Elinor Barker - Cycling
Name: Elinor Barker
Born: Cardiff, Wales
School(s): Llanishen High School
Club(s): Maindy Flyers, Cardiff Ajax
Event: Team Pursuit
Other Sports: Swimming
Olympic Experience: Rio 2016 (Gold)
Medals: Olympics (Gold 2016), Commonwealth Games (Gold 2018, Silver and Bronze 2014), Track World Championships (Gold x 5, Silver x 6 and Bronze), Road World Championships (Gold 2012 and Silver 2011) European Championships (Gold x 8, Silver x 2 and Bronze)
Other Honours: MBE, BBC Junior Sportswoman of the Year
Elinor will be feeling very lucky to be competing at her second Olympic Games after being hit by a car back in April. Only having to miss one week of training, she will be looking to replicate her performance from Rio 2016 to clinch back-to-back Gold medals in Tokyo 2020.
What club did Elinor start cycling at?
Leaving a swimming lesson with her sister, Elinor noticed the track cyclists at Maindy Flyers finishing their track session. Being a self-confessed ‘bad swimmer, she used cycling as an excuse with her mum to get out of swimming. This was when she joined the Flyers.
Another Welsh Olympic Gold medal winning cyclist started out at Maindy Flyers and that was none other than Geraint Thomas
One thing you didn’t know about Elinor Barker
It wasn’t actually cycling that Elinor aspired to do at the Olympics as a young girl. It was swimming. Elinor thought swimming looked cool because of Michael Phelps and admits she didn’t know what the Tour de France was until the age of 12.
What dates will Elinor be competing at Tokyo 2020?
Monday, August 2 - Qualifying (07:54 BST)
Tuesday, August 3 - Heats (07:30) Finals 5-8 (09:05/09:12), Bronze Medal Race (09:19) Gold Medal Race (09:26)