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John Paul

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The National Champion takes time out from winning three individual gold medals at the UK School Games 2009 to reveal his ambition to become the next Olympic star in track cycling.

Raise Your Game: How did you get into cycling?

Profile

Name:
John Paul

Born:
21 April 1993

From:
Lybster, Scotland

Events:
Track cycling

Achievements:

  • Selected for the Olympic Development Programme (2009)
  • Silver - 200m Junior sprint, Junior and Youth Track Championships Newport (2009)
  • 2 x gold - 500m time trial and 200m sprint, Junior and Youth Track Championships Newport (2009)
  • 3 x gold - Sprint, keirin and 500m time trial, UK School Games, Newport (2009)
  • Set two new national records in the 200m qualifying and 500m time trial at the UK School Games 2009.
  • 1st place - Regional Track Omnium, Midlands (2009)
  • 4th place - Sprint, National Youth Track Sprint Championships (2008)

John Paul: I was originally a 100m runner, but in 2004 I was watching the Athens Olympics and I saw Chris Hoy win gold in the kilometre and just thought that it was the coolest thing ever. I got my dad to find where the nearest velodrome to me was, which was in Reading, and I went there every Saturday morning.

RYG: Is preparation the key to success?

JP: Preparation is key to the whole package of being an athlete. It's not just about winning, it's making sure you are prepared to deal with losing as well.

I work closely with my coach in planning my training and I fill in a diary every week. Everyone gets those days where they don't feel like training, but the true champions are the ones that do.

RYG: How do you keep motivated?

JP: I just concentrate on my dream of becoming an Olympic champion. That's my main goal.

RYG: How do you deal with setbacks and injuries?

JP: Everyone has setbacks. The journey to the top is not just a straight easy ride. It's alright when you're winning, but when you're not and things are going wrong, how you deal with that makes a true champion.

RYG: How important is a healthy diet?

JP: Power to weight ratio is a key factor in sprint cycling. You need a healthy diet to fuel training sessions and to recover the energy after an event. I mainly eat carbohydrates, for the energy, about two hours before an event to give the food a chance to digest. Afterwards I will have a protein shake to help recover.

Recovery is crucial especially when you are competing at an event over a number of days.

RYG: How important is mental toughness in maintaining focus and confidence in the heat of a race?

JP: When you're racing against others, it's a very personal sort of event. Mental toughness comes into it a great deal. You've just got to be strong, focus on your event and think tactically.

I do get nervous before a race. The best way to deal with nerves is to be confident in yourself, and remind yourself that you've done it before. It really does help. I also listen to rock music to get me pumped up beforehand

RYG: What skills has cycling given you?

John Paul

JP: It's the professionalism that you get from being an elite athlete. You also learn to structure your training. These are skills that you can carry over to your school work.

RYG: What would your advice be to young people looking to take up cycling?

JP: When I first started I was quite small. I found it quite intimidating and I didn't win anything. You've just got to stick at it and if you enjoy it, just keep going.


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