Rachel James

Rachel Sarah James (born 1988) is a Welsh racing cyclist specializing in track cycling.

Rachel James
Rachel James (2016)
Personal information
Full nameRachel Sarah James
Born (1988-08-30) 30 August 1988
Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales
Team information
DisciplineTrack & Road
RoleRider
Rider typeSprinter / All-Rounder
Amateur team
Abergavenny Road Club

James, from Abergavenny, Wales, is the daughter of David James and Christine Harris,[1] and has a younger sister, Becky, who is a world champion racing cyclist,[2] and also has another two younger sisters; Ffion and Megan, and brother Gareth, who are all keen cyclists. Although Rachel is older than Becky, it was Becky who entered the sport first: she persuaded Rachel to take up cycling, with the hope of the pair representing Wales in the team sprint at the 2014 Commonwealth Games - however these hopes were dashed when the event was removed from the Glasgow games' schedule.[3]

In 2013 James became a pilot for paracyclist Sophie Thornhill.[4] The pair won a gold medal and set a new world record at the 2014 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Aguascalientes in the 1km time trial, on their debut in a major international event.[5] They subsequently won a second gold in the tandem sprint.[6]

James represented Wales at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, 2014[7] where she rode as pilot for former paralympic swimmer Rhiannon Henry.[8] James reunited with Thornhill to compete in the 2014 British National Track Championships in September, where they won the mixed time trial[9] and the 200 metre flying start time trial for blind and visually impaired riders.[10] In addition James took a bronze medal in the team sprint alongside Helen Scott.[11]

Palmarès
2012
1st Team sprint, British National Track Championships (with Becky James)
2013
3rd Keirin, British National Track Championships
3rd Team sprint, British National Track Championships (with Ellie Coster)
2014
1st Tandem B 1km time trial, UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships (with Sophie Thornhill)[12]
1st Tandem B sprint, UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships (with Sophie Thornhill)
1st Para Cycling BVI mixed time trial, British National Track Championships (with Sophie Thornhill)
1st Para Cycling BVI 200m flying start time trial, British National Track Championships (with Sophie Thornhill)
3rd Team sprint, British National Track Championships (with Helen Scott)
2017
2nd Keirin, Oberhausen
3rd Keirin, International track race - Panevežys

References
  1. "Cwmheulog Hill-Climb". Cycling Shorts. 13 October 2012.
  2. Observer Sport staff (29 September 2012). "After the Games: Becky James proves there is life after Pendleton". The Observer. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  3. McGeehan, Matt (18 October 2016). "Welsh cyclist Rachel James aims to follow in footsteps of sister Becky". WalesOnline. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  4. "Double world cycling champion Becky James aims to retain titles in 2014". WalesOnline. 30 November 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  5. McDaid, David (12 April 2014). "Para-cycling Track Championships 2014: GB win two gold medals". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
  6. McDaid, David (14 April 2014). "Para-cycling Track Championships 2014: Storey wins second gold". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  7. "Commonwealth Games 2014: Olympic champion Geraint Thomas and world sprint star Becky James head up Welsh cycling team for Glasgow". Wales Online. 9 July 2014.
  8. Griffiths, Gareth (24 July 2014). "Commonwealth Games 2014: Rachel James and Rhiannon Henry miss out on Glasgow medal". WalesOnline. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  9. "British National Track Championships 24th-28th September 2014: Communiqué No 008" (PDF). trackworldcup.co.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  10. "National Track Championships: Jess Varnish powers to sprint title". bbc.co.uk. 26 September 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  11. "Report and Results From Day Four". British Cycling. 27 September 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  12. "Communique #47: Results - Women's B 1km Time Trial Final". Union Cycliste Internationale. 11 April 2014. Retrieved 12 April 2014.


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