After a decade away from professional cycling and three children later, Ciara Oliva is back on the British Cycling programme with her sights set on the Olympic Games. The 37-year-old former European champion and world bronze medallist admits she has 'unfinished business' after missing out on selection for Rio 2016.
A Decade Long Journey
Oliva first joined the Great Britain cycling programme in 2014 and quickly made her mark, winning bronze at the 2016 World Championships in the women's team pursuit and two European titles in the same event. However, when the Rio Olympics came around, she was left as a reserve, watching her teammates Laura Kenny, Katie Archibald, Elinor Barker and Joanna Rowsell smash the world record to take gold.
'The fastest team rode,' she says. 'They won gold. But I had to stand on the sidelines and watch that happen. And I was truly heartbroken.'
Oliva retired in 2018 and became a physiotherapist, thinking her cycling career was over. 'I honestly thought I was done,' she reflects. 'People would mention cycling and I would discuss it, but I always found it hard to talk about the Olympics. I got so close and yet so far.'
But the desire to compete never fully faded. After watching a documentary featuring rower Helen Glover, Oliva burst into tears and realised she wasn't finished yet. 'There was still that little voice that was saying, just have a crack at it one last time,' she says.
Balancing Family and Training
Returning to world-class training with three young children was never going to be easy. Oliva and her husband Lewis, also a cyclist, welcomed their third child less than two years ago. When she first told friends and family she was considering a comeback, the reaction was predictably sceptical. 'Are you crazy?' they asked. 'Are you sure? You're sleep-deprived!'
But Oliva's determination won through. She aims to fit in indoor turbo sessions while her youngest naps, or else trains late at night after the children are in bed. 'To now make it back to the Great Britain Cycling Team is just the biggest honour,' she says. 'It is the biggest team effort from Lewis, my husband, who supports this 100% and the children's grandparents. I couldn't do it without them.'
Her return to international competition came at the summer's Commonwealth Games, where she won bronze for Wales in the women's team pursuit. 'It felt like one of the most magical moments,' she recalls. 'My favourite medal I've ever had internationally, winning a bronze medal with the girls in the team pursuit in front of my children. It was like a fairytale ending in itself. But there's unfinished business and I am going to chase my Olympic dream one last time.'
The Road to Los Angeles
Oliva admits that earning selection for the Los Angeles Games will be a 'tall order', especially given the strength of the current British women's endurance programme. At last month's Track World Championships, Great Britain took gold in the women's team pursuit, with Millie Couzens leading a GB one-two in the individual pursuit and Anna Morris finishing with three golds.
But Oliva is not deterred. In this second chapter of her career, she is placing more emphasis on strength work, targeting areas she once considered weaknesses. As a result, she says she is faster and stronger than ever. 'My eldest daughter is my biggest supporter,' she says. 'Yesterday I had my GB suit out and she was holding it up with such pride. And I said to her, Mummy had to work really hard to get that back, you know. And she said I know, Mummy, I see it every day.'
Oliva hopes to inspire her children to believe they can achieve anything. 'Chase your dreams and don't be afraid to shout that out,' she says. 'Because it can seem scary. There's always the what if you don't make it?'
Oliva has ridden this path before, but never quite like this. And she is determined that, this time, her Olympic story has a happy ending.
