Rachel James

James, from Abergavenny, Wales, is the daughter of David James and Christine Harris,{{cite web| url=http://www.cyclingshorts.uk.com/2012/10/13/cwmheulog-hill-climb/| title=Cwmheulog Hill-Climb| date=13 October 2012| publisher=Cycling Shorts}} and has a younger sister, Becky, who is a world champion racing cyclist,{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/sep/29/becky-james-british-cycling-olympics |title=After the Games: Becky James proves there is life after Pendleton|author=Observer Sport staff|date=29 September 2012|work=The Observer|accessdate=12 October 2012}} and also has another two younger sisters; Ffion and Megan, and brother Gareth, who are all keen cyclists. Although Rachel is older than Becky, it was Becky who entered the sport first: she persuaded Rachel to take up cycling, with the hope of the pair representing Wales in the team sprint at the 2014 Commonwealth Games - however these hopes were dashed when the event was removed from the Glasgow games' schedule.{{cite web |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/other-sport/cycling/welsh-cyclist-rachel-james-aims-12044871 |title=Welsh cyclist Rachel James aims to follow in footsteps of sister Becky |last1=McGeehan |first1=Matt |date=18 October 2016 |website=WalesOnline|access-date=21 October 2016}}

In 2013, James became a pilot for paracyclist Sophie Thornhill.{{cite web |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/other-sport/cycling/double-world-cycling-champion-becky-6358602 |title=Double world cycling champion Becky James aims to retain titles in 2014 |author= |date=30 November 2013 |website=WalesOnline |accessdate=27 March 2014}} The pair won a gold medal and set a new world record at the 2014 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Aguascalientes in the 1km time trial, on their debut in a major international event.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/disability-sport/26998305 |title=Para-cycling Track Championships 2014: GB win two gold medals |last1=McDaid |first1=David|date=12 April 2014 |website=bbc.co.uk|accessdate=12 April 2014}} They subsequently won a second gold in the tandem sprint.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/disability-sport/27018435 |title=Para-cycling Track Championships 2014: Storey wins second gold |last1=McDaid |first1=David|date=14 April 2014 |website=bbc.co.uk|accessdate=14 April 2014}}

James represented Wales at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, 2014{{cite web| url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/other-sport/cycling/commonwealth-games-2014-olympic-champion-7234116| title=Commonwealth Games 2014: Olympic champion Geraint Thomas and world sprint star Becky James head up Welsh cycling team for Glasgow| publisher=Wales Online| date=2014-07-09}} where she rode as pilot for former paralympic swimmer Rhiannon Henry.{{cite web |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/other-sport/cycling/commonwealth-games-2014-rachel-james-7503100 |title=Commonwealth Games 2014: Rachel James and Rhiannon Henry miss out on Glasgow medal |last1=Griffiths |first1=Gareth |date=24 July 2014 |website=WalesOnline |accessdate=29 July 2014}} James reunited with Thornhill to compete in the 2014 British National Track Championships in September, where they won the mixed time trial{{cite web |url=http://admin.trackworldcup.co.uk/Images/Media/500.pdf |title=British National Track Championships 24th-28th September 2014: Communiqué No 008 |author= |website=trackworldcup.co.uk |accessdate=25 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006104906/http://admin.trackworldcup.co.uk/Images/Media/500.pdf# |archive-date=6 October 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }} and the 200 metre flying start time trial for blind and visually impaired riders.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/29388166 |title=National Track Championships: Jess Varnish powers to sprint title |author= |date=26 September 2014 |website=bbc.co.uk |accessdate=28 September 2014}} In addition James took a bronze medal in the team sprint alongside Helen Scott.{{cite web |url=http://www.nationaltrackchamps.co.uk/News/Article/2285/1 |title=Report and Results From Day Four |author= |date=27 September 2014 |website=British Cycling |accessdate=30 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006065857/http://www.nationaltrackchamps.co.uk/News/Article/2285/1 |archivedate=6 October 2014 |df=dmy-all }}

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;2012

:1st Team sprint, British National Track Championships (with Becky James)

;2013

:3rd Keirin, British National Track Championships

:3rd Team sprint, British National Track Championships (with Ellie Coster)

;2014

:1st Tandem B 1km time trial, UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships (with Sophie Thornhill){{cite web |url=http://www.uci.ch/Modules/BUILTIN/getObject.asp?MenuId=MTY5ODE&ObjTypeCode=FILE&type=FILE&id=OTQyMjU&LangId=1 |title=Communique #47: Results - Women's B 1km Time Trial Final |author= |date=11 April 2014 |website=Union Cycliste Internationale |accessdate=12 April 2014 }}{{dead link|date=April 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

:1st Tandem B sprint, UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships (with Sophie Thornhill)

:1st Para Cycling BVI mixed time trial, British National Track Championships (with Sophie Thornhill)

:1st Para Cycling BVI 200m flying start time trial, British National Track Championships (with Sophie Thornhill)

:3rd Team sprint, British National Track Championships (with Helen Scott)

;2017

:2nd Keirin, Oberhausen

:3rd Keirin, International track race - Panevežys

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Category:1988 births

Category:Living people

Category:Sportspeople from Abergavenny

Category:Welsh female cyclists

Category:British female cyclists

Category:Cyclists at the 2014 Commonwealth Games

Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for Wales

Category:Triathletes at the 2018 Commonwealth Games

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