72 SPORT CYCLING The Irish Mail on Sunday May 12, 2019 she can recognise the aspects of INTERVIEW her tale that attract people. ROLLOrla Walsh was unfulfilledMODEL by the excess ‘That’s something I’m still strug- gling with, in terms of embracing By Shane McGrath that I’m a role model,’ she says. CHIEF SPORTS WRITER of her partying lifestyle, so she took up ‘I don’t know if it’s an Irish men- tality, that I feel you need to kind of play down your achievements, and ERS is a story that could say, “Ah sure, anyone could do it. never get old. And Orla cycling and now inspires others on social You could do it, don’t look up to Walsh understands that. me”. It’s why she continues to ‘The story, in its simplicity, keep tell it and why she uses media while harbouring Olympic dreams it to “Orla stopped smoking and social media to inspire drinking and started cycling”: that others. It’s not as easy as implying in itself I think people can look at Hthat anyone could do what she has that seems just as important in her and find inspiration from it. done. story. ‘It makes the story more interest- They couldn’t. SADDLE UP: That desire to compete is com- ing then that I didn’t just stop at a Walsh is now an elite athlete, a Orla Walsh is mon to all successful sports peo- healthy lifestyle, that I wanted to member of Cycling Ireland’s team driven by the ple. pursuit selection that came tenth at need to Without it, even the most lavish the World Championships in Poland compete talent goes unfulfilled. ‘I Don’T SEE at the end of February. ‘It’s obsession,’ she grins. ‘There It’s only four years since sport is a pinch of talent and a lot of Any OF THE played no part in her life at all, obsession. It is something I obvi- when her weekends were devoted ously had in me that was com- PEoplE I USED to nights out and a packet of ciga- pletely untapped, and muted by rettes was important to her in the everything else I was doing to my to PArty WitH way cycling technology is now. body with drinking, smoking and Not many people could transform going out late.’ Any MorE’ their lives as dramatically, as thor- Her progress accelerated when oughly, as Walsh has done. she took part in what Cycling Ire- see how far I could go in the sport Change of some sort is an ambi- land called a talent transfer pro- as well. tion that everyone holds, however. gramme. ‘But I wouldn’t necessarily And in the life of Orla Walsh, many It sought ‘talented female athletes say that being a serious com- find inspiration. who have experience of training petitor or wanting to be the ‘That’s a reason why I keep bring- and competing at national or high best you can be on the bike is ing it up on my social media, and do level in their sport to join us on our something that everyone the Transformation Tuesday mission to the 2020 Olympics’. needs to aspire to, because it’s things,’ she says, explaining the Her experience was severely lim- not for everyone.’ Instagram post she shares every ited, but Walsh had talent and ambi- She was part of a Cycling Ireland week, comparing her old life to the tion and she made it through the team that departed for a training one she is living today. programme, all the way to Poland camp in Majorca this week, with a ‘I get messages from people say- in March, when she and three team- spell of altitude training to follow. ing, “I can really relate to your mates competed in the final of the Selection for the team that will background and it’s inspiring that women’s team pursuit. compete in the European Games in you made the decision to change Getting to the Olympics will be a Minsk next month is the immediate your life”. much tougher job, and their priority, before a series of World chances seem quite slim. Cup events, all influencing Olym- But achieving in spite of conven- pic qualification, get started later ‘THERE is A tion is a challenge one team mem- in the year. ber certainly understands. Her life is now a blur of training PArt OF ME ‘ I ’ d say it took me a year to and rest, with time for inspiration stop having that to be found, too. THAT JUst Imposter Syndrome Her old life and her new one don’t feeling,’ says Walsh. mingle much these days. WAnts to BE AN ‘A part of it was ‘The sad truth is that a lot of the that I came in people I hung out with in the party AtHLETE’ through the talent days, I don’t see any more,’ she transfer programme. explains. ‘I do have close friends ‘I post those things even though They tested me, and I’ve grown up with, and I’m still I’m tired of the story for other peo- logically I thought, friends with them. ple, more than myself. BEForE AND AFTER: Orla Walsh “I’ve passed the tests ‘They’ve seen the progress. And ‘But there is a part of me that uses social media to post pictures so I deserve to be they’re not surprised because they wishes I could just now be, Orla of her contrasting lifestyles here”. know me so well. This is what I’m Walsh the athlete, rather than Orla ‘But then the illogi- like, all or nothing.’ Walsh, the one who used to be a time is, is there an “A-ha moment”,’ cal side of my brain It is why so many seek her out on s***-show and now she’s an ath- she says of her story. said, “They must Instagram, and why she continues lete. ‘And there isn’t. I was still proba- have made a mis- to share her staggering, inspiring ‘In saying that, it’s a part of my bly going out at the weekend, and I take. The machine story. story. People like it.’ remember going on college trips must have been bro- In one of her Transformation It is a remarkable tale. where we were drinking for the ken. You didn’t do that”. Tuesdays, she compared a photo of Walsh is from Castleknock in west entire weekend. I couldn’t do it to the point where I started drop- ‘I’d be around these new athletes her from her time as an enthusias- Dublin, and she turned 30 this now! ping him. but they had an established back- tic socialiser. In one hand she held week. ‘But the more I cycled my bike, ‘You know the way people say ath- ground in sport. a cigarette, in the other a bottle of She was at the Institute of Sport the more I realised, “I’m really letes might have pushy parents? ‘I was comparing myself to peo- whiskey. recently as part of a presentation enjoying this”. My parents aren’t like that at all, ple who knew what it was like to And beside it, there was a photo of explaining how high performance ‘My dad Pat was a big factor in they’re very supportive of what- compete, and I didn’t, so that was Walsh on a podium, holding a tro- systems work, and used Cycling the whole thing. He gave me the ever I decide to do. something that made me feel I was phy and looking deeply happy. Ireland as an example. first bike, and he escorted me in ‘But he was really encouraging out of my depth. The journey isn’t done yet, Four years ago, she was studying and out of work, mostly because, with the bike. He could see I was ‘I really, really have enjoyed the either. for a Master’s in the Aungier Street and it’s a horrible thing to say, but enjoying it, and he always said he challenges of the last two years. ‘I’m always on to the next thing. I campus of Dublin Institute of Tech- town is just not safe to cycle in. could see I had potential to get bet- I’ve been pushed out of my comfort call it relentless dissatisfaction: nology. And she decided a cheap ‘I remember, on the way back into ter at it. zone more times than ever in my anything you do achieve, the satis- way of commuting between home the Phoenix Park, there’s a drag up ‘He was able to annoy me enough life. faction from it is so short-lived, and and the college in the city centre, to the first roundabout and he to get better by dropping me on ‘It makes me feel like I’m really I think a lot of athletes feel the was by bicycle. would go full gas. that hill.’ doing something.’ same way. Her father gave her a second- ‘He would drop me, and that Walsh joined a cycling club, That resonates with others, hence ‘In a way it’s sad, but it’s what hand one, and so began one of the annoyed me no end. He would do Orwell Wheelers, and when she the support that has gathered makes you keep wanting to get bet- unlikeliest stories in Irish high per- that regularly, and I would be able started competing in races, her tal- behind her on social media.