OLYMPIC HERO ELLESSE - THE SECRET BEHIND HER SUCCESS

The cycling champ is on the right track for more medals, but her life isn't all about sport

- Kelly Bertrand

You’d be hard-pressed to find a trophy cabinet fuller than that of superstar cyclist Ellesse Andrews. Aged just 23, the Christchurch-born, Cambridge-based athlete has more bling than a ’90s rapper – a shiny silver Olympic medal, three gold and one silver from the Commonwealth Games, and her newest additions, a gold and bronze from this year’s World Championships.

On the track, she’s almost unbeatable, but for Ellesse, the real marker of success isn’t the awards and trophies – it’s a balanced life.

“Something really massive for me is making sure that I’m fulfilling all areas of my life, including my sport – it’s my passion, but it’s also my job,” she tells Woman’s Day. “I’m not going to be an athlete forever, so what am I doing to help myself grow as a person outside of my career? Wellroundedness is very important and it will be what keeps me in cycling longer.”

As well as already being one of New Zealand’s most successful athletes in both sprints and keirin cycling, Ellesse is also a talented singer and musician. “Mainly for fun!” she stresses, laughing. “Although there are a couple of other athletes in Cambridge who are really talented musicians, so sometimes we get together and work on little projects, which is really fun.”