A triathlon bronze meant just as much as gold to Steadman and now she wants to make GB Paralympic history in a different event
Sawtry star Lauren Steadman insists bronze in a Paralympic triathlon in Paris on Monday meant as much as her gold medal from Tokyo three years ago.
Steadman (31) was defending her PT5S title, but finished behind winner Grace Norman from the United States and GB teammate Clare Cashmore. The bronze completed a triathlon set of medals as she also won silver in Rio in 2016.
Steadman has had a turbulent time since Tokyo, taking time away from the sport to focus on her mental health before suffering with long Covid earlier this year.
“It spoke for itself on the line, ”Steadman,enthused. “I love my gold medal from Tokyo, but it took everything I had in the last three years to get back on that startline today so this bronze medal is just as special to me. I didn’t know if I’d get here 18 months ago as I wasn’t in a good place mentally and then Covid got me this year. I was thinking ‘2024 can’t get any worse’.
“The field has got stronger in the two years I have had out. I knew my bike would be the strongest point and I was super chuffed with that. One of the notes I wrote to myself last night was to embrace everything about being a Paralympian, to be proud and know a medal doesn’t define who I am.”
Part of Steadman’s time away from triathlon has been to discover who she is away from the sport. That has included beginning a PhD to look at issues surrounding mental health in athletes.
Steadman added: “I am really passionate about my PhD because I don’t wish on any other athlete what I have been through in the last three years. I sat in the village last night and I wondered how many people are going to sleep nervously throughout the whole 10 days wondering whether or not they would produce a performance would be proud of.
“You can either rise to or it sometimes it is debilitating. I would really like to move forward and do my PhD on mental health in and around being an athlete.
“I feel like Lauren 2.0 is coming, I’m not entirely sure my sports career is over just yet as I do very much love racing, but I just need to be gentle with myself.”
Steadman has competed on Strictly Come Dancing and SAS Who Dares Wins but her next challenge may be her most surprising one yet. She is attempting to become the first British woman to qualify in standing cross-country skiing with just 18 months to go until the next Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina.
“I have got 18 months and it is strange for me,” Steadman added . “When I got my gold medal in Tokyo the flame kind of dampened a bit for triathlon. I’ve been doing it over a decade now. I won’t lie I am not the best at cross country skiing it and I fell over 100m before the finish line six months ago. But it kind of sparked that annoyance in me and I got straight over the line and I said I want to get better at this. I’d be the first standing female that ParalympicsGB has had. it won’t be easy but like today I will give it everything I have.”
Steadman is one of over 1,000 elite athletes on UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded World Class Programme, allowing them to train full time, have access to the world’s best coaches and benefit from pioneering medical support which has been vital on their pathway to the Paris
National Lottery players raise more than £30million a week for Good Causes including vital funding into sport – from grassroots to elite. To find out more visit: www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk