Notts GB triathlete warns technology is contributing to child obesity

Video: Sophie Coldwell on the debut of the British Triathlon Mixed Relay Cup

A Nottinghamshire Team GB triathlete says she fears technology could be contributing to child obesity.

Sophie Coldwell took a break from her training regime to meet pupils at Greenfields Community School in the Meadows on Wednesday (May 24).

The 22-year-old, who grew up in Keyworth, was hoping to inspire a new generation of elite Notts athletes 100 days before the British Triathlon Mixed Relay Cup, being held in Nottingham on September 2.

And Sophie, a human biology student in her final year of studies at Loughborough University, said she also wants to help get more children away from smartphones and computer games and onto the track.

She said: “I study quite a lot about it at uni. Obesity is a growing problem.

“It does not have to be triathlon but it is just about getting kids active- the growing problem with technology has not helped this.

“Getting kids out to the park is such an important thing.”

Nottingham’s problem with obesity is well-publicised, with recent Government research showing the proportion of overweight children, aged four to five, stood at 26.7 per cent in 2014-2015.

A healthy weight strategy aimed at cutting the problem by 2020 includes plans to dramatically increase children’s levels of activity.

And it is hoped events like the British Triathlon Mixed Relay Cup, which is expected to draw crowds of up to 20,000, will help inspire Nottinghamshire children to do more sport.

Sophie said: “I’m so excited about the prospect of competing in the city I grew up in. I can’t wait to be part of it.

“I hope they [the pupils] have been inspired to come along and watch in September and, who knows, there could be a budding triathlete amongst them.”

The mixed relay format, also known as 4 x mixed relay, could make its Olympics debut at Tokyo 2020, alongside the traditional distance triathlon.

It consists of teams of four, comprised of two men and two women. Races last between an hour and ninety minutes, depending on the course layout, and are known as an explosive and exciting form of the sport.

Each athlete completes a mini triathlon by swimming, running and cycling set distances before tagging their team mate.

The new Nottingham event in September will see athletes pass famous city landmarks including Victoria Embankment and Trent Bridge.

sophie-coldwell-triathlon-Mixed-Relay-Cup
Sophie with the British Triathlon Mixed Relay Cup she hopes to win.

Fresh from her fourth place finish at the ITU World Triathlon in Yokohama, Japan, earlier this month, Sophie added: “I made my university course a four year one to make time for triathlon. One lecture falls with my bike session every week but [luckily] they are up online.

“I have not been struggling to balance my time at uni with my training but I have to plan. My close group of friends are all athletes.”

In 2016, Sophie finished sixth at the ITU World Championships in the U23 race in Cozumel, Mexico and has previously won world medals in relays, but her next goal is the Commonwealth and Olympic Games.

She said: “The Commonwealth games are next year- we have an eye on qualifying for that but obviously but it is still early as I am only 22.

“But I would like to qualify for the Olympics so we will see how I progress in the next few years.”

Jack Buckner, CEO of British Triathlon, said: “Our British triathletes have already experienced great success this year and we can’t wait to display the huge amount of sporting talent we have in an exciting new racing format in the heart of the city.”

The September triathlon will be broadcast live on BBC One.

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