Becky James

Rebecca Angharad James (born 29 November 1991) is a Welsh former professional racing cyclist specialising in track cycling. James was the 2013 world sprint and keirin champion. She is a 2016 Rio Olympics double silver medalist.

James rode for Wales and the Great Britain Cycling Team, and rode for the. First spotted by the Welsh Talent Team, she was a member of British Cycling's Olympic Podium Programme.

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.

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.

In July 2009, James won the gold medal in both the sprint and 500-metre time trial events and the silver in the keirin at the European Track Championships. 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.

Later in 2009, James won the Daily Telegraph-Aviva Sport Matters Female Pupil of the Year award.

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. James stated for her pre-race rituals that she enjoys Electronic dance music whilst doing her roller warm up. She uses Reggae and Reggae fusion whilst waiting. Her favourite place to ride her bike is Pollença, Mallorca.

Her role models are Sir Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton.

In June 2019, James married her long-term partner, the Welsh international rugby union player George North.

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
 * 1st Jersey rainbow.svg Sprint
 * 1st Jersey rainbow.svg Keirin
 * 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