"Although my event is only 3km long, it takes thousands of km to get to a point where you can compete on a world level. I spent 3 weeks at home in the last 7 months and slept in a lot of hotel beds!"
Emma is 25 years old and lives in Alsager in Stoke-on-Trent.She isa full time lottery funded professional cyclist. In her spare time she enjoys socialising with friends, going to the cinema, reading autobiographies and romance novels and eating out. She has just finished her degree in Sports Studies and Business Management and is engaged to Jason, who she intends to marry in September 2005.
My story is about listening to good advice and pursuing your dreams. I was advised to forget about cycling and concentrate on a proper job, but I dreamed of being a full time athlete. My parents gave me good advice and I am now a double Olympic competitor (2000 & 2004). I want people to realise that you can accomplish your dreams. 'You've touched the moon, now you can reach the stars.'
Inside Lives was very interesting. I would really like to do another one! I have realised how many 'stories' we all have. I would encourage others to take part.
'Davies if you concentrate, you could be quite good at this subject. You can stop dreaming about cycling--you'll never make a career out of it.'Some advice you should listen to, other advice you should completely ignore. Fortunately for me I chose to ignore the piece of advice given to me by my geography teacher 7 years ago. Instead I took the good advice my parents gave me and pursued my dreams of becoming a professional cyclist. They always told me to enjoy every day and make the most out of any opportunity that came my way. They taught me to believe in my own ability--if you don't believe in yourself, nobody else is going to do it for you. I followed their advice and that's why I'm here today: a track cyclist about to represent Great Britain at my second Olympic Games this summer in Athens. I've worked as a professional cyclist since I left school, thanks to Lottery Funding for athletes. I've never had a proper job! But I've always worked hard! It's taken a lot of persistence to get this far. Although my event is only 3km long, it takes thousands of km to get to a point where you can compete on a world level. I spent 3 weeks at home in the last 7 months and slept in a lot of hotel beds! My family and fiancee have been great and even now I go down to the local track league in Newcastle and see people who helped me along in my career. I'm so proud to be a part of British sport and this summer I hope that I hear you cheering for me as I compete in August on the biggest sporting stage known to anyone.
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