Thomas Atkinson

Jersey-born and bred Thomas Atkinson is an Under 23 triathlete training at the British Triathlon Training Centre in Nottingham, where he is being coached by Steve Llyod while studying at Nottingham University. Thomas’ first experience with the sport was watching his auntie compete in the Jersey Main event when he was six years old. It was she who suggested he join a swim club and try cross country. By age ten, he’d joined the local triathlon club and hasn’t looked back since!

“I love competing in triathlon as each of the disciplines requires a different set of skills, and only the best athletes can combine the three sports effectively. 

The squad I am training with is filled with talented athletes including several athletes on world-class funding racing World Cup races. Furthermore, everyone in the squad is committed in racing at a high level which means I am surrounded by people to push me in the right direction. 

On average, I train between 22 and 26 hours a week while studying for a full-time law degree. My training is split between 80km of running, 25km of swimming, and 200-250km of cycling. 

I broke my elbow in 2024, which meant I couldn’t race for the majority of the season. However, this just made me more determined to come back stronger. 

In 2025, I hope to be a podium participant in the Individual triathlon event Island Games in Orkney. Additionally, I will race in the British Superseries, where I hope to achieve top 10 results that will put me in a good position to be selected for and represent Jersey in the Commonwealth Games in 2026.

Currently, I am on the correct pathway for all of these ambitions, and the funding from the Lou Lou foundation will be instrumental in helping me improve my results. It will enable me to go on training camps during the winter and purchase new kit and equipment that will help elevate both my training and performance.”