Sharon Laws facts for kids
Laws in the 2009 UCI Road World Championships in Mendrisio, Switzerland
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Sharon Laws | ||
| Born | 7 July 1974 Nairobi, Kenya |
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| Died | 16 December 2017 (aged 43) | ||
| Height | 1.64 m (5 ft 5 in) | ||
| Weight | 54 kg (119 lb; 8.5 st) | ||
| Team information | |||
| Discipline | Road & MTB | ||
| Role | Rider | ||
| Major wins | |||
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Sharon Laws (born July 7, 1974 – died December 16, 2017) was a British professional cyclist. She was also an expert in environmental issues.
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Sharon Laws' Early Life
Sharon Laws was born in Nairobi, Kenya. She grew up in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, in the United Kingdom. During her life, she also lived in countries like Uganda, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
She earned a Master's degree in conservation. This means she studied how to protect nature and the environment. Before and during her cycling career, she worked as an environmental consultant. She advised groups like the British Government and the United Nations. She also worked for a mining company called Rio Tinto in Australia.
Sharon Laws' Cycling Career
Before becoming a road cyclist, Sharon Laws competed in adventure races. She also took part in long-distance mountain biking events. In 2004, she won the eight-day Absa Cape Epic mountain bike race in South Africa. She won it again in 2009 with her partner, Hanlie Booyens.
She started riding road bikes to train for her mountain biking. Her talent on the road became clear when she moved to Australia. She was asked to ride for Australia after finishing second in their national championship. However, a British official, Dave Brailsford, signed her for Team Halfords Bikehut. Sharon became a professional cyclist at 33 years old. She lived in Girona, Spain, and trained in Stellenbosch, South Africa, during the winter.
Her first win with the team was the Cheshire Classic stage race. She won it after coming in second on the first two parts of the race. She also did well in the Tour de l'Aude Cycliste Féminin. She finished sixth overall in that race, even after crashing on one stage.
Sharon joined the British team for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The team hoped to win a medal. Sharon finished 35th in the race. Later in 2008, she won the British National Time Trial Championships. This is a race against the clock.
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In 2012, she won the British National Road Race Championships. This made her the best road cyclist in Britain that year.
In 2015, she joined the Podium Ambition Pro Cycling team for the 2016 season. In June 2016, she announced she would stop competing at the end of that season.
After retiring, Sharon Laws became part of the commentary team for ITV4. She helped explain the 2017 Women's Tour race on TV.
Retirement and Passing
Sharon Laws stopped professional cycling in August 2016. In October 2016, she shared that she had been diagnosed with cervical cancer. She began treatment for her illness. Sharon Laws passed away on December 16, 2017, at the age of 43.
Major Achievements
- 2004
- 1st, Women's Category, Absa Cape Epic, South Africa (8-day mountain bike race)
- 2008
- 1st, Cheshire Classic (Great Britain)
- 1st, British National Time Trial Championships
- 2009
- 1st, Women's Category, Absa Cape Epic
- 2012
- 1st, British National Road Race Championships
- 1st, Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge, South Africa
- 3rd, Team time trial, 2012 UCI Road World Championships
- 2014
- 1st,
Mountains classification The Women's Tour
- 1st,
See also
In Spanish: Sharon Laws para niños
