An Interview with Hamish Reily

SPORT An Interview with Hamish Reilly

Billy Hipperson interviews GB triathelete and Wargrave House pupil, Hamish Reilly.

Hi, Hamish. Tell us about yourself. Hi, I’m Hamish Reilly and I moved to the college for 6th Form at the start of the 2019/2020 year. I moved to Eastbourne coming originally from Kent, so I now board in Wargrave House and I take biology, PE and geography at A level. What brought you into triathlon training ? I originally started triathlon when I was aged 8 years old after following in my brother's footsteps. However, I didn’t start training properly until I was about 14 after deciding to stop playing football at a high level.

What is your favourite aspect of doing triathlons? I really enjoy doing triathlon due to the constant variability it has. Due to having three sports, I do something different each day, so I never get bored of it. It also provides a challenge like no other sport due to the high amount of training it requires, making competing even more rewarding. Where was your best result? My best result was probably getting on the podium at my first European Junior Cup in Riga, where I came 3rd in a tough field. Outside of triathlon, I’ve had quite a few good results in athletics where I came 3rd at British Cross-Country Championships and have also got my England Vest. Where was your worst loss? Probably coming 7th at European Championships, I knew I had a lot more in me and was a little disappointed to not have finished higher.

What is your favourite other sport? Outside of triathlon I enjoy playing football, even if I’m not as good as I once was! What advice do you have for young triathletes? Just enjoy it and don’t worry about the pressures of training. What’s your favourite thing about competing? Getting to see new places and new countries all over the world is a big benefit of competing in triathlon. What are your aspirations as a triathlete? Ultimately, I want to reach the Olympics and make a living from triathlon. What are your aspirations as an academic? I haven’t decided if I want to go to university yet, so at the moment I'm looking to finish off my time at the college with three good A level results. What do you find hardest about your training? The hardest thing is the commitment and balance required. I’m currently training upwards of twentyfive hours per week, so sometimes it's hard to find the time to do schoolwork and socialise.

What’s your go to cheat meal? My favourite meal is probably the classic: fish and chips. You can't really go wrong with it! What do you do to relax after training?

I like to watch a good series on Netflix or just chill with a few mates.

What's your favourite Netflix show? I’m currently re-watching Money Heist; it’s a really good series and I recommend it to anyone who hasn’t watched it yet.