Katie Archibald
“A couple of weeks after my cousin signed for Celtic it was announced that I was going to Rio. A good month for the Archibalds!”
hen my younger cousin turned seven the family sat round and watched him make a wish on his birthday candles. Someone asked what he’d wished for but, of course, he couldn’t tell us because then it wouldn’t come true. We all knew he wanted to grow up and be a professional football player but we’re not monsters so we politely feigned ignorance. It was my insensitive father that said it out loud. God, the tears! My poor cousin was, understandably, distraught that already his life’s dream had been squashed.
Luckily, Theo kept playing football and we recently learnt that the jinx never took hold when he signed to play for Celtic FC. It’s a story that makes me quite happy. That weird kid’s been obsessed with kicking a ball since he could walk and now it’s actually coming off.
So then a couple weeks after his signing it was officially announced that I’ll be going to the Rio Olympics to represent GB. A good month for the Archibalds! We’re a fairly privileged bunch. My sister has represented GB running cross-country, my brother swam for Scotland as a youth and I’ve heard another cousin is thinking about applying to Cambridge University (not a meathead like the rest of us, seemingly). Our family’s fairly “blessed” (or the atheist’s equivalent) and occasionally all the opportunities and support I’ve received makes me feel a bit guilty.
So to offset that feeling it would be nice if I could publicly thank the following: British Cycling coaches and staff who are as much obsessed with the Olympic dream as us riders and often put their lives on hold for it. My very first club The Racers/city of Edinburgh Racing Club who taught me how to race, and the Watsons who selflessly coached me. Scottish Cycling who took me on and tried to make me pro, in particular Graeme Herd, Charline Joiner and Eileen Roe. Anyone who’s ever pushed me in a race and made me want to go faster. My fantastic GB team-mates, of course, and my parents. My mum taught me how to ride a bike and then my dad tried to beat me on it — it took me a while to realise but I’m actually very glad.
Former swimmer Katie Archibald made a splash in cycling when she won her first team pursuit world title after just three years in the sport