Thomas Atkinson

I am 22 years old and compete professionally in middle-distance triathlon. I started with a running background before joining my local triathlon club when I was 12 years old. I have raced in the British National Series for the last few years, and this year I made the move up to middle-distance racing. So far, I have achieved my professional triathlon racing licence.

I competed in Super League Triathlon, now Supertri, as a junior and also raced in the British National Series for several years before moving up to middle distance. My career highlight so far was winning both individual gold and team gold at the Island Games in Orkney. I am excited to see how the rest of the year develops now that I have achieved my professional triathlon licence, and I hope to build on these results in the coming years.

My short-term goals are to move up the British rankings in middle-distance triathlon and achieve some top-five finishes at professional races in Europe. My long-term goal is to race at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship and win professional middle-distance races.

I love pushing myself in training each day and find it incredibly rewarding to see the progress I have made over the years through improvements in my personal bests. I also love being outdoors and training in Jersey during the summer.

The support of the Lou Lou Foundation will help massively. The funding will help subsidise off-island travel to the professional races I compete in across Europe. Furthermore, being part of a network of like-minded athletes is extremely beneficial, giving us the opportunity to share our goals, experiences and progress together.