‘I was loving life… and everyone was just miserable’ – Jess Learmonth on why losing doesn’t have to matter

Olympic triathlon relay champion Jess Learmonth says she wishes athletes would be «happier» and stop being so wrapped up in results. Speaking to Orla Chennaoui and Greg Rutherford on the latest episode of Eurosport’s new podcast The Breakdown, Learmonth said her unusual route into triathlon meant she had a different perspective to her rivals. Ad/> Learmonth only got into the sport in her 20s after getting back from travelling, in her own words “a bit porky”, and entering a charity triathlon while working in a supermarket.

/> TriathlonThe Breakdown episode 4: Jess Learmonth on breaking her back before the Olympics20 MINUTES AGO But she immediately found she had a natural talent and soared up the ranks, a rise that culminated in being selected to compete for Team GB at the Tokyo Olympics last summer. Although she failed to medal in the individual event, she returned to win gold in the mixed team relay alongside Jonny Brownlee, Georgia Taylor-Brown and Alex Yee. Learmonth admits her experience of missing out on an individual medal was very different to her rivals who also failed to make the podium, saying that while she was «loving life» her rivals seemed «miserable».

“I was working in Sainsbury's on minimum wage just roaming through life week after week,” she said. “Then you get this opportunity to travel the world, meet amazing people and do sport. I'm stood on the start line thinking 'this is amazing'.

“Even at the Olympics with the individual [race] where I probably had my worst result in a few years. After the race had finished, you were just walking around and everyone was just miserable other than the three people that medalled. “I found it so bizarre because I was loving life, like 'this is amazing', walking around