Helen Jenkins

Hobbies

Walking her dog and shopping. She is also a self-confessed Star Trek fan. (guardian.co.uk, 24 Nov 2011; britishtriathlon.org, 19 Jun 2008; helentucker.co.uk, 07 Aug 2011)

Occupation

Athlete

Family

Husband Marc Jenkins

Language(s) spoken

English

Club name

Bridgend AC, Bridgend, GBR

Coach

Rick Velati, Marc Jenkins [husband] (britishtriathlon.org, 2011; Athlete, 06 Aug 2011)

Other sports

Her husband Marc Jenkins represented Great Britain in triathlon at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. (ITU, 06 Aug 2011)

Injuries

A cold significantly hampered her preparation for the ITU World Championship Series London event in 2011, but she still managed to win by seven seconds. (ITU, 06 Aug 2011)

A crash on the bike in Sydney in April 2011 forced her to miss several weeks of swimming and running training, as her cuts became infected. (helentucker.co.uk, 30 May 2011)

In January 2011 she said she had been "struggling with a niggling knee for a few months". (helentucker.co.uk, 31 Jan 2011)

Additional information

Start of sporting career
She took up triathlon at age 15. (Athlete, 06 Aug 2011)

Reason for taking up this sport
She grew up as a competitive swimmer and wanted something new. "There was a girl I was swimming with whose father was involved with triathlons. He was looking to get some youngsters involved and asked a couple of us if we wanted to give it a go. I was one of the faster girls that attended the event and I actually won the race. There weren't that many people doing it, but it went on from there."

"I wasn't good enough to be a swimmer and I wouldn't have been good enough to be a runner. Triathlon was something I started doing and seemed to do well in. When you start to do well, it kind of hooks you in." (Athlete, 06 Aug 2011; runnersworld.co.uk, 07 Oct 2011)

Ambitions
To win Olympic gold. (triathlon.org, 24 Aug 2008)

Training
She trains everyday but Sunday, for around 25-30 hours a week. "We don't count hours. I never really do anything too long. For example I'll never spend longer than three hours on a bike. We do more intensive stuff and have found that works better for me at the distance I'm racing. This time of year and during the winter I will usually do a couple of intensive rides. If you add up the hours I do I am guessing it's not more than 25 hours because of the intensity."

Her husband Marc says, ""We do all our swimming and most of our easy running and riding together. Some days I don't want to leave the house and others it's her, so all in all it works well, especially for the 5:30 am swims which we generally do four times a week". (Athlete, 06 Aug 2011; triathlete-europe.competitor.com, Apr 7th 2011)

Most memorable sporting achievement
Becoming World Champion in 2008 after an 18 month injury lay off. "It was so unexpected that it didn't feel real." She also cites reclaiming her ITU World Championship title in 2011 as one of her most memorable sporting achievements. (telegraph.co.uk, Sep 2011; triathlon.org, 24 Aug 2008; bbc.co.uk, Jan 2011)

Hero
"All my competitors inspire me. There's no-one in particular. Whatever the level, there are a lot of determined and talented people out there that don't always get the recognition they deserve." (triathlon.org, 10 Sep 2011)


Most influential person in career
Her parents. (Athlete, 06 Aug 2011)

Superstitions / Rituals
She always writes down a race plan and race day schedule before a competition. (Athlete, 06 Aug 2011)

"I listen to music and I focus on my breathing. I listen to the music I listen to when I train, because it puts me back in that training mode. Once you're into the race you switch off and it's as if you're on auto pilot. The worst part is sitting around beforehand, waiting for the race to start." (bbc.co.uk, 01 Sep 2011)

Sporting philosophy / motto
"Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone." (britishtriathlon.org, 19 Jun 2008)

Awards
In 2011 she was named joint Olympic Athlete of the Year along with triathlete Alistair Brownlee by British Triathlon. (britishtriathlon.org, 13 Nov 2011)

2011 GE British Triathlon Female Elite Triathlete of the Year award by British Triathlon. (runnersworld.co.uk, 14 Nov 2011)

In 2011 she became one of only four women to have won two world championship titles, and was the first British woman to win the world title since it changed to a series format in 2009. (triradar.com, 27 Oct 2011)

She was the first British woman to win the ITU World Championship Series London event when she took gold in 2011. Previously, she had won bronze in 2009 and 2010. (ITU, 06 Aug 2011)

She was named British Triathlon Female Elite Athlete of the Year in 2008, 2009 and 2010. (britishtriathlonmedia.org, 21 Aug 2011)



General
POTENTIAL LONDON 2012 FIRST
She secured a GBR quota spot for the London 2012 Olympic Games when she won the ITU World Championship Series London event in August 2011. If she wins a medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games, she will become the first British triathlete to do so since it was introduced to the Olympic programme in 2000. (ITU, 07 Aug 2011; Athlete, 06 Aug 2011)

WOMEN IN SPORT
She tweeted her frustration at the lack of women nominated for the 2011 BBC Sports Personality of the Year [SPOTY] awards, "Wow, all men for SPOTY. Apparently not a strong year for women, says Gary Lineker. Tell that to all the female world champions this year!" and "Thanks if you thought I should have been nominated for SPOTY. I did follow triathlete Chrissie Wellington, "No women in @bbcspoty top ten. It's not about me, it's about the need to celebrate achievements of so many female GBR athletes. Disgraceful." (twitter.com, 28 Nov 2011; twitter.com, 29 Nov 2011)

TRIATHLON LOVE
She first encountered her husband Marc Jenkins at the Bridgend Swimming Club when she was 13 as they both came from the same area, although he was eight years her senior. When the couple met again several years later when she was 17, they began a relationship and in 2008 they married at Disney World in the USA. She says finding a partner in Jenkins at a young age has helped her enjoy her career and allows her access to a relaxed environment away from the sport whilst still being able to train with the man she loves. "I was 17 when we met and I had just started doing triathlons. We were members of the same swimming club and I knew Marc was a triathlete, but I wasn't really that interested in the sport. We talk about food a lot – a triathlete's life is mainly about food, sleep and training! And we love walking our dog Barney – he's the baby of the house." (triradar.com, 01 Dec 2010)

CHARITY WORK
She is a patron of ASH Wales, a voluntary organisation dedicated to preventing young boys and girls from taking up smoking. (helentucker.co.uk, 01 Dec 2009)

Previous Olympics

Beijing 2008