Jason Kenny: Triple World Junior Champion

 

Interview Date: 21st of November, 2006

Sprint Academy Feature: >>>>

 

Jason on the podium in the top spot for the third time at the 2006 Junior World Championships.

 

The only male rider to make it into the Sprint Academy this year is three time World Junior Champion Jason Kenny. The Sprint, Keirin and Team Sprint champion at the 2006 UCI World Junior Track Championships, he has been around for a few years now and looks very much at home wherever he is, in training or in competition.

He explained that having trained and raced with the likes of Matthew Crampton and Ross Edgar, that being a full time sprinter has always been his goal and that it's good to have made a step up to the Academy. "I wouldn't swap it for anything so I must enjoy it" he told us. Asked about the difference between the ODP and Academy, he said "There is just a lot more of it in the academy. More riding for example but it's good because there is always someone to ride with and you don't have to do it on your own like before."

He hasn't moved a long way to live in the Academy house - it's about half an hour from his parents' home - and he says the best thing about it is being full time and not having other things on your mind, like his A levels, which he finished in June. Cycling is therefore his first 'job' since leaving school and Jason is happy to point out with a smile "I haven't had to do a day's work in my life so doing this is good."

 

The face says it all and Jason is hard at work in his new 'job'.

It isn't a holiday on the programme though. A Road ride on Monday morning is followed by a track session in the afternoon. They have other track sessions on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday with gym sessions on Tuesday and Friday and on the other days, aerobic road rides. On the workload he and the other sprinters are now given, he says "we didn't have a lot of time after the Junior World's to prepare for the World Track Cups so we have just gone in full-on."

He adds that unlike major events such as the Revolution track series where it is easy to lift yourself for the competition; it isn't so easy mentally when it comes to training in a dark and empty Velodrome. Asked whether he suffers more in competition or training, he says "training, definitely. You haven't got the adrenalin either. Like when you do a kilo in racing and there is a nice big crowd, it kind of carries you round a bit. In training, every rev is hard work!"

Jason admits he hasn't seen any improvement in his form yet, but that he hasn't also tapered down for a competition, something which will come in the months ahead.

He says the events he enjoys the most are the ones he is winning - which having three rainbow jerseys gives him plenty of choice (Sprint, Keirin, Team Sprint).

Looking back and talking about the Junior Worlds, he says that it was just one of those weeks where everything went right and it was undoubtedly the best week of his career. "It was nice having that bit of extra gas that I could turn on when I felt like it and I think I have been missing that lately. It's probably the sort of form you only have for one week a year and it fell right for me."

One area he knows he has to work on is his tactics. So far he has had the speed to get him out of trouble but he knows it will be different being a first year senior. "I need to work on tactics a lot. I am very up and down - one minute I'll do a really good technical race and the next a really rubbish one."

At Revolution 14, Jason was beaten, just, for the first time in months and says that normally, in front of a big crowd, there is an element of the racing being fun and he likes to play to the crowd. At the last Revolution though, he it wasn't in such great form and because of that he didn't feel so good in the races. "If I am going well, then yes, the bigger the crowd, the better I go."

 

Right: Jason gets ready to give it his all as he practices a standing start for the Team Sprint.

On being beaten in the Keirin at Revolution 14, he adds "I don't think it does any harm to get beaten every now and then in a competition like that. It brings you down to earth I guess."

Having been there and done it as a Junior, Jason now admits he wants to make his mark as a senior. "I did all I could as a Junior and can't wait to get stuck in as a senior. I feel a bit of pressure having been a triple junior champion but I don't tend to dwell on it. I just concentrate on doing the best I can."

Jason's debut in UCI World Track Cups will come in the Moscow event where he says he will probably ride the Team Sprint. "I just intend to do it. Jump in the deep end."

He also explained that he is looking forward to riding on a different track. "When we go away somewhere, the first reaction is 'this track is better' even if its rubbish and then you get used to it and see that it is rubbish! But it is nice to race on different tracks after spending so much time here at Manchester."

This winter will see Jason racing on different tracks with Moscow next and then perhaps, Los Angeles and Manchester to follow. Making the UCI World Track Championships is also goal and may be a tall order for the youngster considering the strength in-depth the GB team can boast in the sprinting department at the moment - but it is certainly a goal of his and with a 200 metre time of 10.3, he has every chance. So we wish him all the best in the coming months as he continues his transition from World beating Junior rider to, hopefully, a World beating Senior.

Personal Bests:
200 Metre TT: 10.375
Kilometre: 1.04.7

Jason and Lucy and yet another element of the gym work.

 

Maximum efforts in the gym showing that even triple world champions have to work hard.

 

Jason during one of his standing start efforts in training as he prepares for the Moscow World Track Cup.

 

SiS Recovery drinks after the session.