January-February 2009: Elinor Thorogood
 For January/February 2009, we've chosen our Athlete of the Month as a young athlete, showing immense promise, who with a little luck we hope to be hearing more from in the senior ranks in a few years time.
She has been beating most of the seniors she's been racing against of late...
Elinor Thorogood was the youngest member of the GB team selected for the Australian Youth Olympic Games (AYOG) in January this year. After finishing 20th in the individual race, Elinor joined team mates Sophie Coleman and Lucy Hall to earn a hard earned bronze medal in the team relay event.
Her form continued when she returned home to Wales, where she won all three of the Earlybird Winter Aquathlons she entered, at Tywyn, Aberystwyth and Machynlleth, finishing second and third overall in two of those.
We called Elinor to give her the good news, and find out more about this talented junior athlete.
"I got into triathlon through my Dad. He raced in Cancun and Madeira at the World Championships. I've been swimming since I was 11, then I did a triathlon and won! I've raced in the Inter Regional Championships (IRC's) for 5 years in the Welsh team, but that was really just on swim training. I met Rick Velati, and then he became my coach, and I was second at the IRC last year (2008)."
 How did you enjoy the experience of going to Australia for the AYOG? "It was great, and I got lots of experience from it. It was 17 days in total - ten days on the Gold Coast for a training camp, and then seven days in Sydney for the actual event. I did the second leg in the relay, and it was a sprint finish for bronze. Sophie (Coleman) did the last leg and started fifth, but just managed to edge out the Japan team, so we got the bronze medal!"
Elinor is currently 17, and in the lower sixth at school, studying Maths, German, History and PE plus the Welsh Baccalaureate.
What races do you have planned for 2009? "I'm doing the European Youth Relay qualifier at Eton, which is a really important race [since speaking to Elinor, she finished second at Eton and earned selection], then The London Triathlon, Blenheim and Hyde Park."
 What about the future? "I'd like to do the junior world's (in 2010), and then get into bigger competitions after that as a senior. The 2014 Commonwealth Games is definitely an aim"
What does your typical training look like, and is it difficult to fit it all in? "Yes, it's difficult! I try and cycle to school for training, and my teachers are also quite helpful in fitting my training around school work. I swim about 10 hours per week, cycle five/six and run probably three or four hours.
Are you with a club, and what do you most enjoy about the sport? "I'm with Cerist Tri, and also thetrilife.com. I enjoy the build up to races, the planning and getting prepared. There are always different challenges and scenarios in races which keeps things interesting."
Good luck to Elinor on the rest of her 2009 season, and her progress towards the senior ranks over the next few years.
Do you know anyone who deserves this award? If so, tell us! Get in touch with us on aotm@tri247.com and tell us who you would like us to recognise and why.
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