Jessica Varnish facts for kids
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Varnish at the 2015 UEC European Track Championships
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Jessica Varnish |
| Nickname | Jess |
| Born | 19 November 1990 Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England, UK |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) |
| Weight | 67 kg (148 lb; 10.6 st) |
| Team information | |
| Discipline | Track |
| Role | Rider |
| Rider type | Sprinter |
Jessica Varnish (born 19 November 1990) is a former British track cyclist. She was a very successful athlete, known for her speed in track cycling events. Jessica was part of a team that set a world record in 2012 and won many medals at important championships.
Contents
Jessica Varnish: A Cycling Star
Early Life and Training
Jessica Varnish was born in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England, on 19 November 1990. Her dad, Jim Varnish, was also a keen cyclist, which might have inspired her. She went to South Bromsgrove High School.
Jessica started cycling at a young age. When she was just 14, she competed in the Junior World Championships in Belgium in 2006. Even though it was unofficial, she showed amazing talent. She broke the British record for the 500-meter standing start, finishing in 37.1 seconds.
Joining the British Cycling Team
In January 2006, Jessica made her first appearance for the Great Britain Cycling team. This was at the Austrian Junior International event. She soon joined British Cycling's Olympic Development Programme. This program helps young athletes train to become future Olympians. Jessica was chosen for the program a year earlier than most people her age. This showed how much British Cycling believed in her potential.
Her first big competition at a senior level was the 2008 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Manchester. In March 2009, Jessica was recognized for her achievements. She won the "junior female sports personality of the year" award. This was given by the Sports Partnership Herefordshire and Worcestershire Sports Awards.
In 2011, a train was even named after her! Virgin Trains West Coast named their Pendolino train 390027 in her honor on 29 June 2011.
Olympic Dreams and World Records
Jessica continued to achieve great things in cycling. On 18 February 2012, she competed at the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in London. This event was held at the new Olympic Velodrome. With her teammate Victoria Pendleton, they broke the world record in the women's team sprint. They also won a gold medal at this event.
At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Jessica and Victoria Pendleton again broke the world record. This happened during the qualifying rounds of the team sprint. However, they were later disqualified in the semi-finals. This meant they could not compete for a medal.
Challenges and Changes
In April 2016, there was a discussion about Jessica's contract with British Cycling. Her contract for the Olympic Podium Programme was not renewed. The Performance Director, Shane Sutton, said this was because of her performance over the past three years. Jessica, however, felt she had performed well. She believed she had earned enough points for the Olympic team. She also said she had consistently been among the top 5 in the world for the team sprint.
This disagreement led to an investigation within British Cycling. Shane Sutton later resigned from his position.
Major Achievements
Jessica Varnish won many medals throughout her career. Here are some of her most important achievements:
- World Championships:
- Silver medal in Team Sprint at the 2011 World Championships in Apeldoorn.
- Bronze medal in the 500m Time Trial at the 2012 World Championships in Melbourne.
- Bronze medal in Team Sprint at the 2014 World Championships in Cali.
- European Championships:
- Gold medal in Team Sprint at the 2011 European Championships in Apeldoorn.
- Silver medal in Team Sprint at the 2010 European Championships in Pruszków.
- Bronze medals in Sprint and Team Sprint at the 2013 European Championships in Apeldoorn.
- Commonwealth Games:
- Bronze medal in the Time Trial at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
- Bronze medal in Sprint at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Jessica also won many national titles in the UK. She was a multiple British National Champion in events like the 500m Time Trial, Sprint, Team Sprint, and Keirin.
See also
In Spanish: Jessica Varnish para niños
