We are delighted to welcome Rachel Brown to our aspiring athlete scheme. This is a free annual membership to support high level Hertfordshire based athletes getting to that next step in their sporting achievement.
Rachel is a professional triathlete with the British Triathlon Federation and competed at the Challenge Gran Canaria race in April.
What is the Aspiring Athlete Scheme?
The Aspiring Athlete Scheme supported by InspireAll, is a programme designed to help athletes get to that next step in their sporting achievement. The programme provides expertise these partnerships have to offer.
The scheme is available to residents of Hertfordshire or Milton Keynes, with the aim to provide assistance and free access to the leisure facilities to allow athletes to train and achieve their goals.
The scheme is run on a yearly basis and is open to applicants aged between 11 – 28 years of age, which can be extended to aged 35 in the cases of disabled athletes.
Here is some more info on Rachel’s amazing achievements!
“I have been running since aged 11; competing in national track, XC competitions and marathons before the age of 19. Before I went to university, I wanted to try something different. At first, I got into the uni rowing team but, as I was based in the beautiful Peak District at Sheffield University, I continued to run for fitness and compete in some university competitions. Soon I was swayed by a friend to start riding a bike, and not long after this I began to fall in love with the sport of Triathlon.
I had some successes competing as an age group triathlete and won a number of UK based races, however I always wanted to explore my potential further and I believed that, with the right input, I had so much more to give. In the last year and a half I started with a well-esteemed coach in pursuit of a professional career as a long distance triathlete.
During 2022, I competed in Ironman 70.3 (half distance triathlon) events for the first time. I am proud that I was able to adjust quickly to the increased distance and even excel, receiving my pro licence after only 3 races. A personal highlight was finishing 3rd overall in the Challenge event in Vansbro, Sweden against a professional field including those competing in the Swedish National Championships. Throughout this time, I have been working at the NHS as a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist to help fund my sporting career.
I am now looking to pursue more ambitious racing goals next year, which will require a considerable commitment of time and financial investment. Competing at a professional level would not be possible without the support of trusted sponsors as it allows me to focus less of my energy on finances and more on constantly improving my performance, which is why the help of InspireAll is so valuable to me.
This season I am aiming for a podium finish at a 70.3-distance professional race to build my profile. I would also like to improve my swimming segment of the race and be able to stay with the front pack swimmers. My longer term goal is to be ranked within the top 40 and be invited to the PTO events”.
Please visit the link to find out more about all our Aspiring Athletes.
