Becky James facts for kids
James in 2012
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Rebecca Angharad James |
| Born | 29 November 1991 Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales |
| Height | 1.71 m |
| Weight | 67 kg |
| Team information | |
| Current team | Velosure–Giordana |
| Discipline | Track & Road |
| Role | Rider |
| Rider type | Sprinter / All-rounder |
Rebecca Angharad James (born in 1991) is a former professional racing cyclist from Wales. She was a top athlete in track cycling, which is a type of bike racing held on special indoor tracks. Rebecca became a world champion in both sprint and keirin events in 2013. She also won two silver medals at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.
Rebecca rode for the Wales team and the Great Britain Cycling Team. She was part of British Cycling's Olympic Podium Programme, which helps train athletes for the Olympics.
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About Rebecca James
Rebecca James was born in Abergavenny, Wales. She comes from a family of cyclists! Her older sister, Rachel James, is also a racing cyclist. Rebecca has two younger sisters, Ffion and Megan, and a brother, Gareth, who all love cycling too. Ffion is even on the British national mountain bike team. Rebecca went to King Henry VIII School in Abergavenny.
Rebecca's Cycling Journey
Starting Out in Cycling
Rebecca began her cycling journey at the Abergavenny Road Club. This is where many young cyclists get their start.
In 2009, Rebecca had a fantastic year. She won gold medals in both the sprint and 500-metre time trial at the European Track Championships. She also won a silver medal in the keirin event. Later that year, she won two more gold medals at the UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships in the keirin and sprint. She even set a new world record for the flying 200 metres!
Becoming a Professional Cyclist
In 2010, Rebecca represented Wales at the XIX Commonwealth Games. She won a bronze medal in the 500m time trial and a silver medal in the sprint race. These were big achievements early in her professional career.
Rebecca joined a professional cycling team in 2011. She was chosen for British Cycling's Olympic Development Programme, which helped her prepare for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
A major highlight of her career was at the 2013 UCI World Championships. Rebecca won her first world gold medal by beating Kristina Vogel from Germany in the final of the sprint championship. She also won gold in the keirin at the same event.
Unfortunately, Rebecca had to miss the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow because of a knee injury. But she came back strong!
At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Rebecca won two silver medals. She earned one in the keirin event and another in the sprint event. These Olympic medals were a huge success for her.
In August 2017, Rebecca announced that she was retiring from cycling. She decided to start her own baking business, which was a new and exciting challenge for her.
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Life Outside Cycling
Rebecca used to enjoy horse riding and even competed in show jumping. However, she stopped to focus on her cycling career.
Before races, Rebecca liked to listen to Electronic dance music while warming up. She would listen to Reggae and Reggae fusion music while waiting for her turn. Her favorite place to ride her bike is Pollença in Mallorca.
Rebecca looked up to other famous cyclists like Sir Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton. They were her role models.
In June 2019, Rebecca married her long-time partner, George North. He is a Welsh international rugby union player. On May 5, 2020, Rebecca and George welcomed their son, Jac, into the world.
Key Achievements
Rebecca James achieved many great things in her cycling career. Here are some of her most important wins and medals:
- 2009:
- Gold in Keirin, Junior Track World Championships
- Gold in Sprint, Junior Track World Championships
- Gold in Sprint, European Track Championships
- 2010:
- Silver in Sprint, Commonwealth Games
- Bronze in 500m Time Trial, Commonwealth Games
- 2013:
- Gold in Sprint, UCI Track World Championships
- Gold in Keirin, UCI Track World Championships
- 2016:
- Silver in Keirin, Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro
- Silver in Sprint, Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro
See also
In Spanish: Rebecca James (ciclista) para niños
