Hannah Bassett Athlete Ambassador

Hannah has been competing in triathlon since a very young age. She talks to Sundried about life in sport.

Have you always been into sport?

I have always loved sport and participated in a wide range from a young age. Sport has had so many benefits for me growing up, and I know I’ll continue to enjoy it for the rest of my life!

How did you first get into triathlon?

I entered a Castle Series Triathlon aged 8 as a fun thing to do whilst on holiday, and really enjoyed it. I had always swam regularly and competed in Cross-country from a young age, so Triathlon was a good way of combining the two as well as getting into Cycling. My Dad had previously been a member of a local Triathlon Club (PACTRAC), so we both joined.

What has been your favourite race to date and why?

My favourite race was my first Half Marathon in 2018. The satisfaction of completing a challenge that you have specifically trained for feels great, and I had never run much further than the distance for my age group in Cross-country before. Although it was pouring with rain, I really enjoyed the race and ran faster than I had expected.

What is your proudest achievement?

A vast majority of my time at secondary school was spent rowing (sculling), and my doubles partner and I completed a sponsored row for charity. We achieved a British Record for the Tandem 100k Women’s U20 Ergo, which was probably the hardest physical and mental challenge of my life, and raised over £2000 for charity.

Have you ever had any racing disasters?

Apart from nearly missing a significant number of races due to being stuck in a queue for a porter loo, I’ve never had any major racing disasters. Racing mishaps such as racing in the wrong race, spending ages trying to find my bike in transition or getting lost on the run course have happened before.

How do you overcome setbacks?

Every athlete experiences some form of setback, and being able to overcome them makes your comeback stronger. It’s often important to focus on the bigger picture, and although being immersed in sport has so many benefits, taking a step back and concentrating on other hobbies can provide some vital recovery time.

What advice do you wish you'd been given when you first started out?

I wish the importance of the correct nutrition and an awareness about fuelling my body properly to meet the demands of all my training and racing had been drilled into my brain from a very young age. I think all young athletes need educating more about food as a fuel for their sport, as it has a massive impact on development and performance.

What are your goals?

Having decided to focus on just Triathlon when I started University, my goals going forward are based around progressing with my training and racing. I want to experiment with the distances that suit me best, and would love to race in some cool places abroad. One goal in life is definitely to complete an Ironman, but perhaps not for a few years yet.

Who inspires you?

I’m continually inspired by lots of people, whether that be professionals racing on TV, athletes giving interviews and talking about their personal experiences, or simply the friends, family and athletes that I train with.

Why work with Sundried?

Sundried’s environmentally friendly approach is appealing, and I find their clothing products to be comfortable and of a high quality – perfect for training and racing in a variety of sports. I feel happy promoting Sundried as a genuine brand with products that I’d want to buy.