Jessica Varnish

{{Infobox cyclist

| name = Jessica Varnish

| image = Jessica Varnish ECh 2015 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Varnish at the 2015 UEC European Track Championships

| fullname = Jessica Varnish

| nickname = Jess

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|11|19|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England, UK

| height = {{convert|5|ft|7|in|cm|abbr=on}}{{cite web| url=http://www.yougo4it.co.uk/nottingham/go_for_it/athlete_blog_podcast/detail_Jess_Varnish_Cyclist.asp| access-date=2011-03-26| work=You Go 4 It| publisher=Nottingham City Council| title=Jess Varnish| year=2011| archive-date=21 March 2012| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321195307/http://www.yougo4it.co.uk/nottingham/go_for_it/athlete_blog_podcast/detail_Jess_Varnish_Cyclist.asp| url-status=dead}}

| weight = {{convert|67|kg|lb st|abbr=on}}

| currentteam =

| discipline = Track

| role = Rider

| ridertype = Sprinter

| amateuryears1 = 2006

| amateurteam1 = Halesowen AC&C

| proyears1 =

| proteam1 =

| majorwins =

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry| {{GBR2}} }}

{{Medal|Country|{{ENG}}}}

}}

Jessica Varnish (born 19 November 1990) is a former British track cyclist. Varnish was part of the 2014 world record holding European Championships team sprint champions and is a multiple medalist at the World Championships.

Biography

Jessica Varnish was born in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire on 19 November 1990, the daughter of James "Jim" Varnish, a keen cyclist. She attended South Bromsgrove High School.{{cite web|url=http://www.velodrome.org.uk/jessvarnishinterview.html |title=Jess Varnish : Focused on a Golden Future |publisher=Velodrome.org.uk |date=2006–2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122024959/http://www.velodrome.org.uk/jessvarnishinterview.html |archive-date=22 November 2008 }}

At the age of 14, Varnish competed unofficially at the 2006 Junior World Championships in Belgium. She took a second off the British 500m standing start record, setting a new time of 37.1 seconds.{{cite web|url=http://archive.worcesternews.co.uk/2006/6/28/416895.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20071108085858/http://archive.worcesternews.co.uk/2006/6/28/416895.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 November 2007 |title=Varnish shows her extra class |publisher=Worcester News |date=28 June 2006 |access-date=2009-06-04 }}

She made her GB Cycling debut at the Austrian Junior International in January 2006. She became a member of British Cycling's Olympic Development Programme whilst still a junior.{{cite web|url=http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/BC/gbr/GBRiderInfo/Varnish_Jessica_Bio.asp |title=Jessica Varnish Bio |publisher=British Cycling |access-date=2008-09-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060507031036/http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/BC/gbr/GBRiderInfo/Varnish_Jessica_Bio.asp |archive-date=7 May 2006 }} Being just 17 at the time, Varnish was selected for the programme a year ahead of the rest of her age group, demonstrating British Cycling's belief in her potential.

Her first performance at senior level was in the 2008 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Manchester.{{cite web| url=http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/Jessica_Varnish_Rider_Profile_article_274741.html| title=Jessica Varnish: Rider Profile| author=Andrew Canning| publisher=Cycling Weekly| date=6 January 2009| access-date=2009-06-04| archive-date=9 April 2009| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090409065821/http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/Jessica_Varnish_Rider_Profile_article_274741.html| url-status=dead}}

In March 2009, Varnish was awarded the "junior female sports personality of the year" trophy at the Sports Partnership Herefordshire and Worcestershire Sports Awards.{{cite web| url=http://www.droitwichadvertiser.co.uk/sport/4193403.Jess_shines_once_more_at_awards/| title=Jess shines once more at awards| publisher=Droitwich Spa Advertiser| date=12 March 2009| access-date=2009-06-04}}

Virgin Trains West Coast named its Pendolino train 390027 after her on 29 June 2011.{{cite web |url=https://www.alstom.com/press-releases-news/2011/6/Jessica-Varnish-290611 |title=Athletes given helping hand by Virgin Trains: Cyclist Jessica Varnish gets a Virgin Pendolino train named after her |author= |date=29 June 2011 |website=Alstom |publisher=Alstom |access-date=30 October 2019|quote="Having a train named after me is incredible and something I never thought would happen. My friends think its awesome! Im really happy and thankful for the huge support Virgin Trains are giving me"}}

On 18 February, Varnish competed at the 2012 UCI Track Cycling World Cup in the new Olympic Velodrome. Along with her team-mate Victoria Pendleton, they broke the world record of the women's team sprint taking gold.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Varnish and Pendleton broke the world record in the qualifying stages of the team sprint before being relegated in the semi-finals.[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/cycling/9450794/Jessica-Varnish-I-will-never-watch-nightmare-moment-when-my-London-Olympic-dream-was-shattered.html Jessica Varnish: I will never watch nightmare moment when my London Olympic dream was shattered]. www.telegraph.co.uk. 3 August 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2012.

In April 2016 The Daily Telegraph reported that Varnish's Olympic Podium Programme contract with British Cycling had not been renewed, with Performance Director Shane Sutton stating that the decision was due to Varnish's performances over the previous three years, and denying that it was related to comments she had made in interviews at the 2016 UCI Track Cycling World Championships which were critical of the selections that had been made for the women's team sprint squad in their qualifying campaign for the 2016 Summer Olympics, which was ultimately unsuccessful.{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cycling/2016/04/19/british-cycling-drops-jess-varnish-from-olympic-programme-on-per/ |title=British Cycling drops Jess Varnish from Olympic programme on 'performance grounds' and denies it is payback for criticism |last1=Cary |first1=Tom |date=19 April 2016 |website=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=22 April 2016}} Varnish claimed in the two-year Olympic qualifying period she had gained more qualifying points than any other British cyclist, in the team sprint she had consistently performed in the world top 5 and also qualified for the Olympic places in individual sprint and Keirin.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/36309473 |title=Jess Varnish targets return to GB squad for Rio|date=17 May 2016 |publisher=BBC|access-date=17 May 2016}} In a subsequent interview with the Daily Mail, Varnish made allegations that Sutton had made sexist comments when discussing the non-renewal of her contract. In April 2016 Sutton was suspended by British Cycling, and he immediately resigned rather than mounting a defence.

Palmarès

=Track=

;2005

:1st 20px sprint, British National Track Championships – U16

:2nd 500m TT, British National Track Championships – U16

:2nd Scratch race, British National Track Championships – U16

;2006

:1st 20px sprint, British National Track Championships – U16

:2nd 500m TT, British National Track Championships – U16

:2nd Scratch race, British National Track Championships – U16

;2007

:1st 20px keirin, 2007 European Track Championships – Junior

:1st 20px sprint, British National Track Championships – Junior

:2nd 500m TT, 2007 European Track Championships – Junior

:2nd Individual Sprint, UCI Junior Track World Championships

:2nd 500m TT, British National Track Championships – Junior

:3rd 500m TT, British National Track Championships – Senior

:3rd Individual Sprint, British National Track Championships – Senior

;2008

:1st 20px keirin, 2008 European Track Championships – Junior

:1st 20px 500m TT, 2008 European Track Championships – Junior

:1st 20px 500m TT, British National Track Championships – Junior

:1st 20px sprint, British National Track Championships – Junior

:1st Team Sprint, round 1, 2008–2009 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics, Manchester (with Anna Blyth)

:2nd British National Team Sprint Championships (with Helen Scott)

:3rd Keirin, British National Track Championships – Senior

:3rd Individual Sprint, 2008 European Track Championships – Junior

;2011

:1st 20px 500m TT, 2011 British National Track Championships – Senior

:1st 20px Team Sprint, 2011 European Track Championships (with Victoria Pendleton)

:1st 20px 500m TT, 2011 European Track Championships – U23

:1st 20px Team Sprint, 2011 European Track Championships – U23 (with Becky James)

:3rd sprint, 2011 European Track Championships – U23

;2012

:1st Team sprint, round 4, 2011–2012 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics, London (with Victoria Pendleton)

:1st Team sprint, round 1, 2011–2012 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics, Cali (with Becky James)

:1st Team sprint, round 2, 2011–2012 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics, Glasgow (with Becky James)

:2nd Individual Sprint, round 2, 2011–2012 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics, Glasgow

:3rd Individual Sprint, round 1, 2011–2012 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics, Cali

;2013

:1st 20px 500m TT, British National Track Championships

:1st 20px Team Sprint, British National Track Championships

:1st 20px Individual Sprint, British National Track Championships

:1st 20px Keirin, British National Track Championships

:Revolution

::1st Sprint – Round 1, Manchester

::2nd Keirin – Round 1, Manchester

:3rd Individual Sprint, 2013 European Track Championships

:3rd Team sprint, 2013 European Track Championships (with Becky James)

:3rd Cottbus Individual Sprint

;2014

:1st Sprint, Revolution – Round 4, Manchester

:1st 500m Time Trial, Cottbuser SprintCup

:Open des Nations sur Piste de Roubaix

::1st Sprint

::1st Team Sprint (with Victoria Williamson)

:1st 20px 500m TT, British National Track Championships

:1st 20px Individual Sprint, British National Track Championships

:1st 20px Team sprint, British National Track Championships (with Dannielle Khan){{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/29393097 |title=National Track Championships: Varnish & Trott among winners |author= |date=27 September 2014 |publisher=BBC|access-date=28 September 2014}}

:1st 20px Keirin, British National Track Championships{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/29402280 |title=National Track Championships: Four golds for Varnish & Skinner |author= |date=28 September 2014 |publisher=BBC|access-date=28 September 2014}}

:3rd Team Sprint, UCI Track World Championships (with Becky James){{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/26361044 |title=Track Cycling Worlds 2014: GB women win bronze as men toil |author= |date=27 February 2014 |publisher=BBC|access-date=27 February 2014}}

:Commonwealth Games

::3rd 15px Sprint

::3rd 15px 500m Time Trial

:3rd Team Sprint, GP von Deutschland im Sprint (with Katy Marchant)

:3rd Sprint, Cottbuser Nächte

;2015

:Revolution

::1st Keirin – Round 3, Manchester

::1st Sprint – Round 3, Manchester

::2nd Sprint – Round 1, Derby

::2nd 500m Time Trial – Round 1, Derby

:1st British National Team Sprint Championships (with Katy Marchant){{cite web |url=https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/bc_files/track/BTC15_women_team_results.pdf |title=British National Track Championships 25th–27th September 2015: Results – Team Female |author= |website=British Cycling|access-date=28 September 2015}}

:3rd Keirin, British National Track Championships{{cite web |url=https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/bc_files/track/20150926-ntc-mens-sprint-finals-results.pdf |title=British National Track Championship 25th–27th September 2015: Communiqué No 049: Category Female: Event Keirin: Round Final Result |author= |website=British Cycling |access-date=27 September 2015}}

:2nd Keirin, Öschelbronn

:3rd Sprint, Singen