Top UK cyclist and Team GB hopeful Jess Varnish has designs on more than medals this summer, creating a fleet of patriotic delivery vans for online grocer Ocado.
The young star who claimed gold and broke a world record at the cycling World Championships in February has created three stand-out artworks for Ocado’s iconic delivery vans. Each one showcases her favourite foods for winning races as well as the chocolate and champagne goodies she hopes to celebrate with, while capturing the spirit of the Great British summer of 2012.
While her vans set off to deliver shopping to Ocado customers across the UK, the 21-year-old Team GB hopeful said that she hopes to be “the fastest in the world” this summer.
At the launch of her vans Jess commented: “I am incredibly proud to be British, so getting to design three celebratory vans for Ocado was a fantastic opportunity for me to get creative! I love each of my designs so much that I can’t decide which one is my favourite and I can’t wait to see them on the road.”
With the Team GB cycling team announcement to be made this week, Jess continues to train hard whilst balancing her social life. She said: “It’s natural to have a one track mind when training for big events but it isn’t always simple to balance everything. I try to make life a little easier for myself by taking a mental mind break when possible – whether it be a Skype call with my sisters, saving a trip to the supermarket by doing my grocery buy online with Ocado, or cooking a tray of brownies!”
In comments which contrast with the recent weight scrutiny of another famous athlete named Jess, she said: “Being an athlete, you have to be in peak condition and, obviously, food is an incredibly important part of that. You can’t compete or train to the best of your ability without having good fuel. It isn’t such a big deal to everyone’s routine but it is to me.
“I’ve had to gain weight and I was told ‘if you don’t put on weight, you’re not going to get anywhere.’ So I have put on ten kilos of muscle. For any girl to be told they’ve got to put on weight, it’s not very nice.”