It wasn’t their first time on a podium, but it’s likely the most special win of their careers so far for Lindsy and Owen James, who both took World Duathlon gold in their 45-49 age group categories at the 2023 World Triathlon Multisport Championships earlier in May.
This weekend sees the Great Britain Age-Group Team travel to Madrid for the Europe Triathlon Championships across both sprint and standard distance triathlon, with hundreds of Brits on the start line in Spain.
Athletes will look to add to the impressive haul from Ibiza where wins for the James’ cemented a partnership of over a decade, one made all the stronger for having a shared love of duathlon. Sports massage therapist Owen was the first of the couple to discover triathlon:
“Historically, I was a professional footballer back when I was 19 at Sheffield United. I played semi-pro for a bit but when that didn’t work out, I needed something to keep going. I got stuck into running and did 17 marathons, including the six world majors.
“I got a bit bored of those and always liked a challenge, so thought I’d try a duathlon… Fast forward five years and here we are, right at the top end of the age group and it’s been quite a journey.”
For Lindsy, the journey has looked a little different. Though like Owen, she comes from a running background, she made the move to duathlon three years ago and uses the sport to both challenge herself and inspire others.
“My involvement through sport comes from a charity I run called Active Fusion, which is all about using sport and physical activity to encourage young people to develop a love for being physically active that’ll last for life.
“Our vision is ‘be the best you can be’, so as the leader of the charity, I’m always looking at ways of putting myself out of my comfort zone and try new sports.”
Two world champions under one roof must equal a lot of training, which they juggle alongside spending quality time with their seven-year-old son, Archie.
Mostly it’s about having drive, explained Lindsy: “If you want something, you create that environment to make it happen. It’s not easy and we’re always balancing spending time with Archie and us both working full time jobs. One of us will get up really early in the morning, do our training, and it’s tag-team at the door.”
Having both competed at the pointy end of Age-Group racing for several years, the couple have travelled to destinations all over Europe. The sense of camaraderie with their teammates remains a highlight for Owen:
“Over the years you see the same people at the events, you build up a really nice family. This last race in Ibiza was probably the most special experience all-round. It’s obviously nice to get on the podium, but we’ve got so many people we know now and to share it with likeminded people made it one of the best trips.”
Ever since she’s donned a GB vest, Lindsy has been gracing the podium. But this year’s race under the Spanish sun felt different: “This year in Ibiza was probably the most nervous I’ve been for a race. I put so much pressure and expectation on myself to do my best, but you can’t control the external factors. All you can do when you’ve crossed that line is know that you’ve given it 100%.”
“Owen’s race set off behind the women’s, normally it’s the other way round. There was about a 20-minute difference between us setting off. It was a bit of cat and mouse, me wondering if he’ll come past before I finish the run. That was another motivation to keep going!”, the two laughed.
In the end, Owen didn’t quite catch her, coming in with a time of 01:54:25 and Lindsy with 02:10:41. The pair caught up at the podium though, Owen shared: “It was nice when we got on the podium and they announced that it was our wedding anniversary. It did make it feel quite nice and everyone was happy in the crowd.”
Lindsy added: “We kissed each other and the crowd cheered. I don’t think they realised that we were together.
“It’s nice to share that experience and because I know that Owen trains so much and puts his heart and soul into it, to see him achieve and be so happy, you can share those positive memories that’ll last forever.”
You can find out more about Age-Group Team racing and the Europe Triathlon Championships this weekend on the buttons below.
