Katie Rodda on dedicating herself to Triathlon and high hopes for the future
Based in a city renowned for its triathlon pedigree, Katie Rodda is hoping she can follow in the footsteps of Leeds hero Jess Learmonth by completing her pathway towards senior international success. Originally from Reading, she has quickly risen through the ranks in the five years since first discovering the multi-sport event, having previously struggled to dedicate herself to a single activity.
Share this story
Katie was rapidly inducted into the South Central Regional Academy, and in 2017 was selected for the England talent squad before getting her first taste of international competition a year later. Having competed in the Junior Super League Triathlon in 2018, and finished eighth at the ETU Triathlon Junior European Cup in Riga, Latvia, in 2019, the University of Leeds student is hard at work behind the scenes preparing for her step up to the senior ranks this year.
The COVID-19 pandemic put a halt on her plans for a final tilt at Under-20s level, but the 19-year-old explains how training sessions with Jess, a European gold medallist in 2017, has inspired her to keep working hard, while she also has other sources of motivation closer to home.
“I used to do every sport I could when I was younger, and my older brother Sam used to take the mickey out of me because I’d tried so many and couldn’t find the one I wanted to do,” joked Katie.
“When I was 14, I was swimming competitively and had done some mountain bike racing, so I just decided to do a triathlon for fun. I ended up winning, which was a massive surprise I never expected to be picked for the regional squad, but I’ve just kicked on since then and competing for my country was definitely a big turning point."
“I moved to Leeds pretty much specifically for triathlon, and I’m currently in the Leeds Triathlon Centre development squad. Being able to train with the likes of Jess Learmonth and Georgia Taylor-Brown has been great, and I’d love to be like them if I’m ever in their position. But my brother is probably my biggest influence. He runs at national level and we’re both members of Reading Athletic Club back home. We’re still quite competitive with each other, but we’re also sources of support for each other."
“I came fourth at Junior British Champs which was amazing as it coincided with my A-Levels, and I finished sixth at the world qualifiers. I had high hopes of qualifying for the European and World Championships last year, so it’s obviously been quite frustrating being unable to compete."
“But there’s nothing anyone can do about it and I’ll keep working hard to make the step up to Under-23s and senior level. Hopefully over the next couple of years I’ll be able to make my mark in the senior international ranks.”
While being denied the opportunity to challenge on the main stage in 2020, there were some positives of the first lockdown back in March last year for the medical sciences student. And as she continues her training in Yorkshire in the hope of a return to competitive action in the not-too-distant future, Katie has had plenty to keep her occupied aside from her sporting commitments.
She said: “In some ways the first lockdown was a bit of a blessing because I had glandular fever. I was still trying to train with a number of major competitions coming up, so the break meant I could actually rest and recover. I was able to gradually build back into training, but the lockdowns since have been tough because all of a sudden it’s hard to maintain all that hard work. I can still run and cycle, but the pools are shut."
“I’d normally train for about 20 hours a week, and I’m probably doing about 15 at the moment. I feel in really good shape and I just can’t wait to compete again because it’s been over a year since my last proper triathlon event."
“Throughout the pandemic, I’ve been volunteering for a charity based in Reading called Enrych. I call a lady in a care home a couple of times a week for a friendly chat, to help her from feeling lonely. Other than that, I have plenty of uni work to keep me busy!”
Aiming to compete across the globe in a sport that encompasses swimming, cycling and running, Katie knows there are a numbers of financial and logistical costs associated with making the grade as an elite triathlete.
Having been selected for SportsAid funding approximately two years ago, Katie has recently benefited from additional support as a result of a new partnership between the charity and leading legal and professional services group, Gateley.
And while well aware of the opportunities the money helps facilitate, the former Highdown School pupil believes there are also several psychological benefits attached to being selected to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Jessica Ennis-Hill and Tom Daley, who have previously been supported by SportsAid.
She added: “Before SportsAid, my parents pretty much funded me completely as well as taking me to all of the training camps and races, so I owe them a huge amount. SportsAid money paid for me to go out to Riga, and there’s so much kit involved with triathlon so it’s really helped with that."
“The funding from Gateley will help me buy a new training bike. I’ve had the one I’ve got at the moment since I started the sport, and I think it would be more expensive to pay for that one to be serviced because of the condition it’s in!"
“There’s definitely a big boost to your confidence when you’re chosen for funding, especially in the uncertain times we’re in at the moment because it shows that people still have faith in you."
“Knowing you’re associated with some of the biggest names in British sport is really motivating, and hopefully I can go on and add my name to such an illustrious list.”
Gateley is a legal and professional services group working with forward thinkers and new talent, in both business and in sport. They are proudly partnering with SportsAid to give additional support to promising young athletes across the country in a variety of sports.
