Victoria Pendleton: The saddle switch

From three time Olympic medallist to novice jockey, the road from bike track to horse-back for Victoria Pendleton has not been as simple as a switch of saddle. On Friday, Pendleton rode in the amateur jockey race of the season - Cheltenham's Foxhunter Chase, less than a year after she first mounted a horse.  Her story has been full of debate and controversy and this week the media has fixated on the Cheltenham race festival. Questions over whether she should be competing due to 'health and safety' reasons, to questions about her celebrity status over-shadowing the meeting have captured the eyes of the horse-racing world and beyond. Yet on Friday at 4:10pm the question that everyone was waiting for an answer to was "can she do it?".

Pendleton is no novice to racing, it is just what she is racing on that differs. Cycling since a young age, Pendleton rose to sporting fame in 2008 at the Beijing Olympics where she won Olympic sprint gold. Come London 2012 Olympics, Pendleton was the one to beat on the track and was given the nickname 'Queen Victoria' due to her victorious efforts at the Lee Valley Velopark. She came away with Olympic silver and gold medals, always knowing this would be where she retired from her cycling career. Her enjoyment had plummeted and she spoke afterwards about cleansing herself of everything related to her cycling career. She was determined to look forwards, not back. So when Betfair approached her asking if she wanted to become a licensed amateur jockey, it was an offer she was never going to turn down.

Very few people have the drive and determination to become a successful Olympian. Early morning training, travel to and from competition and a lifestyle that centres around being physically and psychologically fit. Yet with this mindset and athleticism, Pendleton was an example of the perfect person to take on the gruelling training and courage needed to be a jockey. The ultimate goal 12 months ago was for Pendleton to race at Cheltenham. Some regarded this as highly ambitious and very unlikely from someone so new to the sport. Yet in the lead up to the Cheltenham festival, as Pendleton started to become more prominent in races it was clear this original aim would be achieved. 

As the Cheltenham festival approached, headlines were unsurprisingly focused on Pendleton. Much of the media, public, people both in and outside of the horse racing world believed that she wasn't ready to take on the challenge. Jump jockeys can take over 10 years to reach where Pendleton had in one, an unbelievable achievement that some thought was only possible due to her celebrity status. That said, Pendleton had proved herself a worthy rider, winning her first race a month before at Wincanton with the favourite that day; Pacha du Polder. A good race to finish on ahead of Cheltenham.

Cheltenham, for most people, was not a case of whether Pendleton on Pacha du Polder could win, more a case of seeing how well she rode and where she could finish in this large field of more experienced riders. As Pendleton took to the ring, the swarms of paparazzi gathered around her. I, as I'm sure many others did, found myself anxiously wondering if this was all going to go horribly wrong. According to Channel 4 there were 90 extra TV crews there that day. Yes, it was Gold Cup day, the race of the meeting, however the lenses were all pointing towards one woman. There was a buzz of excitement on the Friday leading up to her race. Bookies took this opportunity to tap into the Pendleton market. Not only could punters bet on Pacha du Polder at a starting price of 16/1, many offered odds for whether she would even complete the course and where exactly in the field she would position. AP McCoy had no doubt she would finish the race, winning on the other hand was a whole other story. 

The 23 riders set off on the 3 mile 2 furlong race. Pendleton rode tentatively at the back of the field for the majority of the race, out of trouble but certainly not out of mind of the punters and paparazzi. As horses started to fall and pull up around her, Pendleton soon found herself tracking the favourite, a tactical move that may well have been pre-decided. With one fence left to jump there was an overwhelming sense of relief that she was still in the race and what's more, in a position she may look back on as 'I could have won that'.

Pendleton finished a remarkable 5th out of a field of 23 horses with some of the best amateur jockeys in the world riding them. She looked like she couldn't believe she had done it and been that close to placing. That in itself was an almighty win for Pendleton. In her interviews after she explained it as one of the "greatest achievements of her life", saying  to everyone how much she enjoys racing and how there isn't a better feeling than riding a horse. Her cycling career seem a lifetime ago, a past she has openly boxed away, despite her outstanding successes. However, with the limited time she is likely to have left as a jump jockey and her drive to want to succeed, as long as she stays in once piece this could be tremendous tale of guts, luck and determination. She is certainly not one to write off for the future.

Pendleton has silenced some of the critics for sure, whether she is accepted into the racing world as any other amateur jockey around would be is yet to be seen. However, you can be sure that Pendleton more than anyone else would like the tabloids to be turned onto her racing achievements, rather than questions over why she is there and whether she should be racing.

Opinions differ, controversy will remain, however there is no debate that what Pendleton has achieved in this last year is a phenomenal display of sporting excellence, and this certainly should be celebrated.

Oscar Pistorius: The fallen hero

The making of a sporting hero takes talent, years of hard work, dedication and sporting excellence. However, the 'unmaking' of a hero can take just one mistake, one wrong decision or moment of madness. Oscar Pistorius is perhaps one of the best examples of this. A tragic story of one man who broke the boundaries of disability sport yet has left the world of sport and athletics stunned through a tragic act of insanity.

The Blade Runner: three-time Paralympic Gold medallist and three-time world record breaker, who, in July 2012 became the first amputee to compete in an Olympic event at the London Games. For five years he'd fought the courts to race alongside these athletes and finally won his case. As he stood on the start line of the 400m semi-final next to able-bodied Olympians, for Pistorius the race was won. He had silenced the critics and displayed the athleticism and ability to match those of the runners around him. It didn’t matter where he was finally placed, he had made it to the top of para-sport and was now competing with the best able-bodied athletes in the world. This was a stepping stone not just for Pistorius but for Paralympians and disabled men and women around the world.  

Born without fibulae, at 11-months old, Pistorius had both legs amputated below the knee -  leaving him with little chance of ever walking. So to think that he would go on to make a career from being one of the most successful athletes in the world was astonishing. No one can deny that he has unbelievable talent and his drive and desire to push the boundaries of sport and bring disability sport into the spotlight on a world stage is extraordinary. He is a global phenomenon for all athletes, never pitying himself or seeing his disability as a barrier. London 2012 was the peak of his career to date. 

Then on Valentine’s day 2013, Pistorius shot dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp through the toilet door of his home. At just 30 years old she had a life ahead of her and was set to be one of South Africa’s most successful models. Come July 2014 and Oscar Pistorius was on trial for murder, which lasted a gruelling 49 days. Reeva's mother sat emotionless throughout, numb to the realisation that her daughter was killed by the man who sitting before her. And Pistorius; broken. As he gave his account of the events that night, the court room and world who were watching, witnessed his fall from grace. He was sentenced to 5 years in prison for culpable homicide, yet put under house arrest after just 12 months. An outcome that sparked debate over the South African justice system and one that Reeva’s parents believed was not enough. He served his original one-year sentence and thoughts soon turned to the prospect that he could be competing at Rio 2016 Olympics - somewhat ridiculous when he’d been behind bars just 18 months before. 

Oscar Pistorius hasn't always been free from dispute. When you're at the top of your game, being pushed by other athletes helps spur you on and motivate you to train that bit harder. Yet when he was beaten by Alan Oliveira over 200m at the London 2012 Paralympics, Pistorius suggested Oliveira had cheated. “We aren’t racing a fair race” he protested. Suggesting that Oliveria’s carbon fibre blades were longer than his and longer than the IPC calculated length for someone of that size. This outburst was one of the first times Pistorius had let his guard down in front of the world’s media, and despite apologising for the timing of his complaint, he stood by his statement that there was an issue on the matter. For the general public, this was a sign of what many close to him already knew – Pistorius had a volatile nature, an uncompromising temper, a counter to his apparent kind and giving personality.

Then on 3rd December 2015, the original conviction was overturned. Pistorius now found guilty of murder. 

Once confined by his disability, then defined as the breakthrough star of Paralympic sport, how Pistorius is now defined is yet to be decided. It's difficult to know what to say and think about a man that's provided so much to the sport of athletics and acted as such as positive role model to hundreds of less able people around the world. What he has done for Paralympic sport is phenomenal - he was the poster boy of athletics. He has bridged the gap between Olympic and Paralympic sport and given hope and belief to hundreds of disabled athletes around the world. Understandably, questions concerning whether he should still be seen as a role model are controversial. When you hear the name Oscar Pistorius it is hard not to think first of the tragic events of 2013. Yet look beyond that and thoughts and opinions become much less clear.

Oscar Pistorius; athlete, celebrity, inspiration and yet murderer - the most bitter of endings for someone who was changing the world of para-sport and perceptions of disability. His contribution to athletics can't and shouldn't be forgotten. In my eyes, he will remain a sporting great. Unlike those who are found guilty of drug doping; sporting frauds, Pistorius’ actions and decisions in his life outside of his sport were his downfall, unrelated to being an outstanding athlete. Yet he has taken a life, a life of someone so young with their future ahead of them. And with that, he has also taken his own life, his talent and sporting greatness away from himself – the ultimate price for someone who’s dedicated their life to a career in sport and inspiring others.

Are sports stars selfish?

After listening to an interview by Rebecca Adlington on BBC Radio 4, I was taken aback firstly by how modest and humble she was about her achievements, but more so by how wrong she was that being an elite sportsman or woman was a selfish career choice.

One phrase nearly every elite athlete has used at least once is: "There is no I in team", and this phrase couldn’t be more correct. Behind every great sportsman or woman there is a support team. When young, this may consist of your family and one coach, but the older an athlete gets, the more experienced and elite they become. This 'team' soon grows to a group of people from physios to medics, psychologists to nutritionists. Adlington referred to this as one of the reasons why being an athlete can be seen as selfish. It’s not just the athlete doing something for them, there is a team of people all working and striving towards one goal: to make that athlete the best that they can be.

In the interview Adlington described how when she was much younger her parents acted as this whole support team; from taxi driver to nutritionist; time manager to physio; they became the only way she could manage to continue swimming. She went on to explain how this eventually became too much for her mum who was working full time and trying to care for the whole family, so she ended up quitting her job. At this point, there was inevitable financial stress on the family… but swimming was what Adlington loved, where she excelled - and most parents wouldn’t dream of taking this away from their child. Is this selfish? – Yes, maybe, but it was her parents' choice and they decided to support her in her successes, so really this was selfless of them?

Difficulies within families can arise when there is more than one child, especially if there isn’t a common goal and passion for one sport between them. This was the case with Adlington and with other sports stars such as the diver Tom Daley. However hard parents, family and friends try to make it a level playing field for all their children, when sport is the focus for just one. It is often easier said than done. The balancing act a parent has to make is to ensure all children are equally supported through academia and health is challenging, so again, maybe this can be viewed as selfish. However, if you saw your sibling succeeding and working hard to achieve their goal, perhaps this could have positive influences on the rest of the family?

One of Adlington’s main points was that being an athlete is selfish from the perspective that they aren't doing something for the greater good, perhaps like a career such as a doctor. So this is where I disagree most.

How can someone who acts as a role model, inspires others to take part in physical activity and sport, shows practice, determination and hard work means you can reach lifelong goals and  additionally brings families and nations together, be selfish? I’ve previously written about how the London 2012 Olympics brought people together, put the UK and our outstanding athletes on a world stage – but this is a key message for those humble sports men and women, you are so many people’s role models. Sport stars can have a direct effects on some individuals, perhaps through workshops, coaching and talks. Yet there are wider effect on the masses that can make real differences to a population.

The snowball effect that large sporting competitions can have on participation in sport, whether it is the Olympics, World Cup or World Championships is vast. Through increase in participation comes a number or other benefits, such as positive effects on individual physical and mental health and boosts to the economy that are hard to quantify. It may be the effect of just one sports man or woman, a combination of people or a team – however there is an effect and this is critical. One of the greatest effects I’ve experienced through sport and sporting stars is around the time of the Paralympics. Disability sport was at the forefront, standing alone in the media spotlight. I believe during this time there was a change in attitude and approach towards individuals with disabilities, focus was given to what they could achieve even under constraints, not about what they could not achieve. Channel4 termed them Superhumans, and for good reason. The effects on a whole population’s thoughts and feelings were altered, but what about the more personal effects on individuals who may have struggled to come to terms with their disability? The sportsmen and women who defy odds, break barriers and yet still stay smiling are an inspiration to us all, but particularly those with similar struggles. These sorts of effects are priceless.

So to any sports person, whether you are just starting out or at the height of your career. Whether you notice it or not, if the direct benefits aren’t initially obvious, somewhere out there you will be inspiring someone, and so surely, that isn’t a bad thing. You make a difference, and that’s not selfish. 

Lance Armstrong: The cheat and the questions we ask

In January 2013, live on TV, Lance Armstrong; cyclists' greatest became sports most unwanted athlete after admitting to one of the worlds biggest doping scandals. The anger, the upset, the backlash and the media turmoil that followed showed how one man could effect the thoughts, opinions and actions of others. There is no doubt that to hundreds and thousands of people, Armstrong was a role model - not just for what appeared to be his athletic greatness on a bike but his unbelievable recovery from cancer. It is this mix of hope and strength, yet poison and weakness that makes the story and this man so hard to understand. 

Armstrong was classified as winning the Tour de France a record-breaking 7 consecutive times; that was until, after years of speculation and tracking by officials, the US Anti-Doping Agency disqualified him for doping offences leading to a lifetime ban from cycling in 2012. Armstrong, rightly so, was additionally stripped of his race wins. It was decided by the cycling committee that these would not be redistributed to the worthy winner, which in itself, further strips those who performed and competed cleanly in those years of not just a medal, but of a lifetime goal. 

Cycling, in particular the Tour de France has never been short of drug and doping problems. It was this 'common factor' that Armstrong regularly referred to after admitting to his offence as a justification to his actions. Yet some athletes managed it, some managed to perform with their own body, through their own training and with no input from banned substances, so why couldn't he? 

Information about the fact it was not the actions of one man but more a whole team of people under Armstrong's control came out in the media following the revelations. For me, it showed how powerful, clever and manipulative Armstrong had been, but also that there were trained and professional people out there willing to put substances in athletes bodies, break rules and the sportsmanship of sport. Cycling along with other sports across the world have inputted strict and lengthily processes to stop the likes of Armstrong from ruining the race, games and competitive events for everyone else. Yet there is more to it than banning an athlete from their sport. The negative effects these media figures have is hard to quantify - their audiences often span generations, and so, does it teach those who aren't where they want to be in their career through training and hard work that there are other illegal options? Do scandals such as these take away from what sport should really be about?

There will always be conflicting views for both genders, of all ages in every sport for what the main purpose should be about. Is it competition, training and taking-part, or should it be win at all costs? The journey most professional athletes has to take is often filled with periods of triumph, defeat, injury and often questions; those of themselves, coaches and the media. There are often funding issues and sponsorship deals that come alongside competing. So was it these factors that spurred Armstrong on, was it his first tastes of victory that meant he wanted more, or was it his controlling personality that ultimately meant he couldn't stop until he had reached the top? 

If you have seen his interview with Oprah Winfrey where he admits to his lie, I think you will agree there was little compassion and regret in his voice. Two years later, 26th January 2015, Armstrong was interviewed again: "I'd change the man, not the decision to cheat". Take of this what you will. 

And so the question remains; will sport ever be drug free? 

Or is it more the questions that really come with this one: Are the punishments strong enough to deter those who think about cheating or re-offending following their bans? Is there enough evidence to show the physiological and psychological side-effects to an athlete from using drugs and doping in sport? Is there a rigorous enough process to cause athletes to worry about being caught and reconsider their actions? Finally, will there continue to be athletes who choose to live a sporting career on deceit and lies? I would personally answer ''No' to just one of these questions, why...because there is always someone out there who has to be the best. 

My final thought on Armstrong:

He Lived-Strong, Competed-Well, but Lied-Best. 

Bolt: The fastest man that's ever lived

Not many sportsmen or women can be recognised with the use of just their first or last name, but Usain Bolt is for one reason alone: he is the fastest man that has ever lived.

Although Bolt had previously been World Junior Champion, for many, the tall figure of this athlete stretching away from the rest of the 100 metre field in the Beijing 2008 Olympics was the first sight of his greatness. Bolt broke the world record clocking a time of 9.69 seconds. Yet what made this victory even more impressive was the fact he started to celebrate 10 metres before the finish line. Although Bolt was reported by some as being arrogant and disrespectful towards his fellow competitors, in my opinion he shocked himself at how far ahead he was, a lead like this was unthinkable for an Olympic 100m final. Things only got better for Bolt with the 200m to follow, which was his main event. He won the 200m final in similar record breaking style, making himself double Olympic Gold Champion, alongside making both a name and a pose for himself.

Following the Beijing Olympics, Bolt became the face of not only athletics, but adverts from sportswear to food products and broadband. As the fascination with his speed grew, so did the focus on this new sports personality. As with many stars, Bolt merchandise began to be produced and his name traveled to every town and city around the world. Questions into the reason for his speed, his training and whether he could run any faster began to capture sport scientists and the media.

Unlike many other top sprinters, Bolt standing at 6ft 5 inches is taller than the average sprinter, meaning his starting speed was often slower than the rest of the field. So is it his stride length? The fact he can maintain his maximum speed whilst others start to slow towards the end of the race? Or was it in fact that he ate a box of chicken nuggets the night before the final that propelled him to the gold? This may have been a frustrating for the hundreds of athletes that follow rigorous diets, but for the public, it added to his charm.

A year later and the World Championships in Berlin were upon us. As Bolt stood on the start line, he nodded to the camera as if to say 'you're about to see something special', which was, an understatement. 9.58 seconds. Unbelievable. What could make this even more extraordinary was his time of 19.19 seconds for the 200m. And with the surname Bolt, the puns were hitting every newspaper... lightning can strike twice. He had proved he wasn't a one trick pony and that he was to stay in this sport and inspire children and athletes around the world. Now Bolt could call himself a legend, surely?

Bolt continued to add to his medal tally and by London 2012 remained the favourite to win the Olympic triple; 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay. Yet leading up to the Olympics, the gap between Bolt and his competitors was narrowing. Bolt had admitted himself that he doesn't train as hard as the others in the Jamacian camp but that he had focused on his start, the 'weakest' part of his race. At London 2012, Bolt ran the second fastest time ever run over 100m (just behind his own world record) and became one of few athletes to successfully defend both their 100m and 200m Olympic golds. Yet it wasn't until this year, following his double win at the Moscow World Championships that admitted this legendary status, and rightly so.

So the question remains, can Usain Bolt be beaten? Can the fastest man in the world go any faster? Usain Bolt, the fastest man that's ever lived, the athlete, the showman. When will he be stopped, or when will he decide to stop?

Heading back to the Olympic Stadium: One Year On

By chance more than anything, I had recently started following The National Lottery on Twitter. I have been buying lottery tickets for years, not quite realising that, along with millions of others, we were helping the athletes we watch and cheer for on their path to greatness. Many of the athletes at the Olympics and Paralympics thanked the players of the Lottery for their contribution, however small and insignificant it may have been on their journey. As a 'thank you' some of these Lottery funded athletes agreed to take part in the National Lottery Anniversary Run, which was to be held in the newly named Queen Elizabeth Park. This was one event I was not going to miss out on!

The website to apply for tickets opened at 9 am. The website crashed not long after. However, there had been just enough time for my sisters and I to enter, and I was parading around the house as if I myself had just won Olympic gold. Soon after 10,000 people had their places in this momentous run, news of Chris Hoy starting the race was released, along with Paula Radcliffe and Victoria Pendleton who would be running it. I was now feeling like a double Olympic champion. The athletes I had watched, cheered for, cried at one year before, would not only have previously been where I was to soon be running, but they were actually going to be there with me.

The words Inspire and Legacy were at the forefront of the London 2012 Olympics. The aim, not only to show the world what matters to Britain but to increase participation and the country's interest in sport as a whole. This Anniversary Run was one of many events to be held in the wake of the games to bring the Olympic stadium and park to life again. The event itself was as amazing as I had hoped, crossing that finish line to then spot the first female Olympian Boxer Nicola Adams felt very surreal. Where hundreds of world class athletes had made themselves, there I was crossing the same line, with not quite as much style (or speed). Yet as it says on the back of my medal, 'I followed in the footsteps of legends' - something I will never forget. A part of London 2012 I can say I was involved in. 

The real question one year on is: Did the Olympics inspire a generation? For me, the fact that previously unknown London 2012 athletes were now household names showed how powerful they had actually been. The fact that paralympians were being recognised for their ability, rather than their disability was one of the best things to come from the games. London 2012 showed the power of sport in bringing people together, showing the world how the dedication and talent of athletes can lead to greatness. Proud to be British? Within minutes of the final firework at the Opening Ceremony, those 4 words were trending on Twitter and continued to be said for the following 2 weeks. In the words of Lord Coe, these Olympics were "Made in Britain", something we should be proud of. Whatever public opinion may be, one year on we all have the memories of London 2012 and the pictures of the stars that made that summer.