07 they?
18:09 >> Yeah. Yeah, totally. No, we have a
18:12 really good relationship. Um, we had
18:14 many a battle as a as a junior and a
18:16 youth and even younger than that. Um,
18:18 but yeah, we're still best friends and
18:21 we'll still train together and we still
18:22 kind of on those rainy rides. We'll get
18:23 each other through it and we'll work
18:25 together and it goes for the same for
18:27 any other guy who's in in the lford
18:28 training squad that we'll all work for
18:31 each other or uh we're all bought we've
18:32 all kind of bought into it and we were
18:34 all really enjoying it. So, yeah, it's
18:37 it's really nice.
18:40 and Adam Pey in a sort of build up to an
18:42 Olympics. What's how was that working
18:44 like sharing a pool with him and sort of
18:46 was there an element of being quite
18:47 pleased that you're not a dedicated
18:50 swimmer yourself?
18:52 >> Yeah, so we swam I swam at the same time as
18:53 as
18:57 uh Adam Adam on Yeah. on two days uh of
19:00 the week. And the thing I remember most
19:02 is just Mel Marshall who's his coach.
19:04 She's just absolutely crazy and she's
19:06 just really animated and she's always
19:07 kind of getting everyone going and
19:09 really excited and I think um she
19:11 brought a really good energy to the pool
19:12 and she made she clearly made it
19:13 exciting for the the British drummers.
19:15 Um but I also found it quite amusing
19:18 watching myself so I think they they
19:21 were all uh well they all had a really
19:24 successful um Olympics and swimmers so
19:26 it's been incredible to see and um
19:29 obviously Adam's done amazing on
19:30 strictly come dancing which means you've
19:33 officially made it. Um,
19:34 so yeah, it's been it's been really cool
19:36 to to kind of see him and he's been
19:37 obviously a massive inspiration to
19:39 everyone in LRA, but I also think it's
19:40 it's quite amusing when you go back to
19:42 LRA because there's so much excellence.
19:43 You kind of go back with a gold and
19:45 silver medal and they're like, you just
19:47 you're just one of us now. So, which I
19:49 really like and it keeps you keeps you
19:50 humble and keeps you you kind of
19:53 hustling and working hard. So, yeah.
19:56 >> And how was the whirlwind pre-Olympics
19:58 in terms of, you know, so you went to
20:00 Miyazaki, there was the training camp
20:04 there. Um did did the team around you
20:06 manage to make it did was there an
20:08 effort to try and keep everything as
20:10 sort of normal race build up normal as
20:11 possible because there is a huge amount
20:14 of pressure on everyone around the team
20:15 to get the results right more perhaps
20:17 more than any other race you've
20:19 experienced I don't know so yeah how how
20:20 was that
20:23 >> yeah I think for me the thing I noticed
20:25 most about the Olympics is how
20:26 experienced everyone was everyone seemed
20:30 to had prior experience of with regard
20:31 to the support staff and actually the
20:34 athletes themselves um kind of
20:36 experience around those high pressure
20:40 scenarios and um the the thing I noticed
20:41 was just how supportive people were but
20:44 from a but not intrusive in a way. So it
20:46 wasn't like that kind of it didn't feel
20:49 over the top. It felt really natural and
20:51 um we'd almost had this build up
20:54 altogether in LRA um where I'd seen
20:55 almost everyone that it didn't feel like
20:57 really artificial so many people coming
20:58 in at one point just for the holding
21:01 camp. It felt like I'd worked with all
21:02 these people for well I have worked with
21:04 all these people for the last two three
21:06 years without realizing which is quite
21:10 crazy that you you kind of there's
21:11 almost that preparation leading in
21:15 before you even know it. So um it was it
21:17 was we in a way we were really lucky we
21:19 had Miaak the Miyazaki training camp. I
21:22 think it was us, the Norwegians and um
21:24 the Japanese who were really lucky to
21:26 actually be able to go outside and do
21:28 our training outside and and those
21:30 things in in Japan, whereas I think a
21:31 lot of people had to cancel their
21:34 holding camps because of the the co
21:36 pandemic and and had to just go into the
21:39 the Olympic village uh having having
21:42 trained at home and and just uh yeah,
21:44 not experienced the conditions. But so
21:46 we were incredibly lucky in that sense.
21:48 But uh it was it was actually the rainy
21:50 season in in Miyazaki because it's quite
21:53 um significant south from uh south of
21:56 Japan. So we were getting days which
21:58 were 35 36 degrees, 90% humidity. But
22:00 then we're also getting days which were
22:02 the worst thunderstorms I've ever seen
22:04 in my life. Virgin on typhoons
22:07 which is which was uh unnerving when
22:10 you're 34 stories high in a building.
22:12 >> Yeah. But as it turned out quite good
22:13 preparation for the women.
22:14 >> Exactly. Yeah. No, it's true. We we
22:17 weren't laughing because the girls did a
22:19 a race prep scenario where they woke up
22:23 at 3:00 a.m. like we did for our race
22:26 and uh got up and did their swim at 6:30
22:28 and it was really bad weather, awful
22:29 conditions. They're like, "Why are we
22:30 doing this? We're never going to have
22:32 race conditions like this." And then it
22:34 turned out they did. So, it was it was
22:36 amusing as a way to look back on that
22:38 and think, "Oh, you actually were doing
22:39 the right thing."
22:41 >> Yeah. It's wild to think that, you know,
22:44 Basma from Egypt was saying, "Yeah, she
22:47 had, you know, they barely get storms,
22:49 let alone like those sort of typhoon
22:50 conditions." So, when she woke up that morning,
22:51 morning,
22:53 >> it sort of blew her away a little bit.
22:56 Not, you know, bad intended.
22:59 >> So, yeah, there's there's a lot to be
23:00 said for having a little taste of
23:02 everything in the buildup to such a big
23:04 >> No, totally. Yeah, that was one thing
23:06 which uh a lot of people have fed back
23:09 on I think from other nations is that uh
23:11 team GB brought out these dry robes
23:15 which are extremely big jackets uh slash
23:18 changing room type thing type kind of towels
23:19 towels
23:22 um which are meant to keep you warm in
23:23 extreme cold conditions or like after
23:25 you've done a water swim or something
23:28 like that and a lot of other nations
23:29 looked at us and said why have you
23:31 brought them out that's extremely silly
23:33 it's a waste of money and god knows how
23:36 much extra for uh that to actually be
23:39 brought across um in terms of money. Um
23:41 but then on race day they were using
23:43 them and and both all of the team UB
23:45 girls had them on and I think that was a
23:47 a big statement to the rest of the
23:48 nations that we were we're incredibly
23:51 lucky to have that support and all bases
23:53 have been covered in that terms of
23:55 thought process and
23:56 >> yeah it was it was really cool to see
23:59 that and I think it was a a bit of a
24:02 moment or yeah for us to to be like yeah
24:05 we're we're really lucky in that sense.
24:07 Were you just to fast forward to the
24:08 women's race because that was obviously
24:11 the day after the men's, but were you uh
24:13 >> Yeah. were you up for that like you know
24:15 were you able to watch it in your rooms
24:17 or how did that play out? Like quite
24:18 nice to have got your race done and then
24:20 be able to watch the entertainment. Was it?
24:21 it?
24:23 >> Yeah. So, well, normally with world
24:26 champion format, we're always second, so
24:28 we never really get to enjoy the the
24:31 women's race, but yeah, I was I was um I
24:32 don't think I set that night really,
24:35 honestly. But um no,
24:37 >> I was up. I remember because I had a
24:40 really nice view of the kind of swim uh
24:42 swim course because we stayed in the
24:45 hotel instead of staying in the in the
24:46 Olympic village just for ease of
24:48 logistics and we were really lucky in
24:51 that sense as well. Um so I had
24:52 incredible view of the swim. So I
24:53 remember watching the swim and then
24:55 flicking back to the to the coverage. I
24:58 travel on live and then back up. Um and
25:00 then one of one of my friends Sam who
25:02 was uh at the Olympics for as a reserve
25:05 athlete for the relay. Um he also had a
25:07 view of the bike course. So I'd run
25:08 across in his room and have a look at
25:10 the bike course and we see them whiz
25:12 past and then
25:14 >> um yeah it was just it was just really
25:15 cool to be able to kind of whiz across
25:17 and Johnny was there as well and Gordon
25:20 Benson who was also out there as a as a
25:22 reserve. Um they were all just getting
25:25 really animated and obviously we had two
25:27 two girls incredibly well. and Vicki
25:29 also do incredibly well. So, um
25:30 >> yeah, it was just really really
25:33 inspiring to watch them and um they kind
25:35 of set precedence for us and uh going
25:37 into the relay that we were kind of
25:40 really really in a good position.
25:42 >> Yeah, it's just amazing to see Georgia
25:45 and Jess and their relationship and um
25:47 Georgia go through such a tough time
25:49 prior to prior to the Olympics and have
25:51 probably the hardest build up of any
25:52 athlete um and then achieve what she
25:55 did. It was incredibly inspiring. I felt
25:56 incredibly proud for her and she should
25:58 be proud of herself.
26:00 >> How provy were you to the ins and outs
26:02 of her situation in the in the buildup
26:04 then? Well, I mean, you're obviously
26:06 focused on your what's going on with
26:07 you, but as far as the relay goes,
26:09 obviously there were big consequences as
26:10 well to her fitness as well as being a
26:12 friend that you want to see out there
26:13 doing her stuff.
26:15 >> Yeah, I I probably shouldn't comment too
26:17 much on her ins and outs. Uh, obviously
26:19 that's that's kind of her story to to
26:22 talk about, but um, as a friend, I just
26:23 wanted to kind of be there for her and
26:25 make sure she was she was all right and
26:26 she was still enjoying what she was
26:28 doing. She was still motivated. I know
26:30 there's um I have a one of my best
26:32 friends, Jordan Hull, his his girlfriend
26:35 uh was was actually moved out of her
26:38 accommodation and moved in uh really
26:40 near to to Georgia to help her through
26:42 her through her through her kind of her
26:45 times and her training and kind of rehab
26:47 and build build up back to the games and
26:50 um she had that really small team which
26:52 kind of did an incredible job to to get
26:53 her back to to where where she is now.
26:55 and it's incredible to see it go through
26:57 Super League and Jess obviously doing so
26:58 well as well and obviously all the
27:00 British girls. It's been super
27:04 inspiring. Um and yeah, I think we're
27:06 incredibly lucky to be led by incredible
27:08 group of females in here in in Great
27:11 Bron and British Triathlon. So, um yeah,
27:13 leading by example for us
27:16 and in me as then just back to there,
27:18 was there much you know the Norwegians
27:20 were they stayed in the same hotel? Was
27:21 it kind of a little bit private in
27:24 secrecy? Was there bit of hanging out or
27:27 did you just try to avoid each other?
27:28 >> We definitely I wouldn't say we were
27:29 avoiding each other but they were
27:31 staying in the hotel just 400 meters
27:32 down the road from us. So we were ever
27:34 so slightly apart. I think they were
27:35 doing a little bit or had a
27:36 collaboration with the the Japanese
27:38 federation but we see them every now and
27:40 then. And whenever I'd see them I think
27:42 I'd just see Bloom Fel with a grit grit
27:44 gray teeth and just absolutely
27:48 sprinting. I just like the guy's all in
27:52 and respected him. He really was. And um
27:54 uh yeah, it was I I I do have vivid
27:56 memories of him running past me up to
27:59 grit teeth just all out. And
28:01 uh yeah,
28:03 >> yeah, produced at at the finish in
28:04 Edmonton there. And
28:08 >> so so for you personally, were you in
28:10 perhaps like some sort of a sweet spot? Obviously,
28:12 Obviously,
28:14 you're going into a race with a goal and
28:16 with a purpose, but you didn't have the
28:19 same quite the same level of expectation
28:20 perhaps from the outside, perhaps from
28:22 yourself as some of the other people on
28:24 your start list. Was there did you feel
28:25 like you could go in a little bit a
28:27 little bit looser and just do your stuff?
28:28 stuff? Yeah,
28:30 Yeah,
28:32 for me I I just wanted to prepare the
28:34 best I could and
28:36 honestly just remember it as my first
28:38 Olympics and I spoke to so many people
28:41 before um the race for advice and stuff
28:43 like that and get their opinion on
28:45 things and the thing that everyone came
28:47 back to is that it's your first Olympics
28:49 and the people have passed they've
28:52 forgot to to think about and enjoy the
28:53 fact that they're at their first ever
28:55 Olympic games. It's an achievement in
28:56 itself and it's been a lifelong goal of
28:58 mine to get there. So the main thing for
29:01 me was just I prepared the best I can.
29:02 I'm standing on the side of complete
29:04 clarity of that, but also look around,
29:06 enjoy your surroundings. Enjoy what
29:08 you're doing. Um, make sure you remember
29:10 everything you're doing. And and for me,
29:14 I can look back at 56 minutes and 33
29:16 seconds and probably be like, like if
29:17 you free frame it, I can tell you
29:18 exactly what was going through in my
29:20 head. And I don't have many races like
29:22 that, but for the Olympics, I could tell
29:24 you exactly through the bike, through
29:26 the swim, through the through the whole
29:28 of the relay as well, all my
29:29 experiences. And I could probably close
29:31 my eyes and cycle that bike course
29:32 because I just run it through my head a
29:35 million times just because it wasn't an
29:37 obsession, but it was just an absolute
29:40 passion. And um yeah, that the memories
29:44 of it uh yeah, just so so fun. You did
29:46 visualize each element, did you? Over
29:48 and over again then before because you
29:50 know it was it was a long time since you
29:52 you raced the test event.
29:55 >> I did. Yeah. Not very well. >> Yeah.
29:55 >> Yeah.
29:57 >> Did that in itself give you plenty to
30:01 work on then and yeah extra memory to to
30:02 to build through?
30:05 >> Yeah. I just well I actually got dropped
30:09 on the on the bike on the on on the uh
30:12 Tokyo test event because uh we had we
30:14 were measuring our core temperature and
30:15 my core temperature went up to I think
30:18 41 degrees which is like kind of
30:20 ridiculous and I think I just hit a
30:22 point where I just exploded internally
30:25 and uh so a massive goal for me was to
30:26 try and avoid that happening throughout
30:28 the race and manage kind of intensity
30:31 and and the stress I was put through my
30:33 body. So for me visualizing the course
30:35 and making sure I was efficient through
30:36 everything through throughout
30:38 specifically the bike was super
30:40 important and positioning myself in a
30:41 place where I could be aggressive and
30:44 and push towards the front but also not
30:46 have to to push to those extreme high
30:49 wattages and uh there's partic there's
30:51 one dead turn which probably looks
30:53 really insignificant on the telly but
30:56 you you go from pretty much zero k an
30:57 hour at one point and you go down a
30:59 highway road under under a bridge and
31:01 you go up to about 70 km an hour and you
31:04 do that in about 30 seconds which is
31:06 just the amount of stress that you have
31:07 to go through to kind of get up to that
31:10 speed is is yeah quite significant
31:12 during a trap and we have to run 10k
31:15 after and I think those the thought
31:16 processes of that and having to manage
31:18 those things throughout a trap and was
31:20 something which we never kind of looked
31:21 into before and actually breaking it
31:24 down and seeing kind of what power I was
31:26 putting through before I got dropped on
31:29 the on the bike in in um in the test ben
31:30 and then trying to replicate that in
31:32 training And so I was ready for those
31:34 explosions if they did happen. And we
31:36 and luckily they they didn't because I
31:38 was able to swim in swim okay and be in
31:40 the in the in the second pack quite
31:43 early. Um but yeah, I think for me that
31:46 was that kind of visualization really
31:49 helped me kind of flow through things
31:52 and and not kind of mess up and have to
31:54 to do those little 1 percenters which
31:56 make a difference when it comes down to
31:58 how close our final was. And I'm sure
32:01 there were moments which weren't perfect
32:03 and and no race is perfect over two
32:06 hours. It's well I'm yet to experience
32:10 that. So I think yeah for me uh that was
32:12 kind of my thought process I guess.
32:16 >> Yeah. Yeah. But and each each section as
32:18 it progressed you must have kept feeling
32:21 as well like this is this is my kind of
32:22 race here. like the swim was very
32:24 condensed and
32:25 >> I don't know at the halfway point when
32:27 you came out back in like where
32:29 whereabouts you were but certainly after
32:30 the swim there was only kind of a minute
32:35 between first and last um so that it
32:37 must be a moment of right this is on
32:39 let's let's let's get into this and then
32:41 I guess the the bike inevitably slowed a
32:43 little bit as the pack got like pretty
32:44 huge towards
32:46 >> on that last lap so there were certain
32:48 things that were there's a hell of a lot
32:49 of way to go but that were that were
32:52 setting up nicely for that run, right?
32:56 Yeah, I was I definitely say I was
32:58 lucky, but also I guess you make your
33:01 own luck in a way. um for the the way
33:03 the the kind of race scenario went and
33:07 um there definitely was a an excitement
33:10 I guess and uh for me when things were
33:11 coming together but then also I was just
33:13 trying to focus on the next 30 seconds
33:16 ahead of me because you're in a bike
33:17 pack so many things can go wrong
33:18 especially in the size we were and the
33:20 course we were doing it was extremely
33:22 technical and um people are nervous it's
33:24 an Olympic games there's a lot on the
33:25 line uh it's a really high pressure
33:28 environment so for me I just had to
33:29 focus on what I was during that time and
33:31 focus on that next 30 seconds. Make sure
33:32 I got around that dead turn, make sure I
33:34 was positioned well, make sure I was out
33:37 of trouble. And um yeah, for me, I I
33:41 just tried to not let myself think about
33:43 kind of too get too far ahead of myself.
33:45 Just kind of focus on the there and now
33:47 and stay present. And
33:49 >> I think that that was kind of my mindset
33:51 throughout it. And yeah, moving on to
33:53 the run, I I on those first few strides,
33:55 I wouldn't say I felt particularly good.
33:57 Um I almost found myself building into
34:00 the run in a way. And um after the first
34:02 lap, having so many people in the mix,
34:04 it was it was pretty crazy because I
34:06 thought I was running I was running
34:10 pretty quick and um yeah, it was it was
34:12 definitely attritional towards the end,
34:14 but I just tried to focus on the next
34:16 100 strides I was doing and then the
34:18 next 100 strides after that and then
34:19 that kind of got me through it and got
34:22 me kind of to to that silver medal.
34:24 >> Yeah. I mean, from the moment you you
34:26 caught Andreas Alisber, right, who'd
34:28 kind of gone off on that on the light
34:31 final stage of the bike and then I mean,
34:34 it was you spearheading that run for for
34:36 quite a lot of the way. Um, you know,
34:39 how is that position for you like being
34:41 the chaste and in that sort of
34:44 situation? And I mean, it must have been
34:45 kind of mentally exhausting as well,
34:47 right? I suppose there were plenty
34:49 plenty of kind of hair pins that you
34:51 could assess exactly what was going on
34:53 around you as well. Yeah, I think for me
34:55 as well, this year has kind of been the
34:58 first time where I've been able to race
35:01 people at the front of races and I still
35:05 don't think I found my style of racing.
35:07 Uh, you see, Blumenfeld's clearly got
35:10 quite a distinctive style where he goes
35:12 from kind of 2K to a K out and he just
35:14 absolutely goes for it and that's it.
35:17 And for me, I'm not sure whether I'd
35:19 actually suit a style where I go for the
35:21 best 10K I physically can run or whether
35:23 I wait till the end. I tried that in
35:24 Super League. It seems to work pretty
35:26 well, but also almost didn't work very
35:28 well. So, so you never know with these
35:30 things. So, I still feel like I'm trying
35:32 to find myself and find my identity
35:34 within triathlon and my style of racing.
35:37 And also I guess I don't want to be too
35:38 predictable in in that sense as well
35:41 that I have I'm very onedimensional and
35:43 I can just win races from one one
35:45 aspect. Um but yeah, I think for me in
35:48 that Olympic Games I was just I was just
35:50 so excited to be at the front of of the
35:54 Olympic Games and and just like as much
35:56 as I was working extremely hard and I
35:57 was extremely tired, I was so excited to
35:59 just be there and
36:02 >> um and to be with and and Hayden
36:04 alongside as well. And it that must have
36:06 all played into it as well a little bit.
36:08 It was just
36:12 it was just like like a like a dream
36:14 really. I I don't know that sounds
36:16 really cliche but you just never imagine
36:17 yourself being in that position until
36:21 you're kind of there and you just like
36:22 every now and then you kind of come out
36:25 of it and you're almost like wow um is
36:28 this really happening? like am I really
36:31 in the last three battling for the
36:34 medals of the Olympics? And um I think
36:37 for for me you don't want to give
36:40 yourself that that those thoughts, but
36:41 at the same time I was just having so
36:42 much fun and just enjoying myself so
36:46 much that was Yeah. that you almost
36:48 Yeah. I I don't know. It's I think think
36:49 for me I probably could have paced the
36:51 run better definitely and stuff like
36:52 that. But would I have changed it?
36:54 probably not cuz it's it was how I ran
36:56 it and how I was feeling in the moment and
36:57 and
37:00 >> um I yeah it was it was just super
37:04 enjoyable moment and uh yeah I look back
37:06 on it fondly because I feel like I got
37:07 everything out of my body but I also
37:09 enjoyed myself and I had one of my best
37:12 races of my life if not the best race of
37:14 my life and came away with an Olympic
37:18 medal and and and for me
37:21 uh in a way sorry to keep waffling But
37:28 >> I'm I'm totally at peace I didn't win
37:30 win win the gold. I feel like in terms
37:33 of the preparation I had I
37:35 I I did everything I could. I prepared
37:36 the best I could in the heat with the
37:39 time frame I had and feel like I had the
37:41 best equipment, the best support,
37:43 everything I had like that. But I don't
37:44 feel like the complete arts school yet.
37:46 I don't feel like the complete
37:48 triathlete I want to be. And if I if I
37:50 ever fortunate enough to be in a
37:51 situation like that again, I want to be
37:54 in know in a position like that where I
37:55 I feel like I've done everything I
37:57 physically can to get to that point and
37:59 I cross that finish line and be like,
38:01 "Wow, this is I feel I feel like I've
38:03 achieved this and I've worked so hard
38:08 for this and um yeah, and I feel like I
38:09 I had the best swim back and run I I
38:11 physically could have could have had and
38:13 I'm in the best physical shape of my
38:15 life and
38:17 >> um I know everyone's not fortunate
38:19 enough to have those those
38:21 opportunities. But yeah, that's that's
38:24 kind of know my my dream scenario is to
38:26 just kind of have Yeah, I don't know.
38:27 I'm probably morphing a little bit, but
38:29 that's kind of how how I feel about it.
38:31 >> No, I mean that that unpredictability, I
38:33 suppose, could be your your secret
38:35 weapon, right? You know, and you're
38:37 still, you know, you've got years of
38:38 triathlon ahead of you. So, finding your
38:41 your run style or if you even feel you
38:42 need to, but that adaptability could be
38:43 your secret weapon. And then maybe
38:46 sometimes some situations it'll it won't
38:49 work as well as others. And um
38:51 Christians obviously that you know for
38:54 that games for that individual race that
38:56 was something he'd been as he said
38:57 several times you know he'd been working
38:59 for 10 years to that point that was his
39:01 destiny. That was his target for so long
39:05 and um and he made it happen. And then
39:07 kind of conversely for you and Hayden,
39:09 you were finding yourselves, I guess, I
39:10 don't know, did you discuss it with
39:11 Hayden at all? Like that that you were
39:13 sort of, you know, in that medal
39:14 contention, there were three of you all
39:16 going for the gold. Nobody knew which
39:17 way it was going to go at the, I guess,
39:21 500 meter mark or whatever. Um,
39:24 and so exciting that it's three, you
39:25 know, between you and the women, there
39:28 was like I think a 13th place was the
39:30 previous top Olympic positioning, plenty
39:33 of debuts and so on. So, you know, it
39:35 was all it was all beautifully set up, I
39:37 guess, after all of that. Did you and
39:39 Hayden discuss it at all after like
39:41 that, you know, how you had felt and
39:43 just that kind of raw excitement of the
39:44 of the moment?
39:46 >> Yeah, I mean, I think for us too, we
39:48 were Yeah, like I said, we were probably
39:52 just living our dream in a way. Um,
39:54 and yeah, when we finished, we had an
39:56 embrace and we were just like couldn't
39:58 really believe what was happening. And
40:00 uh yeah, I think we were both kind of
40:02 out of it cuz we were I remember both of
40:03 us just kind of leaning on each other
40:04 and we were almost falling over a little
40:10 bit. Um cuz we in a way though we we
40:12 blue and moved away from us. We were all
40:16 kind of pretty much full gas moving kind
40:17 of all about a similar distance away
40:19 from each other. Um just trying to get
40:22 to the finish line. Um just because I
40:23 guess no place is certain until the end
40:26 especially in those conditions. Uh but
40:27 yeah, it was it was a pretty special
40:29 moment. I remember almost falling over
40:31 actually when we when we took the left
40:33 turn into
40:34 um to start running down the hill into
40:36 the finish. I just my legs just kind of
40:38 gave up on me. I was like, "Don't give
40:41 up on me now." But yeah, it was Yeah, me
40:43 and Hayden have had many a battle over
40:45 the years and we we we rarely spend much
40:47 more than 100 meters away from each
40:49 other throughout races. So it's is
40:50 really special to to kind of share that
40:54 with him and um yeah hopefully we'll
40:56 have many more battles to come. I think
40:58 that's something which I cherish is the
41:00 the opportunity to kind of get the best
41:01 out of myself and I feel like he's
41:02 somebody who really challenges me to do
41:05 that and I hope I challenge him as well.
41:08 >> Yeah. So for the relay um getting
41:10 together doing the lineup having to wait
41:12 for three legs for your moment must have
41:15 been a form of torture was it?
41:19 >> Yeah. Gosh. Um yeah, so straight after
41:22 the individual uh we had we had a press
41:24 conference and and stuff like that and I
41:25 remember we all had our medals on the
41:27 table and I remember looking distinctly
41:30 at at Blooming Felts and
41:32 you you can probably if you look at
41:33 pictures you can really tell they done a
41:35 good job of making the gold extra extra
41:38 shiny and the gold is just when you put
41:40 them all next to each other just even
41:42 when I was at the the primary school no
41:45 kids touch my uh no kids were touching
41:46 my silver they all touching the gold and
41:49 I remember just thinking, man, if we we
41:50 could do this and I really want to do
41:53 this. And that afternoon, I had a little
41:54 bit of media to do when all the the
41:57 British public woke up and and uh we we
41:59 did a few interviews and stuff, but then
42:00 straight after that, I was back in the
42:02 pool that day and made sure I was doing
42:03 everything I could to be be in a
42:05 position to kind of do my my team proud
42:08 and and prepare the best I could. And
42:12 yeah, the first three legs of of our of
42:14 our race couldn't have gone any better,
42:16 honestly. Um they all kind of had probably
42:18 probably
42:20 in my opinion three of the the best
42:22 relay legs that have ever been seen in
42:24 triathlon. Um
42:26 and yeah that did make me incredibly
42:30 nervous and I don't know if I've ever
42:32 felt the pressure that I felt at that
42:34 point. Um I actually had not a panic
42:37 attack but I had like a bit of like a
42:39 point where I couldn't really breathe to
42:43 one of my the physiootherapist called um
42:47 uh Emma Deacon and she I was like feel
42:48 like I'm just breathing really strong.
42:50 My heart's beating so fast. She's like
42:51 it's a good thing your heart's beating.
42:52 It means you're alive and stuff like I
42:54 was like yeah that's true that's true.
42:56 And even those little words just made
42:57 such a big difference to me and it just
42:58 calmed me down and
43:01 >> got that swim and I swam swam well and I
43:03 anticipated Mint catching me on the bike and
43:04 and
43:05 >> when he came past me I didn't anticipate
43:07 him coming by that quick but I was able
43:10 to get on that wheel and make sure I
43:12 stayed there and attacking transition
43:14 and and yeah run away and and the the
43:17 feeling that
43:19 in a way I didn't allow myself after the
43:22 the Tokyo test event and how close the
43:23 finish was to lose that sprint finish to
43:25 the French in the final and then allow
43:27 myself kind of that luxury to to kind of
43:28 celebrate down the finish line. I just
43:30 wanted to get there and make sure I did
43:33 everything I could after three uh the
43:35 three guys just done an incredible
43:36 incredible job. I just wanted to to
43:38 finish it off and do the proud and do
43:42 the nation proud and that yeah
43:43 >> that feeling when you when you cross the
43:45 finish line you're like Olympic
43:48 champions first ever first ever time the
43:50 event has happened I think uh yeah it
43:52 was just incredible and the reception
43:54 back home the amount of people that just
43:57 enjoyed watching and I think one of the
43:58 it came up that one of the most googled
44:00 things was like how to start triathlon
44:02 and stuff like that you're like what
44:04 what this is crazy like people are
44:07 actually enjoying what doing and you
44:09 just start something as a as a hobby and
44:10 for the enjoyment of it and then people
44:13 are like yeah buying it and and staying
44:15 up late at night and the amount of
44:16 people are saying oh yeah I'm going to
44:17 go for a run tomorrow morning or I
44:19 stayed up this late I'm going to go to
44:20 work in 3 hours and stuff like that you
44:23 like it's just amazing that the power of
44:26 sport and the fact that we could yeah
44:30 after just such a rubbish time co and
44:33 stuff like that to be able to yeah for
44:36 people to en enjoy enjoy sport again and
44:38 for us to put a smile on their face.
44:43 >> Um yeah, and I suppose yeah that that uh
44:47 that final transition was was the from a
44:48 sort of observer point of view. Well,
44:50 you managing to hang on to to Vince's
44:52 back wheel and then I guess kind of
44:54 tucking in behind him for that last lap
44:56 was presumably exactly where you wanted
44:58 to be and he was testing and asking
45:00 plenty of questions and
45:01 >> um but at the same time he must have
45:03 been thinking about needing to keep some
45:05 in reserve for the run. So there was a
45:07 good cat and mouse going on there.
45:09 >> Yeah, definitely. I think for me the the
45:12 way he attacked past uh how he did, he
45:14 kind of set a precedent that I was
45:15 probably never going to come to the
45:17 front at that point because of not trust
45:19 issues, but I just didn't want I I was
45:22 kind of aware of what had happened to to
45:25 Morgan behind and obviously him being
45:27 dropped off by by Vince. That was
45:29 incredible incredible move that he did
45:31 actually watching it back. Um, but I
45:33 just I couldn't afford myself the luxury
45:35 to to kind of go to the front and take
45:37 the corners at the front because it was
45:38 unpredictable what he could do and I
45:40 wanted to to make sure I could see what
45:42 was going on and instead of it just
45:43 happening out of nowhere like it did
45:46 obviously going into transition and me
45:47 almost losing kind of two free bike
45:48 lengths and having to make that up on
45:50 somebody who's going incredibly quick.
45:51 It was
45:53 >> pretty tough
45:55 >> and to be able to do that. So I mean
45:57 that final transition was unbelievably
46:00 tense but but equally Vincent didn't
46:04 necessarily go in perfectly to plan. So
46:05 you know interesting to say you had the
46:07 the test event kind of photo finish
46:09 situation played over in your head a bit
46:10 as well but those first strides knowing
46:12 that that that the shoes were on and you
46:13 were out and you had a bit of a thing
46:15 and that was the 2K. >> Yeah.
46:15 >> Yeah.
46:18 >> Yeah. That first lap I was all in. like
46:19 everything I had went into that first
46:21 lap after kind of assessing the
46:22 situation, seeing the big screen, seeing
46:24 I had a little bit of a I was like, I'm
46:26 all in and if I lose this now, then the
46:28 person who beats me is a better person
46:31 than me. And I got to that that K point
46:33 and I had about 10 10 seconds or
46:35 something like that. I was like, just
46:37 got to keep going now and try and match
46:39 what I did before. And I probably didn't
46:41 even get close to matching it, but I did
46:43 everything I could and and yeah, just
46:45 made sure I brought it home for the
46:47 guys. And I I obviously were we had the
46:48 opportunity to see them. They gave me a
46:50 massive cheer and gave me some good
46:52 information as I came past and that kept
46:55 me believing and kept me motivated and
46:58 >> um yeah, it gives you that purpose again
46:59 that you you're doing this for for
47:00 yourself, you're doing this for your
47:02 country, you're doing it for for those
47:04 guys as well. And yeah, it's just very cool.
47:05 cool.
47:06 >> Yeah. Well, I mean, yeah, it was just a
47:08 brilliant moment for the for the sport,
47:10 wasn't it? And for to think how now
47:12 other team Yeah. Not that they didn't,
47:14 everyone was all in for for that one,
47:16 but it's only going to get bigger and
47:18 more of a focus for for the future
47:19 games, isn't it? Like that that team
47:21 element and and wanting to wanting to
47:24 deliver that moment for your teammates.
47:26 >> Yeah, I think for us as well, as much as
47:29 we wanted to do well and achieve what we
47:33 achieved and race how we raced, um I
47:35 think we wanted to make sure that the
47:36 the mix relay was seen as a really
47:38 viable event for the Olympics. And I
47:40 think from the reception back home, it
47:42 almost was received better than the
47:44 individual races were. And people love
47:46 the fact it's mixed genders and it's
47:47 short, it's sharp, it's straightforward,
47:49 everyone knows what's happening. Three,
47:52 four people do swim, bike, run uh one
47:55 after the other and it's girl boy, girl
47:57 boy. Like it it just it just made sense
47:59 to people and people really bought in
48:00 and people staying up late to watch it
48:03 back at home in the UK and in Europe and
48:05 people enjoyed it and and got behind us
48:07 and yeah, it was amazing. It was just
48:09 really really good moment for Drafford I think.
48:10 think.
48:12 >> Yeah. You know it was it was just after
48:16 the Rio Olympics you had your first
48:17 junior world champs right that was your
48:19 first grand final in cosml as well and
48:21 that was just after Rio and another
48:23 moment with Alli and Johnny and you know
48:24 the the situation at the tail end of
48:27 that race. So I just wanted to, you
48:29 know, do you remember much about, you
48:30 know, so much has happened the last
48:32 couple of years, but do you remember
48:35 things about that first world champs and
48:39 the bruhaha around the the Brownley
48:42 situation there and did that all kind of
48:43 you how fresh is are those kind of
48:46 moments and and those sort of first big
48:49 international events on in your memory?
48:52 Yeah, I think Cosmemell really set
48:54 standard for me because Cosmemell in
48:56 Mexico uh was probably the most
48:59 luxurious amazing place I'd ever been to
49:01 in my life. And then I thought every
49:02 World Championship is going to be like
49:03 this. It's going to be amazing. Going to
49:04 get swim with fishes and it's going to
49:07 be crystal clear waters and really nice
49:08 and amazing. And we got to go to Florida
49:10 before. And yeah, I just remember it was
49:14 such fun memories and um I I don't I
49:16 think I came fifth that day and I had a
49:18 pretty good race. But I think the thing
49:19 I remembered was just the camaraderie
49:21 between the British athletes, whether
49:22 you're a junior or whether you're a
49:23 senior. Everyone was hanging out
49:25 together. We all were or one big team,
49:27 whether that was recently crowned
49:29 Olympic champion or Vicky Holland who
49:31 just got her her Olympic medal as well
49:33 for the first time. It was just
49:35 >> amazing to be part of that team. And
49:36 everyone worked together and got the
49:38 best out of each other. And yeah, what a
49:41 moment for for Alan John. I mean,
49:42 obviously Johnny's not a massive fan of
49:44 talking about it and stuff, but for us,
49:45 we were watching. We were running from
49:46 all kinds of corners to watch what what
49:48 was going on. I was obviously training
49:50 with Tom at the time and I was massively
49:51 cheering for him, but then also aware
49:53 that Alistister and Johnny were doing
49:56 incredibly well. And yeah, it was it was
49:58 it was just bizarre to see Johnny at one
49:59 point over over there and then running
50:02 across and then just seeing uh those two
50:05 kind of in arms probably love all the
50:06 all the phrases just kind of coming down
50:08 that finish line. And I think it it was
50:10 just a really iconic moment for
50:11 triathon. To kind of see it in the flesh was
50:13 was
50:16 uh exciting, but also I felt felt bad
50:18 watching it as well just because of how
50:22 um a situation Johnny was in. But um I
50:23 think also incredibly proud moment for
50:25 for both of them. It should be that
50:29 >> that they showed um kind of what like
50:32 how how we are in triathlon and what
50:34 what kind of people we are. I feel like
50:35 we a lot of people would do that for for
50:37 other people in the sport and I think
50:40 that's incredible to show and uh the
50:42 Super League series recently has shown
50:45 that um as much as we race for a nation
50:47 and stuff, we're all friends within the
50:48 sport and we all will help each other
50:50 and we'll all there's no eos here. We're
50:52 all here to to race the best we can and
50:54 get the most out of our bodies and and
50:55 challenge each other but also be
50:57 challenged as well. And I think I think
51:00 it's a it's it's incredible to be part
51:01 of such a cool sport like that. And
51:03 yeah, they kind of set that up
51:04 presidents there.
51:07 >> Yeah. Yeah. And it's a it's a it's a
51:09 gutsiness that you obviously showed a
51:12 year later. Calerie, that terrible
51:15 accident. You know, many people whose
51:18 sort of first knowledge of Alice, you
51:20 might you having been perhaps Tokyo
51:22 wouldn't necessarily know that. Yeah.
51:24 You suffered a horrendous accident on
51:26 the bike in the car in the world cup in
51:29 Calary 2017, right? And that that took
51:33 you out for a year. Um I mean yeah I
51:36 just want to reflect a bit on on that.
51:40 How perhaps you know was that a a
51:43 formative part of you now in terms of
51:45 mental toughness in terms of what you
51:47 must have gone through immediately after
51:50 that race you know from just from like
51:51 it being one of your first World Cups.
51:52 Was it your first World Cup?
51:54 >> It was my first ever World Cup. Yeah.
51:56 >> First ever World Cup. And then so you
51:58 you hit a bolard,
52:01 >> you punctured lungs. Uh well, lung um
52:04 broken ribs,
52:07 >> vertebrae, shoulder, hit my head. Yeah.
52:10 All the all the wrong things. But in a
52:12 way, I was incredibly lucky, pardon me,
52:14 for it to happen where it did happen. It
52:18 happened right in transition. And my I
52:20 don't know how, but amazingly, my my
52:22 physiotherapist and and kind of medical
52:24 staff were literally about 10 meters
52:26 away from where it happened, and she was
52:28 able to get to me straight away. If you
52:29 watch the video, you can see her within
52:31 kind of 20 seconds of it happening
52:33 actually just by my side making sure I'm
52:35 okay checking all my vitals and stuff
52:37 like that. So although it was an awful
52:39 awful accident, I was incredibly lucky
52:42 to have kind of her by my side straight
52:44 away and she in a way probably had a bit
52:47 of an impact on me being able to train
52:48 again because at one point they were
52:50 saying in the hospital, yeah, we don't
52:51 think you'll be able to run again
52:53 because of the damage done to your your
52:55 vertebrae and transverse processes. And
52:57 that that's obviously upsetting thing to
53:00 hear and when I'm on the phone to my mom
53:02 or my my my coach bit bit drugged up I
53:04 think from all the anesthetics they
53:06 giving me say yeah I'll be back for
53:08 Rotterdam world championships in three
53:10 weeks or whatever it was but
53:13 >> oh god there for a long time were you in
53:14 Italy I was
53:16 >> I was there for for six weeks actually
53:18 just I was in hospital for four weeks
53:19 and I had to say an extra two weeks to
53:22 make sure my lung uh had fully healed up
53:24 just because of the com the compression
53:26 in the the airplane and just getting
53:27 home. There was potentially a plan like
53:29 I get a ferry and have to lie down in a
53:31 car and and then drive all the way
53:34 through France and some crazy plans, but
53:36 yeah, it made sense for me to stay. And
53:38 the hospital staff are incredibly
53:40 helpful and and nice to me. They made I
53:41 think a few of them learned a bit of
53:44 English as I was there, which was cool.
53:46 And I learned a few phrases in in
53:48 Italian and which I probably forgotten
53:52 now. But yeah, it was it was it was
53:54 an an awful time, but also I was
53:56 incredibly lucky with everything that
53:57 happened following the accident. So it
54:00 was really unfortunate and it changed my
54:02 perspective of kind of why I was doing
54:05 this and made made me kind of look at it
54:06 rather than it being a bad thing. It's
54:08 an opportunity for me to to have a
54:10 comeback and to when I'm training all
54:12 the time, I have an opportunity now to
54:13 to work on something which I wouldn't be
54:15 able to work on. I worked on a lot of
54:17 SNC stuff and made sure that when I came
54:19 back I was able to tolerate the load
54:21 which I now do and I couldn't do before
54:23 because I may have got an overuse injury
54:24 or something like that. So I've been
54:26 incredibly lucky in that sense that
54:29 though it halted my progress for the for
54:31 for my for my last junior world
54:32 championships and my first ever senior
54:35 world cup where I miraculously made the
54:36 front of the race and all that good
54:40 stuff. Um yeah, just it it gave me that
54:42 opportunity to kind of reset and um kind
54:44 of come back stronger and I was able to
54:46 kind I know come back and race a really
54:49 good 10K and uh that year and just get
54:50 back on the bike and I went back to
54:52 Kagiari next year and I was able to race
54:54 there and though it didn't go the best,
54:56 it was an opportunity for me to just
54:57 fight those demons and and yeah, just
55:00 show that yeah, I' be in this injury
55:02 that I'm back. I'm I'm still a
55:03 triathlete and I'm not going to let
55:05 something like that stop me. Were there
55:07 some demons because it was a it's a
55:10 rapid descent on that course and for
55:11 that to be the first race back on the
55:14 same course. Uh yeah, that takes some
55:15 brass as well.
55:17 >> Yeah. No, I definitely would say I was
55:19 obviously I was cautious, but I
55:20 definitely would say I was definitely
55:22 not as aggressive as I'd normally be on
55:25 a bike. And I think as as much as uh I
55:27 always say people like, "Are you scared
55:28 to get back on the bike?" I was like,
55:30 "No, I I've spent so long off my bike
55:31 that I just want to get back on it now.
55:34 It's been long enough." But um on that
55:36 race you obviously go through the same
55:38 corners and flow through the the same
55:40 course and yeah there was definitely
55:42 hesitation in my mind and stuff like
55:43 that but I felt like once I gone through
55:46 it I felt like I I came out the other
55:49 side with a lot of kind of freedom and
55:51 and peace in my mind that I'd done that.
55:52 So yeah, it was it was nice and it was
55:55 just nice to to come back and the people
55:56 there have a lot of energy and they're
55:57 really nice and obviously really
55:59 supportive and I got to go see the the
56:01 hospital staff and thank them and it was
56:02 just a nice
56:05 >> kind of circle of everything that had
56:08 happened. So yeah, it was
56:08 >> nice closure.
56:10 >> Not a great way to do it, but an
56:12 interesting way to prove to yourself
56:14 what what you can do, what you can go
56:15 through, what you can cope with in a
56:17 sport that demands that you deal with
56:19 and cope with a lot.
56:21 >> Yeah. Yeah. Totally. I think um
56:23 triathlon specifically is filled with
56:24 lots of different challenges and lots of
56:26 different obstacles and that was a big
56:27 one in my life and for me to kind of
56:29 pass that has yeah given me a bit of
56:32 clarity that that whatever comes to me
56:34 I'm I'm going to tackle it head on. I'm
56:35 going to go all in and I've got amazing
56:37 team behind me and amazing people
56:39 supporting me. So yeah, I'm really lucky
56:41 and I'm kind of all in. I think that's
56:44 it. Just I'm all in for but for the for
56:46 the roller coaster whatever happens.
56:48 Well, yeah, as proven most recently at
56:51 the end of the Super League tour. Um, I
56:53 mean, yeah, that at the end of that kind
56:55 of a month to produce that kind of a
56:58 finish against someone like Martin.
57:00 Quite special.
57:02 >> No. Yeah, it was it was cool. I actually
57:03 going on to the last run. They have
57:05 something called a short in the Super
57:06 League. I'm sure a lot of you know, but
57:09 I actually didn't know he had the short
57:12 uh going into that last run because I I
57:14 was kind of on that first race. A lot of
57:16 them had caught a wave um in the sea
57:19 swim and were miles ahead of Johnny and
57:21 I and Kenji and the likes of four or
57:23 five of them away. So I didn't actually
57:24 know he had the short shoot until we
57:25 kind of got into that last race and I'm
57:26 in the mix. And then all of a sudden
57:29 Martin's about 20 meters ahead and yeah,
57:31 it was it was it made it really exciting
57:33 in a way because Hayden actually went
57:35 all in to catch and then I I started
57:37 moving my way up and could I can hear
57:38 Johnny behind me breathing on me,
57:40 breathing down my neck and I was like,
57:41 "Oh, it's going to be exciting." Because
57:43 obviously Aspria fighting for the for
57:46 the final podium and uh of the Super
57:48 League standings and yeah, that that
57:50 kind of
57:52 the the last 200 meters were so
57:53 technical and stuff. you. For me, I was
57:55 actually just more thinking about taking
57:56 the right apex through the corners,
57:58 making sure I was flowing through the
57:59 lines as fast as I could rather than
58:01 worrying too much about what was going
58:03 on till about 30 m to go and then trying
58:05 to get around Martin and uh I think I
58:09 did it probably by a hairs whip. So, um
58:11 it was yeah, it was it was pretty cool
58:12 and I think it was a nice way to finish
58:14 the Super League and
58:16 >> made it made it look really exciting and
58:18 and made Traflin Yeah. showed Traflin as
58:20 exciting again, I think. Well, it's
58:22 always been exciting, but
58:23 >> yeah. No, it definitely like, you know,
58:25 it's it's a very tight course. It's
58:28 Yeah, it's relentless the action and and
58:29 you're back in it. I mean, yeah, it was
58:32 a it was a spectacle and to be able to
58:34 produce that sort of a finish at the end
58:35 of a month. I mean, how did they how did
58:38 it all stack up, you know, it was not
58:40 far off the back of Edmonton as well,
58:43 those kind of ups and downs. I mean,
58:45 you've got to be hoping you can just
58:46 ride the adrenaline to an extent over
58:47 you because if you stop and think about
58:49 it too much and the next month might
58:50 just be a bit like, oh my god, like this
58:51 is here we go again. >> Yeah.
58:52 >> Yeah.
58:54 >> So, I think for Edmonton and London as
58:56 well, I think I just put a lot of
58:59 pressure on myself. I I felt like maybe
59:01 the f the first time I felt like there
59:02 was a bit of expectation on my shoulders
59:04 and things like that. I obviously was
59:05 wearing the number one for the first
59:07 time leading into the the kind of grand
59:09 final to win the world championships and
59:11 also in London. It's my hometown. a lot
59:13 of people I felt like were there to
59:15 watch obviously the Brits but also me as
59:18 a as a London boy. Um, so I felt like I
59:19 just had to put on a show for everyone
59:22 and and and yeah, make everyone proud
59:24 and everything to be a dream. And I
59:25 guess that's not the way sport works.
59:28 And I think I just had to kind of take a
59:29 step back from that. And I think I did
59:31 after London was just be like, right,
59:33 this is why do I do this sport? I do it
59:35 because I enjoy it. I want to I want to
59:37 obviously race well, but I want to race
59:38 the best I can rather than worrying
59:40 about too much what other people think
59:44 about of of me and and and kind of uh
59:46 yeah, the public perception because I I
59:49 guess you don't I guess in a way that
59:50 they're really proud of what I achieved
59:53 at the Olympics and um they just want to
59:55 see me do well rather than me thinking,
59:57 okay, they want me to win all the time,
59:58 all this kind of stuff. So I I kind of
60:00 took a step back from there and really enjoyed what I was doing and just soaked
60:02 enjoyed what I was doing and just soaked up and went through my processes and
60:04 up and went through my processes and stayed present throughout all the races
60:05 stayed present throughout all the races and it just seemed to progress from
60:06 and it just seemed to progress from there. I felt like I made less mistakes
60:08 there. I felt like I made less mistakes and and felt better in myself as I raced
60:11 and and felt better in myself as I raced on and on and on and yeah, the last two
60:14 on and on and on and yeah, the last two races were were really exciting finishes
60:16 races were were really exciting finishes and uh probably two of the races I
60:18 and uh probably two of the races I enjoyed most this year. Yeah. And you
60:23 enjoyed most this year. Yeah. And you know and a great prize to get at the end
60:26 know and a great prize to get at the end of it as well. part of you just the
60:28 of it as well. part of you just the first there must have been a bit of you
60:29 first there must have been a bit of you that just thought Porsche
60:38 >> um for me I just wanted Yeah obviously it's it's yeah we're extremely lucky in
60:41 it's it's yeah we're extremely lucky in Tra
60:43 Tra that series has a little bit of money
60:44 that series has a little bit of money behind it is it's kind of yeah we're
60:47 behind it is it's kind of yeah we're incredibly lucky in that sense and
60:48 incredibly lucky in that sense and obviously it's equal between between
60:50 obviously it's equal between between male and female as well which I think is
60:51 male and female as well which I think is incredibly important thing and it's been
60:54 incredibly important thing and it's been obviously a hot topic in cycling and
60:55 obviously a hot topic in cycling and whatnot but um for Me personally, I just
60:58 whatnot but um for Me personally, I just wanted to end the season with complete
60:59 wanted to end the season with complete clarity that I done everything I could
61:01 clarity that I done everything I could and to end the season on a high note and
61:04 and to end the season on a high note and uh enjoy myself as much as possible. And
61:06 uh enjoy myself as much as possible. And for me, that's finish. What a what a
61:08 for me, that's finish. What a what a perfect way to end the year. And um I
61:11 perfect way to end the year. And um I had thoughts of potentially
61:15 had thoughts of potentially racing maybe on to to Abu Dhabi and
61:17 racing maybe on to to Abu Dhabi and stuff like that and further. Um but but
61:19 stuff like that and further. Um but but kind of finishing that way, yeah, left
61:21 kind of finishing that way, yeah, left me completely at peace. that this was uh
61:23 me completely at peace. that this was uh a nice ending to the year and and uh a
61:26 a nice ending to the year and and uh a time for me to reflect and kind of
61:28 time for me to reflect and kind of actually take in what's kind of happened
61:30 actually take in what's kind of happened over the last year because it's been a
61:32 over the last year because it's been a bit of a blur and something I could
61:33 bit of a blur and something I could Yeah. never have imagined.
61:36 Yeah. never have imagined. >> Yeah. Yeah. What a nice way actually.
61:37 >> Yeah. Yeah. What a nice way actually. Yeah. to to to round off after after the
61:40 Yeah. to to to round off after after the grand finals because it you know it was
61:41 grand finals because it you know it was obviously a very strong kind of
61:43 obviously a very strong kind of collective spirit there as well as there
61:45 collective spirit there as well as there always is grand finals and and that I
61:47 always is grand finals and and that I got to ask about the uh sort of Beverly
61:50 got to ask about the uh sort of Beverly Hills mansion thing going on there. Just
61:53 Hills mansion thing going on there. Just just a quick like run through of what
61:55 just a quick like run through of what was what what was that all about? It was
61:57 was what what was that all about? It was like a sort of triathlon version of
61:59 like a sort of triathlon version of Entourage. There's you and playing pool
62:01 Entourage. There's you and playing pool in the corner. I don't know non Stanford
62:03 in the corner. I don't know non Stanford sort of reclining on a shezong in the
62:06 sort of reclining on a shezong in the Yeah. So, um, we were we were really
62:09 Yeah. So, um, we were we were really lucky that we had, uh, three days extra,
62:11 lucky that we had, uh, three days extra, uh, extra time to spend in in, uh,
62:14 uh, extra time to spend in in, uh, Malibu and Los Angeles and that kind of
62:15 Malibu and Los Angeles and that kind of surrounding area. And we don't normally
62:18 surrounding area. And we don't normally get that opportunity with such a long
62:20 get that opportunity with such a long triathlon season. You're almost kind of
62:21 triathlon season. You're almost kind of race one race and you're on to the next
62:23 race one race and you're on to the next one and and whatnot. So, we kind of took
62:26 one and and whatnot. So, we kind of took the opportunity with with open arms and
62:28 the opportunity with with open arms and John John Boy who's uh Jess's other half
62:32 John John Boy who's uh Jess's other half um went on Airbnb, went to Beverly Hills
62:35 um went on Airbnb, went to Beverly Hills and just put highest first I think. So,
62:38 and just put highest first I think. So, uh we we ended up on Sunset Plaza Drive.
62:40 uh we we ended up on Sunset Plaza Drive. Um but split between Tennos, so it was a
62:43 Um but split between Tennos, so it was a bit more affordable. Um but yeah,
62:45 bit more affordable. Um but yeah, something you you imagine doing with all
62:47 something you you imagine doing with all of you. Uh like yeah it's something you
62:49 of you. Uh like yeah it's something you imagine doing as a kid for a dream but
62:51 imagine doing as a kid for a dream but we actually were able to do it and yeah
62:54 we actually were able to do it and yeah it was it was a really enjoyable like I
62:57 it was it was a really enjoyable like I think it was 48 hours you got to spend
62:58 think it was 48 hours you got to spend there but just to to kind of just yeah
63:01 there but just to to kind of just yeah just enjoy each other's company and we
63:02 just enjoy each other's company and we probably won't see a lot of each other
63:04 probably won't see a lot of each other for six months now because of um because
63:07 for six months now because of um because you go back to winter training you do
63:08 you go back to winter training you do the less glamorous stuff and um so yeah
63:11 the less glamorous stuff and um so yeah it's a really nice way to kind of sign
63:12 it's a really nice way to kind of sign off the year for well for me personally
63:15 off the year for well for me personally I'm sure a lot of people will will go on
63:17 I'm sure a lot of people will will go on to the the next World Championship
63:18 to the the next World Championship Series race. Um but yeah, it's it was
63:23 Series race. Um but yeah, it's it was yeah, it was really cool. I I enjoyed it
63:25 yeah, it was really cool. I I enjoyed it and it's nice to to see how the other
63:27 and it's nice to to see how the other half live and
63:29 half live and Yeah.
63:29 Yeah. >> Well, if ever an end of season deserved
63:32 >> Well, if ever an end of season deserved something like that, this was it. Who um
63:34 something like that, this was it. Who um who was better at pull you or Matt
63:35 who was better at pull you or Matt Hower?
63:37 Hower? >> Well, I beat Matt, but I think Matt was
63:38 >> Well, I beat Matt, but I think Matt was actually better than me. I think I
63:42 actually better than me. I think I >> were.
63:44 >> were. >> Yeah.
63:45 >> Yeah. >> Um All right. Now, so we got to close
63:47 >> Um All right. Now, so we got to close this off unfortunately, but I just want
63:49 this off unfortunately, but I just want to we So, we did a little shout out on
63:50 to we So, we did a little shout out on Instagram for uh for a few questions.
63:52 Instagram for uh for a few questions. So, I've got I got to run through these.
63:54 So, I've got I got to run through these. Um
63:55 Um >> so, uh from Ashley Power, favorite
64:00 >> so, uh from Ashley Power, favorite moment in 2021, and I'd like a sport and
64:03 moment in 2021, and I'd like a sport and a non-sport version, please.
64:07 a non-sport version, please. >> Oh,
64:08 >> Oh, uh like my favorite sporting moment
64:10 uh like my favorite sporting moment outside of draft and stuff. Uh, I think
64:13 outside of draft and stuff. Uh, I think either Emma Radonu winning the US Open.
64:17 either Emma Radonu winning the US Open. Um, I stayed up too late to watch that
64:20 Um, I stayed up too late to watch that before the the Munich Super League. Um,
64:23 before the the Munich Super League. Um, probably shouldn't be saying this. Um,
64:24 probably shouldn't be saying this. Um, but yeah, I stayed up really late.
64:26 but yeah, I stayed up really late. Incredible. Um, non-sporting moment.
64:30 Incredible. Um, non-sporting moment. God, I'm I'm a bit of a loser. I don't I
64:32 God, I'm I'm a bit of a loser. I don't I don't really have I don't think I have
64:34 don't really have I don't think I have one. I can't can't think.
64:36 one. I can't can't think. >> Well, I mean, maybe bit Yeah. living it
64:39 >> Well, I mean, maybe bit Yeah. living it up 48 hours in there.
64:40 up 48 hours in there. >> Yeah. Yeah,
64:42 >> Yeah. Yeah, >> sounds pretty good. No, but for me, one
64:43 >> sounds pretty good. No, but for me, one of the things for me, one of the things
64:45 of the things for me, one of the things which I really enjoyed recently was the
64:47 which I really enjoyed recently was the fact the London Marathon was on at full
64:48 fact the London Marathon was on at full capacity. I think the fact that we're
64:50 capacity. I think the fact that we're able to to do mass participation races
64:52 able to to do mass participation races again after such a a long time away and
64:54 again after such a a long time away and to see so many people. I got to stand at
64:56 to see so many people. I got to stand at the finish line and see them all come
64:58 the finish line and see them all come over that last 100 meters. To see the
65:00 over that last 100 meters. To see the the amount of passion and joy that
65:01 the amount of passion and joy that people could get from a sport that we
65:03 people could get from a sport that we love was was really really touching, I
65:05 love was was really really touching, I think. So I think for me that was one of
65:07 think. So I think for me that was one of my big moments of the year was kind of
65:09 my big moments of the year was kind of having that finally back and yeah it was
65:11 having that finally back and yeah it was really nice.
65:12 really nice. >> Very cool. I think the original question
65:14 >> Very cool. I think the original question from Ashley was actually
65:17 from Ashley was actually >> your own your own personal favorite
65:19 >> your own your own personal favorite moment trying to rank your achievements
65:21 moment trying to rank your achievements which you know it's it's up to you.
65:25 which you know it's it's up to you. >> Well I think Leeds was for me my biggest
65:27 >> Well I think Leeds was for me my biggest surprise ever and to do it in front of
65:29 surprise ever and to do it in front of my parents and family and so many people
65:32 my parents and family and so many people who are so close to me. I think you can
65:34 who are so close to me. I think you can see me pointing at every single person
65:35 see me pointing at every single person in the crowd because I kind of knew
65:37 in the crowd because I kind of knew almost everyone there which was amazing.
65:39 almost everyone there which was amazing. So I think for me to do that in front of
65:42 So I think for me to do that in front of those people I think was incredibly
65:43 those people I think was incredibly special and set up a really nice year.
65:45 special and set up a really nice year. Set the ball rolling. Yeah. Um all
65:48 Set the ball rolling. Yeah. Um all right, Lily Hall05. What's been the most
65:50 right, Lily Hall05. What's been the most rewarding thing about coming home to
65:52 rewarding thing about coming home to Broccoli? I don't know if that means
65:54 Broccoli? I don't know if that means like you know there's no there's no
65:55 like you know there's no there's no golden post box this year or something.
65:57 golden post box this year or something. Maybe is it like a lifetime supply from
65:59 Maybe is it like a lifetime supply from your favorite kebab shop or I'm not
66:00 your favorite kebab shop or I'm not really sure.
66:02 really sure. So, so there's they actually created a
66:04 So, so there's they actually created a mural right by the entrance of Broccoli
66:05 mural right by the entrance of Broccoli which um which was incredibly touching
66:08 which um which was incredibly touching from kind of yeah from my my area to
66:12 from kind of yeah from my my area to show support for me and the community to
66:13 show support for me and the community to get behind me and to be proud of me. I
66:15 get behind me and to be proud of me. I think that was incredibly special. Even
66:17 think that was incredibly special. Even the man in the pizza shop across the
66:18 the man in the pizza shop across the road notices me and he gave me free
66:20 road notices me and he gave me free pizza yesterday. So really things like
66:22 pizza yesterday. So really things like that things like that are just touching
66:24 that things like that are just touching because it just feels like your
66:26 because it just feels like your community is behind you and I'm
66:27 community is behind you and I'm extremely proud of where I'm from and
66:29 extremely proud of where I'm from and being a being a broccoli boy being from
66:31 being a being a broccoli boy being from it's just incredible that that they they
66:33 it's just incredible that that they they reciprocate that.
66:35 reciprocate that. >> Yeah. Anyone who's not seen that it's
66:36 >> Yeah. Anyone who's not seen that it's well worth a Google Alex broccoli lural
66:39 well worth a Google Alex broccoli lural have a look.
66:40 have a look. >> Um s it's either screzy or scramy 895
66:46 >> Um s it's either screzy or scramy 895 kona one day.
66:48 kona one day. >> Wow. Um, it seems like a leap after
66:51 >> Wow. Um, it seems like a leap after >> I've not thought that far ahead
66:52 >> I've not thought that far ahead actually. Uh, one thing I would say is
66:55 actually. Uh, one thing I would say is watching the London Marathon made me
66:56 watching the London Marathon made me really want to do the London Marathon at
66:58 really want to do the London Marathon at one one point in my life.
66:59 one one point in my life. >> So, I'd love to do that at some point
67:00 >> So, I'd love to do that at some point when I'm
67:02 when I'm >> uh when it when it's appropriate.
67:04 >> uh when it when it's appropriate. >> Yeah.
67:04 >> Yeah. >> But Konas would be cool, but I don't
67:06 >> But Konas would be cool, but I don't know if I'd do it in a competitive
67:07 know if I'd do it in a competitive capacity. Have to see.
67:09 capacity. Have to see. >> Have to see. Yeah. Uh, Ian Bourmet, are
67:12 >> Have to see. Yeah. Uh, Ian Bourmet, are you scared of the Norwegians? Now, that
67:14 you scared of the Norwegians? Now, that could have many layers to it, I guess.
67:17 could have many layers to it, I guess. I've never seen anyone shout at
67:20 I've never seen anyone shout at somebody. Well, I never raced never
67:21 somebody. Well, I never raced never raced Alistister in the kind of era
67:23 raced Alistister in the kind of era where people obviously talked about him
67:24 where people obviously talked about him being a real leader of the pack and
67:26 being a real leader of the pack and controlling not controlling people, but
67:27 controlling not controlling people, but being able to to help people to help him
67:30 being able to to help people to help him and and drive packs and stuff like that,
67:32 and and drive packs and stuff like that, which he did incredibly well. But for
67:34 which he did incredibly well. But for me, I've never seen somebody as animated
67:36 me, I've never seen somebody as animated as as Christian in a race, which is
67:38 as as Christian in a race, which is incredible to see. And I wouldn't say
67:39 incredible to see. And I wouldn't say I'm scared of him, but it's also it's
67:42 I'm scared of him, but it's also it's when you're riding and and somebody's
67:43 when you're riding and and somebody's shouting, you're like you that's doesn't
67:45 shouting, you're like you that's doesn't make you head. But he's also he's also I
67:48 make you head. But he's also he's also I think he's got a lot of respect for me
67:49 think he's got a lot of respect for me and I have a lot of respect for him. So
67:50 and I have a lot of respect for him. So it's it's cool to have I guess an ally
67:53 it's it's cool to have I guess an ally but also not an ally in the in the in
67:55 but also not an ally in the in the in the race like that.
67:57 the race like that. >> No, for sure. Um
68:00 >> No, for sure. Um now dream uh so this is Sunny Leashman.
68:05 now dream uh so this is Sunny Leashman. Uh dream training camp where and with
68:08 Uh dream training camp where and with who?
68:09 who? Oh,
68:11 Oh, so I
68:13 so I when we were in Malibu, uh Seth took me
68:16 when we were in Malibu, uh Seth took me on Seth from Snook took me and Matt down
68:18 on Seth from Snook took me and Matt down one of the descents which went down um
68:23 one of the descents which went down um from kind of 700 meters high at the top
68:27 from kind of 700 meters high at the top of kind of Thousand Oak straight down to
68:28 of kind of Thousand Oak straight down to the Malibu Beach and it been completely
68:30 the Malibu Beach and it been completely resurfaced. Corners were so smooth and
68:33 resurfaced. Corners were so smooth and uh halfway down about 20 Lamborghinis
68:35 uh halfway down about 20 Lamborghinis came past us just in the convoy and
68:37 came past us just in the convoy and you're like mind a dream what's going
68:40 you're like mind a dream what's going on? You descend down to million pound
68:42 on? You descend down to million pound houses and and that was amazing and I'd
68:44 houses and and that was amazing and I'd love to to be able to go there and ride
68:46 love to to be able to go there and ride properly and explore that. um with
68:49 properly and explore that. um with everyone from Super League, everyone in
68:50 everyone from Super League, everyone in trial, everyone from Super League,
68:52 trial, everyone from Super League, everyone from the lead training center,
68:53 everyone from the lead training center, everyone from LRA one day when I have
68:55 everyone from LRA one day when I have enough money
68:57 enough money >> probably not and then I'll go broke it.
68:59 >> probably not and then I'll go broke it. It'll be worth it.
69:01 It'll be worth it. >> Excellent. Pre-race ritual asks Latchi
69:05 >> Excellent. Pre-race ritual asks Latchi Henwood.
69:07 Henwood. >> Um I
69:10 >> Um I just eat rice before a race. That's one
69:13 just eat rice before a race. That's one thing I do. And then I always make sure
69:15 thing I do. And then I always make sure I put this uh necklace I'm wearing in my
69:18 I put this uh necklace I'm wearing in my side pocket and make sure it's there
69:19 side pocket and make sure it's there with me at all times. So cuz that's my
69:21 with me at all times. So cuz that's my char my luck charm now. So make sure
69:23 char my luck charm now. So make sure that's with me all the time.
69:25 that's with me all the time. >> Where did that come from?
69:26 >> Where did that come from? >> Uh my my girlfriend actually gave to me
69:28 >> Uh my my girlfriend actually gave to me Libby. So um it's got a lion on it. TGB
69:31 Libby. So um it's got a lion on it. TGB lion. So yeah. So it's with me at all
69:35 lion. So yeah. So it's with me at all times. Part of a lion.
69:36 times. Part of a lion. >> Very cool. Last couple then. Who got who
69:38 >> Very cool. Last couple then. Who got who got you into triathlon? Who?
69:41 got you into triathlon? Who? probably my dad was the one that got me
69:44 probably my dad was the one that got me to triathlon. Um he did a bit of
69:45 to triathlon. Um he did a bit of triathlon uh prior to to to me kind of
69:49 triathlon uh prior to to to me kind of getting involved with the sport. I
69:50 getting involved with the sport. I remember going to some domestic races
69:51 remember going to some domestic races and watching them race being inspired
69:53 and watching them race being inspired and seeing them fly by and thinking,
69:55 and seeing them fly by and thinking, "Oh, I want to give that a go." And I
69:57 "Oh, I want to give that a go." And I guess like most people, you want to be
69:58 guess like most people, you want to be like your parents. You want to be like
69:59 like your parents. You want to be like your dad. Um so yeah, I gave that go I
70:01 your dad. Um so yeah, I gave that go I gave it a go and was able to go to the
70:04 gave it a go and was able to go to the first ever junior triathlon club uh
70:06 first ever junior triathlon club uh session. Um, I think the challenge for
70:09 session. Um, I think the challenge for me was the thing which is which which
70:10 me was the thing which is which which kept me kept me coming back was the fact
70:13 kept me kept me coming back was the fact that there were so many things to
70:14 that there were so many things to triathlon that challenged me and I
70:16 triathlon that challenged me and I wasn't good at. Um, and I think that
70:18 wasn't good at. Um, and I think that excited me and kept me coming back and
70:20 excited me and kept me coming back and showing up and yeah, kind of getting to
70:22 showing up and yeah, kind of getting to here.
70:23 here. >> Yeah. And then finally then when the
70:26 >> Yeah. And then finally then when the chips are down in a race and you've got
70:27 chips are down in a race and you've got to give yourself a bit of a talking to,
70:29 to give yourself a bit of a talking to, is there something that you always kind
70:31 is there something that you always kind of bring up like a little mantra or
70:34 of bring up like a little mantra or anything?
70:35 anything? So for me whether things are going good
70:37 So for me whether things are going good or bad I always come back to the the
70:39 or bad I always come back to the the saying what's next. I think for me
70:41 saying what's next. I think for me that's something which brings me back to
70:43 that's something which brings me back to the present and make sure I stay on what
70:46 the present and make sure I stay on what I'm uh the task at hand and making sure
70:50 I'm uh the task at hand and making sure cuz your mind can wander so easy in the
70:51 cuz your mind can wander so easy in the race and you can kind of get to the end
70:53 race and you can kind of get to the end and forget what you're doing and
70:54 and forget what you're doing and especially in the mix relay and super
70:57 especially in the mix relay and super league and those super short races where
70:59 league and those super short races where you're having to make split-second
71:00 you're having to make split-second decisions. you need to be making sure
71:02 decisions. you need to be making sure you're you're you're focusing on the
71:04 you're you're you're focusing on the kind of next 30 seconds and how you can
71:06 kind of next 30 seconds and how you can do that the best you can. And for me, I
71:08 do that the best you can. And for me, I always come back to kind of what's next,
71:10 always come back to kind of what's next, what uh even though something's gone
71:12 what uh even though something's gone wrong, what's next for me to what's
71:13 wrong, what's next for me to what's next? What's the best thing I can be
71:15 next? What's the best thing I can be doing in this 30 seconds? And uh to kind
71:17 doing in this 30 seconds? And uh to kind of get me to the next 30 seconds in the
71:19 of get me to the next 30 seconds in the best possible place and keep moving
71:22 best possible place and keep moving forward in that in that sense. So, so
71:24 forward in that in that sense. So, so yeah, that's kind of for me is that what
71:26 yeah, that's kind of for me is that what what's next and it just brings me back.
71:29 what's next and it just brings me back. >> Yeah. Presence. Yeah. So, what is next
71:33 >> Yeah. Presence. Yeah. So, what is next for you? I mean, you know, do you you
71:36 for you? I mean, you know, do you you from the start of the years compared to
71:37 from the start of the years compared to you now having, you know, tasted that
71:40 you now having, you know, tasted that incredible success? Is it, you know, do
71:42 incredible success? Is it, you know, do you feel do you feel like something of a
71:45 you feel do you feel like something of a new man? Are you really like just
71:47 new man? Are you really like just looking forward to the next couple of
71:48 looking forward to the next couple of months off and then next year building
71:51 months off and then next year building it straight back up again?
71:53 it straight back up again? >> Uh, I think for me the important thing
71:55 >> Uh, I think for me the important thing is I just don't want things to change
71:57 is I just don't want things to change too much. I think um obviously I was
72:00 too much. I think um obviously I was incredibly lucky to have the success
72:01 incredibly lucky to have the success from from what I was doing prior and
72:04 from from what I was doing prior and I've really enjoyed kind of the time I
72:06 I've really enjoyed kind of the time I spent in Lra and the winter I spent
72:07 spent in Lra and the winter I spent there. So, I'd love to just kind of go
72:09 there. So, I'd love to just kind of go through go through that again with with
72:11 through go through that again with with the same people and just just make sure
72:14 the same people and just just make sure things stay the same cuz fundamentally I
72:16 things stay the same cuz fundamentally I just just love what I'm doing and just
72:18 just just love what I'm doing and just want to keep that keep that mantra and
72:21 want to keep that keep that mantra and keep yeah I don't know just just keep
72:23 keep yeah I don't know just just keep enjoying what I'm doing and hopefully
72:24 enjoying what I'm doing and hopefully that will that will lead to to to
72:26 that will that will lead to to to similar things and and hopefully lead to
72:29 similar things and and hopefully lead to me improving and basically recreate 2021
72:32 me improving and basically recreate 2021 that's
72:34 that's >> yeah forever just keep in common and
72:36 >> yeah forever just keep in common and just have it But uh yeah and Paris long
72:40 just have it But uh yeah and Paris long long way off but uh presumably if if
72:43 long way off but uh presumably if if selection criteria follows suit yeah you
72:45 selection criteria follows suit yeah you won't have to worry about qualification
72:47 won't have to worry about qualification and so on for that as much like you know
72:48 and so on for that as much like you know it's kind of if you're in the in the
72:49 it's kind of if you're in the in the position then you get the slot and um
72:52 position then you get the slot and um you know it' be kind of kind of crazy I
72:54 you know it' be kind of kind of crazy I mean not just thinking about Parish now
72:56 mean not just thinking about Parish now but for the next year's world champs as
72:57 but for the next year's world champs as well going into a season you know as as
72:59 well going into a season you know as as a marked man it's going to feel kind of
73:01 a marked man it's going to feel kind of different right?
73:03 different right? Yeah, I guess for me like I still don't
73:05 Yeah, I guess for me like I still don't see myself as a marksman. Like I still
73:07 see myself as a marksman. Like I still feel like I'm just racing with people
73:09 feel like I'm just racing with people that I watch on the telly. Like when I
73:10 that I watch on the telly. Like when I was 13, 14 years old, like it's it's
73:14 was 13, 14 years old, like it's it's just bizarre. Still feel like I'm
73:16 just bizarre. Still feel like I'm progressing and feel like a child of the
73:18 progressing and feel like a child of the sport. I feel like I just I just enjoy
73:20 sport. I feel like I just I just enjoy what I'm doing and and yes, I almost
73:24 what I'm doing and and yes, I almost stand on the start line as an equal. I
73:27 stand on the start line as an equal. I feel like I um
73:30 feel like I um yeah, I wouldn't say I I personally mark
73:32 yeah, I wouldn't say I I personally mark anyone differently or I I have
73:34 anyone differently or I I have incredible respect for everyone cuz to
73:36 incredible respect for everyone cuz to get to that point it's incredibly tough.
73:39 get to that point it's incredibly tough. It takes a lot of investment. It takes a
73:40 It takes a lot of investment. It takes a lot of time. So yeah, for me I I don't
73:43 lot of time. So yeah, for me I I don't know. It's just
73:48 it's just incredibly weird to think that somebody who well I just believe I'm
73:51 somebody who well I just believe I'm incredibly normal just somebody who
73:52 incredibly normal just somebody who worked hard and just enjoyed what I was
73:54 worked hard and just enjoyed what I was doing. for for that to be the case is a
73:57 doing. for for that to be the case is a bit bit bizarre, but yeah, really cool
73:59 bit bit bizarre, but yeah, really cool at the same time.
74:00 at the same time. >> Yeah. Well, you know, it's there's as
74:03 >> Yeah. Well, you know, it's there's as the under 23 world champs showed as
74:04 the under 23 world champs showed as well, like that that fresh talent coming
74:06 well, like that that fresh talent coming through and the breakthrough season
74:07 through and the breakthrough season ahead. There's
74:09 ahead. There's >> the likes of Alli and and Javier kind of
74:12 >> the likes of Alli and and Javier kind of officially, as much as you ever do, I
74:14 officially, as much as you ever do, I suppose, hanging up their boots and
74:16 suppose, hanging up their boots and Richard Murray probably now, you know,
74:17 Richard Murray probably now, you know, unfortunately with his injury and so
74:20 unfortunately with his injury and so those start lines are going to start to
74:21 those start lines are going to start to look a bit different, aren't they, as
74:22 look a bit different, aren't they, as well?
74:23 well? you know, inevitably or feel like the
74:25 you know, inevitably or feel like the more experienced member up there pretty
74:27 more experienced member up there pretty soon. But, um,
74:30 soon. But, um, great to talk to you. Thanks ever so
74:32 great to talk to you. Thanks ever so much. Congrats again on a on a great
74:34 much. Congrats again on a on a great year and yeah, long may those battles in
74:36 year and yeah, long may those battles in Leeds and Tokyo and Malibu and Edmonton
74:39 Leeds and Tokyo and Malibu and Edmonton continue. We look forward to them.
74:41 continue. We look forward to them. >> No, thank you very much. Thanks for
74:42 >> No, thank you very much. Thanks for having me. It's nice to just chat. I
74:44 having me. It's nice to just chat. I don't know. Every time you speak to
74:45 don't know. Every time you speak to somebody, it just seems to, I guess,
74:47 somebody, it just seems to, I guess, sink in a little bit more. So, it's
74:48 sink in a little bit more. So, it's really nice to just talk it through a
74:50 really nice to just talk it through a little bit, I guess. But, yeah. Hello.
74:52 little bit, I guess. But, yeah. Hello. Thank you.
74:57 >> Thanks to Alex for that brilliant run through of an unforgettable year. That
74:59 through of an unforgettable year. That is five of the six Olympic gold
75:01 is five of the six Olympic gold medalists from Tokyo 2020 on the pod
75:03 medalists from Tokyo 2020 on the pod now. So Jess Leoth, we're coming for
75:05 now. So Jess Leoth, we're coming for you. Thanks as always for listening. And
75:07 you. Thanks as always for listening. And don't forget you can now email us all
75:09 don't forget you can now email us all your feedback, feelings, and future
75:10 your feedback, feelings, and future guest requests via podcastlog.org.