Tanfield vows friends will not turn enemies in Paris pursuit

By Alec Mcquarrie, Sportsbeat

Charlie Tanfield vows that friends won’t become enemies in the battle for Olympic selection.

The Great Ayton star was out of action for five months in late 2022, suffering from long Covid, and missed out on the team pursuit squad that won World Championship gold.

It saw him lose ground in a Paris 2024 selection race that promises to be even tighter than Tokyo - only four places are available for male endurance riders, down from five.

The 26-year-old won’t be sharpening his elbows in the quest for a second Olympics.

Tanfield said: “We’re all mates and we get on really well. I remember I read Chris Hoy’s book and he talks about this.

“He said there’s no point in being adversarial. You may as well enjoy your time on the program while you’ve got it.

“Ultimately, the best guys will go anyway. So it doesn’t matter how you act. That’s not going to change things.

“Being friendly is best for performance too, because if you can talk openly with your mate and everyone’s on the same page, that’s where the best performances come from.”

Tanfield is one of over 1,000 elite athletes on UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded World Class Programme, allowing him to train full time, have access to the world’s best coaches and benefit from pioneering medical support – this is vital for his pathway to the Paris 2024 Games.

Tanfield put in a strong showing at February’s European Championships with world omnium champion Ethan Hayter absent due to injury.

He joined Wakefield’s Oliver Wood, Ethan Vernon and Dan Bigham in the team pursuit quartet that took silver behind Olympic champions and world record holders Italy.

The four-rider event that used to be dominated by Great Britain has pulled on Tanfield’s heart strings since a certain summer 11 years ago.

Tanfield said: “I remember watching the team pursuit at London 2012. I remember it vividly.

“I remember the lads going round to win that gold medal to set a new world record, the crowd going absolutely mental.

“I don’t quite remember that much from Beijing, but I was captivated by London 2012. That’s what really inspired me, just because it looked really cool.

“Also because it’s a full team event. I really enjoy that aspect of it, because there’s nothing better than being on the podium with your mates.”

With the Paris 2024 Olympics only one year away, the Games are set to inspire people and communities all across the country. Tanfield hopes that by sharing his story it will give others motivation to get involved into sport.

What Tanfield couldn’t foresee was that the Olympic champions he had idolised on the television would become close friends half a decade later.

Tanfield said: “It’s funny because Ed Clancy, Geraint Thomas, Steve Burke, two of those guys became my teammates later on.

“When I joined the program they were the guys who got me interested in pursuit. It was mad to be riding with Ed and Burkey in the actual squad.

“When I joined I told them that they were the ones who got me into this and they were like, wow that makes me feel old!”

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