Exclusive: Shanaze Reade On Returning To The Track And Dreaming Of Olympic Glory
Shanaze Reade has experienced more than her fair share of Olympic heartache. First she agonisingly crashed out in the BMX final at Beijing 2008 then finished a disappointing sixth at the London Olympics of 2012. They are performances that still linger in her mind, and still drive her on.
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Having experienced both of those crushing moments on a BMX, Reade has returned to track competition. It is a discipline in which she is a double world champion ÛÒ a feat she matched on a BMX ÛÒ and has always had an innate talent for. Alongside Victoria Pendleton she became Team Sprint World Champion in 2007 and 2008 before again focusing on her BMX.
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BMX is an intense sport full of risk, reward and often cruel punishment. ReadeÛªs though was harsher than most. In 2008, having set the Olympics alight at just 19 years of age, she fell in the final and did not finish the race.åÊ
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Reade lying face down as her competition cruised past her is one of the defining images of the 2008 Olympics. It is a memory that has both scarred and inspired her to succeed in track cycling.
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She said: ÛÏThis could be my third Olympics so IÛªm coming in as a bit of a veteran but what happened in the last two has definitely left a mark.
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ÛÏNo matter what you do or what psychologists you work with it will always be there and it is one of the biggest factors in my whole career.åÊ
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ÛÏIt happened to me at a young age and IÛªm now 27, but it has been a driving force and I will not stop until I get an Olympic medal and hopefully that will be next year.ÛåÊ
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Reade, who has been racing for Madison Genesis in her domestic cycling, returned to the national stage at her first ever British National Track Championships at the end of September. A second place finish after only a short time back on a track bike is testament to ReadeÛªs enduring quality.
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The performance has reaffirmed ReadeÛªs belief that she was right to return to the sport that she originally got involved in as a way of training for her BMX racing. Reade also feels content with her achievements on a BMX and views the return to track competition as signalling the end of her BMX career.
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ÛÏI used track racing as training and happened to be the best in the team in the man one position. That gave me the chance to ride with Victoria Pendleton and win at the World Championships but I never really explored it further,Û she explained.
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ÛÏIÛªve only been back in the track format for a short amount of time so IÛªm relatively pleased with where my performances are at the moment but it is a long process.
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ÛÏWith the nature of the injuries in BMXing now I felt I had achieved everything I wanted to in the sport and track cycling would give me a new challenge.Û
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It is a challenge that Reade is approaching, like the rest of her sporting life, with full commitment. Her familiarity with team GBÛªs track unit has helped her acclimatise quickly in a team full of what she describes as strong girls. Her previous time in the track set-up means she is familiar with many of the staff and is feeling refreshed by life on the track.åÊ
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While competing on a BMX Reade was persistently viewed as a favourite to win a medal and admits that the pressure often told, especially at international competitions. She now claims that should she make the squad for Rio 2016 she will relish the lowered expectations and trying to raise them.åÊ
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ÛÏIÛªve gone into the last two Olympics and been expected to medal and if I make it to Rio I will go in as an underdog which is something that excites me,Û she said
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ÛÏThe last two Olympics havenÛªt been as exciting for me as I have had to contend with that pressure. This time round IÛªm excited about trying to get on that plane and working as part of this great team without the same level of expectancy to perform.
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ÛÏOf course, once you get there everyone wants to win a medal and I will give it absolutely everything to make that happen.Û
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You wouldnÛªt put it past her, and 2016 looks set to be a defining year on the track for this most multi-talented of sportswomen.
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åÊShanaze Reade is a member of the Madison Genesis team and wears Madison Clothing whether she is out for a casual ride on the road, training on the track or competing at the highest level. For more info, visit www.madison.cc. åÊ