Oscar Kelly: "It's going to be a really exciting time....I can't wait to race"

When Oscar Kelly steps onto the Commonwealth Games para triathlon start line this summer, it will be the latest chapter in a remarkable journey. The 21-year-old from Woodford Green was born with the same congenital visual impairment as his mum and grandad, though his family always encouraged him to be as active as his non-disabled sisters. 

Water sports were one passion shared by his family, but his main love was undoubtedly cycling. However, aged 15, Oscar was forced to give up cycling to school. 

“When I was 15, I was banned from cycling to school because my eyesight was deteriorating but I did some dangerous cycling on my way to school. I was running a bit late, sped past my headmaster on his own bike - and scared the life out of him,” he said. 

“I went from riding a bike every day to not at all, and I thought: ‘I need to ride a bike.’” 

Determined to not miss out on the sport, Oscar started cycling indoors, starting a domino chain which resulted in him becoming a triathlete. 

“I’d never done it competitively, just for pleasure, but I started doing some velodrome work and para cycling events held by British Cycling where I met my current flat-mate, Charlie Stanton-Stock,” he added. 

“His mum spoke to my dad about triathlon. We knew all about it as we had friends that did triathlons, we didn’t know that kids did it or if there were para triathlons. 

“I did a couple of duathlons from there against able-bodied athletes on a solo bike, and I did fairly well in those. I then decided to learn how to swim properly. 

“My coach at my first club had a contact in British Triathlon who was the Pathway Manager on the para side. I was taken on to the programme from there. 

“That first year I only did one race in which I managed to get lost on the swim, crash on the bike, as I was still racing on my own - but I finished and fell in love with it. 

“After that I decided to get on a tandem bike and learn how to race with a guide. From there I went racing with a guide and haven’t really looked back since.” 

Oscar has only been competing in triathlon for a handful of years - and things have been far from smooth sailing – particularly with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

It was not until after para triathlon events resumed that he finally received international classification, having not been able to compete without being disqualified before then. 

“I started to struggle with international classification criteria, which is how we’re allowed to race,” said Oscar. “It determines how disabled you are and what category to put yourself in. It is important in triathlon as people who are completely blind have a head start. 

“I wasn’t falling under any of the criteria and it basically meant that I was getting disqualified, effectively all the time until lockdown. Lockdown happened and we couldn’t race for another year, but then I managed to get my international classification. 

“I’ve always struggled with week in, week out training. To be the best in triathlon, you’ve got to do pretty much more training than any other sport. I’d always struggled with training as a whole anyway. 

“Being classified made a massive difference as I could then race internationally and I wouldn’t get disqualified from every single race. It’s a big relief. 

“I wish it hadn’t gone on as long as it did, four years, but I’m still thankful that there were a couple of years where I could learn a thing or two about getting more motivation and trying to stick with things even if it isn’t working out.” 

Alongside guide Charlie Harding, Oscar’s international career has started strongly. He finished second in his first ever World Cup event and backed that up by becoming British champion in his B3 classification, before finishing sixth in the World and European Championships last year. 

Now, he heads to Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games - the biggest competition of his career to date - to represent Team England in front of a home crowd. 

“There’s never been that: ‘you are going to this, you are going to that’,” commented Oscar. “When we got selected it was so much of a relief. It wasn’t announced for three weeks, so we knew but we couldn’t tell anyone, apart from friends and family. That was a bit tough, keeping that in. 

“It was such a relief, knowing that was the race that we had been planning all along and all of our current training around. I’m so excited for this summer because it looks to be a really great event. 

“The only thing like it is the Olympics and Paralympics, but they are not even combined. For the Commonwealth Games we’ve got para sport and able-bodied sport combined together, which will be great. 

“It’s going to be a really exciting time - I can’t wait to race!” 

Commonwealth Games England has appointed SportsAid to lead on the development, management and operational delivery of Team England Futures at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The programme, supported by Sport England, will reinforce the importance of the Commonwealth Games, particularly one hosted on home soil, as a developmental opportunity within the talent and performance pathway!