Britain’s Young Gun? European Medalist Ollie Makinson Interview
Ollie Makinson is one of Britains next rising triathlon stars. During this unusually quiet time we were able to get some answers from him about his season last year, how training has been going this winter and how he has adapted to a difficult situation with the outbreak of the coronavirus affecting all triathlon related activity.
Q1. How was it competing in your first major championships at the European Junior Triathlon Championships last year?
The European championships last year was my biggest race to date, and I knew I had to step it up to match the standard of the Euro triathlon scene. With a really solid few weeks of training, I was as prepared as I could be flying out to Weert a few days before the race. The race itself went better than I anticipated with a front bike pack swim and a solid run to get 13th in the end. The relay went even better with me breaking away on the bike on the anchor leg to secure the sliver for the GB team.
Q2. Although it’s now been extended has your training run smoothly this winter even if it has now been extended?
This winter at Stirling Triathlon Centre has been the most consistent block of training in my triathlon career so far with the correct intensities for base training allowing me to increase my volume and improve strength throughout the winter months. Under Andrew, my new coach from the start of September, I’ve began to understand importance of winter training to prepare for a long season the next year.
Q3. Which is your favourite discipline?
The bike and run are my two favourite out of the three in triathlon. Although I am a pretty well rounded athlete who doesn’t excel in any of the three just decent in them all so I don’t mind the swim when I’m feeling good in the water!
Q4. If we do have a season this year, what race is your main focus? Euros? Worlds?
My focus is still Worlds seen as Euros is most likely going to be cancelled this year but also I’m more focussed on improvement and staying healthy with the recent events putting the season in doubts.
Q5. You’ve changed your training location to Stirling this year. How have you found making a big change in your training environment.
The change in environment last year was a lot better than I expected because I was just coming back from injury; just taking the weeks easy helped me transition and get used to training with the new group. After two weeks of getting my bearings with a new coach and I started the winter training in prep of the 2020 season.
Q6. What are you doing in the midst of this coronavirus at the moment to account for the lack of swimming? Any examples of what you have done to try and make up for this lost training?
The bike volume is high at the moment and the run will soon follow in the coming weeks while gym work has also increased to maintain strength. The biggest difference is the use of swim chords to try and replicate the swimming movements as best as possible. Patience and consistency in the training I can do is important to me so I can come back a better athlete once normal training resume.
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