Alistair Brownlee, Olympic champion and a Sony ambassador, came back from an ankle injury that prevented him from competing at three previous events by taking gold at World Triathlon Series event in Cape Town this weekend. His brother Jonny, also supported by Sony, missed the event to concentrate on the upcoming Triathlon Test event in Rio, but the GB domination was evident after Vicky Holland's triumph in the women's race on Saturday. What a great week for British Triathlon!
No time? That’s no excuse! PHAR’s athlete Lynsey Sharp puts Radio DJ Greg James through his paces
Our medal winning Commonwealth Games and European Championship athlete Lynsey Sharp helped Radio DJ Greg James to step up training for his latest fitness challenge.His session comes as new research by Bupa shows that while a third of Brits will attempt a fitness challenge at some point in their lives, only 10% will actually prepare and stick to a clear plan, and around 30% admit fear of failure or lack of time stops them from achieving their goal.Greg is now midway through a strict training plan to prepare him for attempting a new personal best at the Bupa Great North Run on 7 September. To demonstrate that anyone can fit training into their daily routine, no matter how busy they are, Bupa enlisted PHAR Talent's Lynsey Sharp to put Greg through his paces and show him effective ways to fit in short and fast bursts of training that will improve speed and stamina.
Greg James said: “I’ve been pretty good at sticking to the training plan for the Bupa Great North Run, however it is hard to balance training, work and seeing friends. Today’s session was something else, I’ve never worked so hard in my life, but Lynsey showed me that when I’m short on time, short internal sessions are a great way to boost my training. I feel like a changed man and I’ve never enjoyed running so much!”
The session was held after new research by Bupa examined how and why Brits set themselves challenges, and their feelings towards failure. The research was conducted as part of Bupa’s Your First Step campaign, which aims to inspire people of all ages to take on a new fitness goal they didn’t think would be possible. It found that:
Around 70% of Britons regularly set themselves challenges, with over 40% doing so to improve their health.
One in three Brits will take on a new fitness challenge at some point in their lives, but only one in ten will actually prepare and stick to a clear plan.
A quarter of 25-44 year olds say that a lack of time stops them from setting a challenge.
To prove that with the right support, anyone can take on a challenge and succeed – no matter how busy they are – Greg is looking to beat his previous half marathon time of two hours and eight minutes, and complete the course in less than two hours.
Lynsey is no stranger to adversity and overcoming the odds as an elite athlete. After smashing her personal best twice this year, she has provided her top tips on how to improve mental and physical strength that anyone can apply to help reach personal goals.
Lynsey Sharp said: “Interval training is the best way to improve fitness in a short space of time, although it isn’t for the faint hearted, and is incredibly intense and taxing on the body. This particular way to train has a reputation of being boring, but it’s just harder work that you can power through. I was really impressed with the way that Greg performed during our session, he has clearly been putting in the hours and sticking to the training plan. I’ve had to battle a lot of injury in my career to date, so I am well versed in the pressures of getting back into peak fitness with a clear goal in mind.”
PHAR client Artemis Racing launches its challenge for the 35th America’s Cup
Today, PHAR's client Artemis Racing officially launched its challenge to win the 35th America’s Cup at an inspirational event in Sweden’s capital. Guests were treated to a rare chance of seeing the America’s Cup trophy first hand at the Moderna Museet, on Skeppsholmen Island at the heart of Stockholm’s proud maritime history.Torbjörn Törnqvist, Team Principal of Artemis Racing said: “Sailing is my passion, and I’m very proud to once again represent Sweden in the America’s Cup. Given our experience from the 34th America’s Cup, what the team went through and achieved, we have an incredibly strong culture, a belonging to the team. Building on our core group from the last campaign, we have been able to secure talent across all areas, and I strongly believe that Artemis Racing is a team capable of winning the 35th America’s Cup”.
Artemis Racing will again challenge alongside Kungliga Svenska Segel Sällskapet (KSSS), the Royal Swedish Yacht Club, for what will be their second campaign together in the pursuit of winning the oldest competition in sport.
“The America’s Cup is the pinnacle of international sailing. KSSS is proud to be a challenger once again through Torbjörn Törnqvist’s Artemis Racing team. We are also very excited by the prospect of involving Swedish sailors in various ways in the project. We want to extend our gratitude to Torbjörn Törnqvist for making this possible” commented Staffan Salén, KSSS Commodore.
New team members were announced, including Swedish Olympic champions, Fredrik Lööf and Max Salminen, as well as America’s Cup veteran Rod Davis.
Lööf is one of the most successful Swedish sailors of all times and a long-time friend and competitor of Team Manager Iain Percy. With a wealth of experience, he has participated in an incredible six Olympic campaigns, winning a gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics and bronze medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the Star class, and at the Sydney 2000 Olympics in the Finn class. Lööf’s career highlights also include three Finn World Championships, two Star World titles and a third place finish in the 2001-2002 Volvo Ocean Race.
On joining the team Fredrik said “I’ve been fascinated by the way sailing has been evolving over the last few years, with these new foiling boats and incredible TV production. I was really inspired by Artemis’ last campaign and having a Swedish boat on the start line again, and being part of it this time, is very exciting. Winning the America’s Cup and bringing it to Sweden for the first time would be something very special”.
One of the most promising talents in Swedish sailing, Max Salminen, still just 24, struck gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games alongside Fredrik Lööf in the Star class.
Artemis Racing also welcomed Sailing Coach Rod Davis. In his extraordinary America’s Cup career –now his 9th campaign – Davis brings an unparalleled wealth of experience to the team, having covered a variety of roles from bowman to mainsail trimmer, skipper, and more recently coach of Emirates Team New Zealand. Rod won a gold medal in the Soling class at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984, and Olympic silver in the Finn class in Barcelona 1992. His track record also includes winning the Admiral’s Cup and the Sardinia Cup several times, as well as seven World Champion titles.
The Team has already amassed an incredible 61 America’s Cup Campaigns between its members, including 14 victories. Team members (including two designers) have competed in 21 Olympic Games, winning 11 medals, including seven Gold medals.
“Where some teams may have one Olympic gold medallist, we have six of them, however the focus is very much on the team, and there is no individual bigger than the group. We are not only in this competition to win the 35th America’s Cup, but to dominate the America’s Cup arena for the next decade.” Said Team Manager and Tactician Iain Percy. “I’m also passionate that Artemis Racing is more than simply winning, it’s about producing a legacy and winning in a certain way”.
Nissan sponsor PHAR Talent's Lynsey Sharp
PHAR Talent is delighted to have brokered a deal for Western Nissan to support Lynsey Sharp as she gears up for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, providing her with a brand new Nissan Juke.The partnership between the dealership and Lynsey was formed through Nissan’s role as the Official Automotive Partner of Team GB and ParalympicsGB on the road to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. As part of this, Nissan has launched the #UniteAndExcite campaign which will provide fans with exclusive behind-the-scenes access to athletes’ stories and news of how Nissan’s innovative technology could improve performance.
The sponsorship comes as a major boost to Lynsey’s sporting ambitions, removing any uncertainty over transport arrangements, and allowing her to focus 100 per cent on her Olympic preparations.
John La Trobe, Dealer Principal at Western Nissan, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be able to support Lynsey on the road to Rio and I’m sure she will absolutely love her new car. It’s a great source of pride for everyone at the dealership knowing that we are playing some part in helping her achieve her dreams and go for gold in Rio.”
PHAR Talent’s Lynsey Sharp wins gold at the 2014 British Championships
With an outstanding performance, Lynsey Sharp demonstrated she’s the best 800m in the UK as she claimed gold at the Sainsbury’s British Championships held at the Birmingham Alexander Stadium on June 29. Her victory confirmed her appearance at the European Championships in Zurich in August, where she will defend her European title, representing Team GB.Sharp clocked 2.01.40 minutes in Birmingham – she thought she had run faster as well after the clock in Birmingham prematurely stopped early in the final of the 800m – as she beat Alison Leonard into second and veteran Brit Jenny Meadows into third.
“It's been the hardest year, so to come back and do that is amazing,” said Sharp.
Sharp has spent the past 12 months fighting injury, undergoing surgery twice to resolve a painful leg tendon, missing almost the entire 2013 season. Only weeks ago she qualified for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, where she will represent Team Scotland.