Sophie Coldwell: Triathlon, nail art and chickens named after drag queens
- Published
Sophie Coldwell has indulged in her passion for nail art
The last time Britain's Sophie Coldwell went a year without competing in a triathlon was in 2002 - when she was seven.
With the coronavirus pandemic decimating the 2020 calendar, Coldwell, now 25, was left with two choices: get ready for possible World Series events in Hamburg and Montreal or do something she has not done for 18 years.
"I've come to the realisation that there are going to be no triathlons [for me] this year," she tells BBC Sport.
"Yes, it's gutting. But you can go: 'Right, I'll have a breather.'"
Coldwell has been speaking about her decision to sit this year out, using esports to get her competitive fix and how the pandemic has led to her adding to her garden farm with some new pets - all named after contestants on Ru Paul's Drag Race.
'It's easier mentally to write this year off'
"You forget how much it's part of your life," Coldwell says. "I don't train to train, I train to race."
Having missed out on Olympic selection, she targeted a maiden World Series podium in 2020, as well as improving her burgeoning reputation in the sprint and relay events.
However, with only a couple of rescheduled races left on the calendar, she has decided to focus on 2021 instead.
"I don't want to put myself in the position of training really hard and then it not happen," she adds.
"I do this because I love triathlon, but you question how much you love the racing.
"It's really hard when governing bodies say: 'We are going to put this on.' I don't want to commit to training 110% when we've [currently] got no physiotherapy. It's very risky
"Now I've accepted that, I can tick along at 70-80% of training and won't race until March."
'Part of me: 'It means nothing.' The other part: 'This is do or die'
Triathlons may be out of the equation for Coldwell in 2020 but competition is not.
Like other sports, triathlon has embraced esports, using a virtual cycling platform to hold online racing series, where athletes use turbos to compete against others around the world.
"It was great to have something to focus on," adds Coldwell, a two-time World Cup winner. "Everyone is craving sport in whatever format it comes.
"One part of me was like: 'It's literally a computer game, it means nothing.' The other part of me was like: 'Oh my god, this is do or die.'"
Coldwell, one of the sport's strongest swimmers, surprised herself with her performances. She won races and prize money in the process, with thousands watching online.
As triathletes in the northern hemisphere enter winter training in the coming months - with cold, three-hour rides the norm - could the rise of esports see changes to methods?
Coldwell says she has "definitely worked harder" than if she was doing a session alone.
"It's really opened people's eyes to other ways, whether it's exercise or competing, that isn't just sitting on a turbo watching Love Island," she adds.
"It'll definitely be something I use through the winter."
'I'm such a good chicken mum'
Coldwell has taken in eight former commercial chickens
Away from triathlon, the lockdown has presented Coldwell and her partner, ultra-runner Tom Evans, with an opportunity.
As well as fostering dogs, the pair had some new arrivals to what Coldwell calls their "Commonwealth farm" in the back garden.
"Three months ago we rescued eight ex-commercial chickens," she says.
"Me being me, I decided that rescuing chickens was more my style. We got online to some charities, went down with our cat boxes and they put in some very scrawny, skinny, featherless chickens.
"They are now free range and live a very happy, healthy life."
But what to call the latest additions to the Coldwell household?
"All mine are named after drag queens off RuPaul's Drag Race," says Coldwell.
"We've got Ru, Monet X Change, Jackie Cox, Valentina, Vivienne. They've all got clips on their feet but, because I'm such a good chicken mum, I can tell them apart."
The poultry is proving popular with team-mates too.
"The whole squad are benefiting from fresh eggs," she says. "You can tell people want something when they hand you over 12 empty egg boxes!"
'I'm Sophie the triathlete, but that's not all of me'
Providing eggs is not the only way Coldwell is endearing herself to friends.
From personal training to property investment, UK Sport-funded athletes have access to a pot of money to enable them to upskill, aiding their transition out of sport or allowing them to earn some extra cash on the side.
Coldwell is using the scheme to qualify as a nail technician.
"I'm a slight nail freak," she says. "I always have perfect nails and thought: 'Let's kill two birds with one stone.'"
"I think it's important women have an identity.
"You see [Jamaican sprinter] Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. Every championship she's had different hair. I'm not saying I'm going to have blue or pink hair, but it's great when women have something that they can use to really identify themselves differently to what men can do.
"Women in sport is something that needs growing. If women can turn up to a race and have really fancy nails then, I'm all for that."
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