Rebecca James

Early life James was born in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire. She is the daughter of David James and Christine Harris, and has an older sister, Rachel, who is a racing cyclist, and also has two younger sisters; Ffion and Megan, and a brother, Gareth, who are all keen cyclists. Ffion is a member of the British national mountain bike squad. She attended King Henry VIII School in Abergavenny.

Career Early career James started her cycling career at the Abergavenny Road Club.

In 2011, she stated that the toughest point in her career to date was just before the 2008 European Junior Championships, when she contracted glandular fever and was unable to compete. She followed this up in August by winning the keirin and sprint at the UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships, and a silver in the 500-metre time trial, as well as setting a new world record for the flying 200 metres. The framed Rainbow Jersey is kept at her home.

Professional career

In 2010, at the XIX Commonwealth Games James represented Wales and won the bronze medal in the 500m TT Track race and a silver medal in the Sprint Track race. She was nominated for the 2010 BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year, only to lose out to Gareth Bale.

James was under contract from 2011 with the British professional cycling . She was selected for British Cycling's Olympic Development Programme, but was then fast-tracked for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

At the 2013 UCI Championships, James beat Germany's Kristina Vogel 2–1 in the final of the world sprint championship to win her first world gold medal.

James was due to represent Wales at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, 2014, but was forced to withdraw due to a knee injury.

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro James won silver medals in both the keirin and the Sprint.

In August 2017, James announced her retirement from cycling to set up a baking business.

Personal life James enjoyed horse riding, and competed in show jumping, but no longer participates due to the risks associated interfering with her cycling commitments. Her favourite place to ride her bike is Pollença, Mallorca.

On 5 May 2020, the couple announced the birth of their son Jac.

Palmarès

2005 3rd Omnium, British National Track Championships – Under 14

2006 1st 500m TT, British National Track Championships – Under 16

2007 1st 500m TT, British National Track Championships – Junior 1st 500m TT, British National Track Championships – Under 16 1st Sprint, British National Track Championships – Under 16 1st Scratch race, British National Track Championships – Under 16 2nd Sprint, British National Track Championships – Junior 3rd British National Cyclo-cross Championships – Junior

2009 1st Keirin, Junior Track World Championships 1st Sprint, Junior Track World Championships 2nd 500m TT, Junior Track World Championships 1st Sprint, European Track Championships 1st 500m TT, European Track Championships 2nd Keirin, European Track Championships 2nd Keirin, British National Track Championships 3rd Sprint, British National Track Championships 3rd 500m TT, British National Track Championships

2010 1st Sprint, European Track Championships, U23 2nd 500m TT, European Track Championships, U23 2nd Team Sprint, European Track Championships, U23 (with Victoria Williamson) 3rd 500m TT, Commonwealth Games 2nd Sprint Commonwealth Games 2nd 500m TT, British National Track Championships 2nd Sprint, British National Track Championships

2011 3rd Keirin, Round 3, UCI Track World Cup, Beijing 3rd Sprint, GP von Deutschland im Sprint 2nd 500m TT, European Track Championships, U23 1st Keirin, British National Track Championships 1st Sprint, British National Track Championships 2nd 500m TT, British National Track Championships

2012 2nd Team Sprint, European Track Championships, U23 3rd Sprint, European Track Championships, U23 3rd Keirin, European Track Championships, U23 1st Team Sprint, Round 1, UCI Track World Cup, Cali (with Jess Varnish) 2nd Sprint, Round 1, UCI Track World Cup, Cali 1st Team Sprint, Round 2, UCI Track World Cup, Glasgow (with Jess Varnish) 3rd Sprint, Round 2, UCI Track World Cup, Glasgow 1st Keirin, British National Track Championships 1st Sprint, British National Track Championships 1st 500m TT, British National Track Championships 1st Team sprint, British National Track Championships (with Rachel James)

2013 UCI Track World Championships

3rd 500m time trial 3rd Team sprint (with Victoria Williamson) 1st 500 m time trial, UCI Track Cycling World Ranking 2nd Sprint, Revolution – Round 1, Manchester 3rd Team sprint, UEC European U23 Track Championships (with Victoria Williamson)

2014 Revolution 1st Keirin – Round 4, Manchester 3rd Sprint – Round 4, Manchester UCI Track World Championships 3rd Team sprint (with Jessica Varnish) 3rd Keirin

2015 2nd Sprint, British National Track Championships 2nd Keirin, British National Track Championships 3rd Keirin, Open des Nations sur Piste de Roubaix 2016 2nd Sprint, Dudenhofen 2nd Sprint, Öschelbronn 3rd Keirin, Oberhausen 2nd Keirin, Olympic Games, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil 2nd Sprint, Olympic Games, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil