Vicky Holland (born 12 January 1986) is an English triathlete who is part of the Great Britain Olympic team, a 2-time World Mixed Team Champion and the 2018 ITU WTS champion. She was born in Gloucester.[1] She is the first female triathlete to win an Olympic medal for Great Britain, a bronze in 2016.
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| Nationality | British | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 12 January 1986 Gloucester, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country |  Great Britain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Triathlon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Career
As of 2012[update], Holland is 1.68 metres (5 ft 6 in) tall and weighs 59 kilograms (130 lb).[1] She is coached by Darren Smith.[1]
While at school Holland was a nationally ranked swimmer before moving to athletics and taking up the 1,500 metres.[2] She didn't begin competing in triathlon until her second year at Loughborough University when she was approached by British Triathlon.[1]
In the 2010 ITU Triathlon World Cup series Holland placed eighth overall, qualifying her for National Lottery funding as part of the World Class Performance scheme.[2]
At the 2011 ITU Triathlon World Cup event in Hyde Park, London, Hayes finished in 17th position in an event won by compatriot Helen Jenkins over the course for the 2012 Summer Olympics.[3]
In the San Diego leg of the ITU Triathlon World Cup, in May 2012, Holland placed fifth in an event that was won by Jenkins, with fellow British competitor Liz Blatchford finishing 16th.[4] Later the same month at the Madrid event Holland finished seventh, again beating Blatchford who placed tenth.[5]
Holland was selected ahead of Blatchford to represent Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the women's triathlon alongside Helen Jenkins and Lucy Hall.[6] The event took place in Hyde Park with the swim being held in the Serpentine. The cycle involved athletes leaving the park via Queen Mother's Gate, travelling through Wellington Arch, down Constitution Hill and on to Birdcage Walk in front of Buckingham Palace before returning to the park to complete the event with a four-lap run around the Serpentine.[7] Holland completed the course in two hours, two minutes, and 55 seconds, 26th in the field.[8]
In 2012 and 2014, Holland became World Champion as part of the British Mixed Team Relay squad, and on 24 July 2014, Vicki secured her first major individual medal, with Bronze at the Commonwealth Games.
Holland took gold in the mixed triathlon team relay at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, with the Brownlee brothers, Alistair and Jonathan, and Jodie Stimpson.[9]
In April 2015 Holland took her first victory in the World Triathlon Series when she won the Cape Town round of the 2015 Series.[10] She followed this up with a second World Series victory in Edmonton and third place in the Grand Final in Chicago which gave her fourth position overall for the year and qualification for the British Olympic team in Rio 2016.
References
- ^ a b c d "Vicky Holland: Team GB". British Olympic Association. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
- ^ a b "Vicky Holland - Team GB". The Telegraph online. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
- ^ "Helen Jenkins meets 2012 criteria with Hyde Park win". BBC Sport. 6 August 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
- ^ "GB's Jonny Brownlee and Helen Jenkins win in San Diego". BBC Sport. 13 May 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
- ^ "Vicky Holland and Liz Blatchford face anxious London 2012 wait". BBC Sport. 26 May 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
- ^ Williams, Ollie (9 June 2011). "London 2012: British Olympic triathlon team revealed". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
- ^ "London Olympic events approved for Hyde Park Serpentine". BBC Sport. 13 July 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
- ^ "Olympics-Gold medal results for the women's triathlon". Reuters. 4 August 2012.
- ^ "Glasgow 2014: England power to triathlon team relay success". BBC Sport. BBC. 26 July 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
- ^ "World Triathlon Series: Vicky Holland records first win". bbc.co.uk. 25 April 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
External links
Vicky Holland at World Triathlon
- Vicky Holland at IAT Triathlon Database
- Vicky Holland at Olympics.com
- Vicky Holland at Olympedia
- Vicky Holland at Team GB