Britain’s golden couple didn’t fall in love at first sight, Laura Kenny has revealed.
The most decorated British Olympic couple of all-time revealed that the early days of their relationship were wrought with social awkwardness in a joint interview on daytime talk show Loose Women last week.
Jason and Laura Kenny were on the show to discuss the release of their book, ‘Laura Trott & Jason Kenny: The Inside Track,’ which was released today. On this publicity tour the pair has also paid a visit to the Times Magazine, which also included a photo shoot from which Mrs Trott has been posting the photos to her social media pages.
I would say I promise this is the last one .. but it probably wont be @JasonKenny107 pic.twitter.com/7qI51S7lmk
— Laura Kenny (@LauraTrott31) November 12, 2016
Mrs Kenny – as she has decided to be known for every day purposes (but interestingly not marketing purposes) – told the show’s panel that her husband was more interested in his cup of coffee than introducing himself to his future wife on her first day at British Cycling.
“I moved up to Manchester when I was 18 to be part of the Great Britain program,” Laura Kenny said. “And everyone was really friendly. I walked in to the mechanics and everyone was like ‘morning, morning’ and because I was new I was just like ‘oh okay, hi’ but not really talking to anybody.
“Then Sir Chris comes up to you and says ‘I’m sir Chris Hoy,’ and you’re like ‘ah,’ starstruck, because he’s like a legend in our sport.”
Then she moved on to describe how Jason was on that first day.
“And then Jason just sat there drinking a cup of coffee… nothing.”
>Read more: Laura Trott & Jason Kenny’s baby will be ‘the best cyclist’
In Jason’s defense, he is quite open about the fact that he’s “just not very good at first impressions.” Though, despite his other half’s way with words, she did dig up the fact that her first impression of him was also quite underwhelming.
In the interview the four-time Olympic gold medalist said that the first time she learnt about her husband-to-be was in a magazine. Mrs Kenny said that she’d spotted Jason in a magazine follow-up from the Beijing Olympics which she said listed him at number six of the best “people of that year”.
The Essex-born star then said that other than noting that he was the same age as she would go on to be at the London Olympics when he competed in Beijing, she “didn’t think much of it.”
It all worked out in the end, though. At the following world championships, Laura says that after losing her headphones she borrowed Jason’s without telling him and proceeded to break them.
Telling him about the headphones, Laura says, was the ice breaker that sparked their romance.
During the interview the pair also revealed that Olympic cyclists aren’t allowed to hoover or stand up for too long; and that they’ve also got to be careful when taking the tube in case they don’t get a seat.
It’s tough being a cyclist, eh?
You can watch the full interview below:
49 thoughts on “Laura Trott reveals Jason Kenny snubbed her when they first met”
Well we know who wears the
Well we know who wears the pants in that relationship; oh wait….
yawn
yawn
If women cyclists want to be
If women cyclists want to be treat equally, they need to stop doing sexist photo’s like this. It does no one any good.
Gus T wrote:
I tandem sometimes with my wife and was really baffled by this photo. When you ride a tandem, you quickly realise that everyone (mostly non-cyclists) thinks it’s funny to shout “she’s not pedalling!” It’s easy to tell how much effort the other person on a tandem is putting in (either way round) so my reaction is mostly rolling eyes with a grin!
Why would a couple who are both fantastic cyclists play to this ridiculous stereotype? It just doesn’t make any sense to me…
I suppose you can interpret the image as a metaphor one of two ways – either that he’s her slave, or that she is a freeloader off his efforts. I think either is pretty offensive. I’m struggling to think of a more positive interpretation of the image.
And it doesn’t do the image of tandeming any good either – tandeming is a highly enjoyable team activity that adds a completely new dimension to cycling in my experience.
Having said all that, it was probably the idea of the photographer, putting his prejudices into the image, and I imagine the two of them just saw it as a bit of daft fun.
Gus T wrote:
you speak for yourself Gus T I love a bit tits and arse, it does me me good 😉
Jimnm wrote:
And there’s plenty of sites available for this 😉
Personally I think LT is an attractive young lady but dressing up in a leotard and tight length high heel boots only creates an un-necessary sexual stereotype, personally I thought the nude VP photos were more artistic and less titilating than this photo. Beauty has many forms but presentation decides whether it’s beauty for beauty’s sake. TThis photo looks more like a 70’s Playboy cover than a publicity shot.
Gus T wrote:
Don’t be an idiot, Ronaldo had a 30ft billboard with him in his pants that looked like speedos and he’s a footballer, did you pose the same question of him, or of Beckham for that matter, he used to get his dad bod out a lot.
Now if you didn’t then you’re just as sexist as you suggest these photos to be. I would also suggest that perhaps instead of looking at a woman in a black body and tring to undermine her her sporting achievments you consider her stash of medals or can’t you brain think of any else while it fakes indignation?
While we’re on, if you want to go deaper into the social constructs we live with or how media likes to encourage male gazing then we can have that if you like.
Why is it sexist? Because the
Why is it sexist? Because the woman is the stoker whilst the man takes the controls?
If you are referring to their clothing and/or poses then the photo isn’t sexist but perhaps some peoples’ interpretation of it is. But that would be the attitude of the viewer rather than the person who posted the photo originally on Instagram?
psling wrote:
Stop quoting the Internet.
I confess I’m a bit confused
I confess I’m a bit confused as to what the correct response should be here. Am I allowed think Laura Trott looks hot or should I be thinking “down with this kind of misogyny”. And why?
surly_by_name wrote:
I don’t think men should be beating themselves up for thinking that’s an attractive woman. Women can’t have it both ways IMO, this sort of photoshoot is obviously playing the sex sells card, otherwise why is she dressed like that?
Anyway, in an entirely sexist and mysogynistic fashion, she looks damn fine there.
surly_by_name wrote:
Tell you what, I wouldn’t kick her out of bed, well fit hot chick 😉
surly_by_name wrote:
It’s not the thought of someone looking hot or not we all have those thoughts but it’s how a man expresses that thought. Saying “I’d bang her” would be offensive. These are also media shots so as a woman commenting is okay. It’s when people start to pass shitting comments, and we all know what they are, when she’s doing her job as a cyclist that are more annoying
Looked at it and thought,
Looked at it and thought, fuck she looks hot.
Didn’t think anything else. So yes, probably is just a tired old bit of sexualisation considering I’ve seen her in lycra countless times without thinking the same.
Ah, it is what it is… is it
Ah, it is what it is… is it offensive? Not to me.
I think if I was either of the two, I’d be more disgruntled about the media only being iterested in them as a couple, rather than being objectied like this.
Lets be frank, sex sells, and alongside that, both men and women seem to enjoy looking at pictures of pretty women.
Yes, men and women’s ‘motives’ are very different, but for me, the positive message is that Trott is being held up as an aspirational figure. Women want to be her, men want to be with her….
That can only be good for Trott and womens cycling in general.
Does the medium used to create this aspiration really matter?
The reason the images are
The reason the images are sexist is because Trott has been sexualized but Kenny has not. Kenny undoubtedly has a nice body which they have refrained from showing off, yet they have shown off Trotts, meaning the images portray women as objects and men not.
Had both/neither been sexualised then the images would not have reinforced gender stereotypes.
What do the female readers on
What do the female readers on here think of the way Jason looks in the photo?
As for Laura’s outfit, I do think she looks great in it. I suppose it could be seen as sexist, but I’ve seen plenty of pop stars wearing similar or even more revealing outfits (Beyonce, Little Mix etc), so maybe the only person to determine whether it is or isn’t sexist is Laura.
Beatnik69 wrote:
Now, that is sexist!
Beatnik69 wrote:
As someone said above, she’s been sexualised, he hasn’t. They would have evened it out had he been topless.
It would have grated on me less if they had done that. As it is, I see that and roll my eyes. LT-K has always been a bit thoughtless in action and word though.
dottigirl wrote:
So let’s assume Kenny had been “sexualised” as well, what do I then think about Laura? Presumably the aim of feminism isn’t simply to ensure its a tie in the race to get one’s kit off.
dottigirl wrote:
to be fair, it does make it clear that she’s from Essex
Beatnik69 wrote:
I imagine (hope?) that they wonder why he’s dressed like an overgrown schoolboy (what are those shorts?) or a Hollywood librarian. Also, he seems to get to change kit (from schoolboy to librarian) but she has to remain in the leotard with the implausible footwear. Maybe that’s a useful working definition of mysogyny.
Beatnik69 wrote:
i’d like to see jason in a pait of Kylie hotpants and nipple tassles
the_broken_cyclist wrote:
I could sell you some photos if you like
Well, I for one am utterly,
Well, I for one am utterly, utterly appalled by what I’ve just seen…
On the front we have a mudflap that is just a few inches above the ground; on the rear there isn’t a flap at all, and the mudguard doesn’t even extend down to below the height of the hub.
And this is in 2016, people!!!
Woldsman wrote:
Strangely enough hadn’t noticed that!
Woldsman wrote:
Your prejudicial dismissal of the quite functional weather gear arrangements of the tandem is based on unrealistic and arbitrary ideals of symmetry. It is a symptom of all that is rotten in society at large that you perpetuate the conceit that form is the principal attainment.
I contend that plumes of road spray would emit tangentially from the wheels and the coverage is optimised to prevent the ejecta from soiling Mr and Mrs Kenny.
I salute the publication of a photograph that celebrates practicality and snubs the ephemeral trickeries of modishness.
peaslaker wrote:
Fnarr fnarr. He said “ejecta”.
Might I suggest that those
Might I suggest that those who find it sexist or offensive simply stop looking at it, and not try to tell me what I should think?
mbrads72 wrote:
No one is telling you what to think. Some people think the image is sexist, and are expressing that. If you don’t want to read other people’s opinions, I’d suggest the comment section isn’t for you.
mbrads72 wrote:
Does that also apply if you make a racist remark? Does everyone just turn away and pretend nothing happened?
Nobody is telling you what to think, but some people are not happy with what the images are saying. Are you suggesting that they shouldn’t express their disquiet?
Simon E wrote:
I’m just too confused about what I am and am not allowed to say or think any more. For example, the #Blackand British trailers on TV seem to me to be trotting out traditional black stereotypes, which it would be completely unacceptable for me to say. How is that right?
Similar thing applies here, although I can’t say I’ve noticed an avalanche of protest from female posters, so maybe women aren’t actually offended by this so-called offensive photo? Hard for me to say, as a male, but personally I wouldn’t give a toss what JK was wearing so I assume the same applies the other way around. Maybe I just have a high threshold for taking offence?
mbrads72 wrote:
Funny, I never have that problem.
There’s a tandem in that
There’s a tandem in that photo?!
I have had the “Times”
I have had the “Times” magazine since Saturday I had no idea who it was on the front, it looks nothing like them (the pic on the front of the mag)… There are a few more similar pics too, maybe they should have just sold their wedding.
I expect a larger turnout at
I expect a larger turnout at the next few Bury Tandem Club meetings.. For those who missed the club name, it’s on the down tube..beneath the heels 🙂
Chain looks a bit slack!
Chain looks a bit slack!
Does anyone really give a
Does anyone really give a flying #*¥@?
Since LT is happy with the
Since LT is happy with the image (as she has been tweeting it) then I cant see what the issue is. Also nice to see athletic female bodies promoted as atractive rather than the standard unfeasibly skinny airbrushed ones. Healthy = attractive seems like a good message to send to young girls.
Would probably be better if both were showing their bodies in the name of equality.
To be honest, his footwear is
To be honest, his footwear is not that much more suitable for cycling than hers.
I’m curious how they got the bike to stand up like that. Either it was a very impressive track stand or he was pedalling very slowly indeed.
OldRidgeback wrote:
I share your toe overlap concerns. Which is why, whenever I pilot our tandem, I insist on leaving my clown shoes at home.
OldRidgeback wrote:
Typical track sprinter showing off.
I get that the lower half of
I get that the lower half of Laura seems to be from a different photo shoot, but are we back to telling women what they can and cannot wear again?
Usual sanctimonious crap here
Usual sanctimonious crap here
What an earth gives you whingers the right to complain.
How on earth can it be sexist? She isn’t complaining, shes making good money. It is not sexist for a women ( or a man but that’s not usually what upsets the dimwits) to do anything they bloody well want to. Tits out? Thats the owners matter.
To try and dictate standards is disgusting. I’ll bet those who are making such are fuss are those who like to present themselves as being the protectors of peoples rights. You can’t have it always. Either there is freedom or not. If you have an opinion,fair enough but so does everyone else.
Best pic I have seen of her. The sweaty giggling image is a bit grim after a bit. JK is the one who looks a pillock. Just what the hell are those things on his leg. They serve no purpose at all. Not shorts, they are too long, not trousers, his legs will get cold.
Good luck to her.
Rather more worryingly is the nasty mix of lack and sliver on the tandem. Its well know nthat black has no place on rims made of metal. Silver is right black is just tasteless , tacky and pamdering to the whim of those who are subservient to the domination of those capitalist pigs who enable British cycling to be successful.
mattsccm wrote:
What an earth gives you whingers the right to complain.— mattsccmEvery right.
What makes you think you can dictate to anyone else what they should find offensive or unacceptable?
As for the book, I’ll wait until they’ve done a bit more than ride around in circles quickly. Most rider autobiogs are tedious; the ones written before they’ve matured are even worse. Chris Boardman’s book shows how (and when) it should be done – http://road.cc/content/review/209195-triumphs-and-turbulence
My main complaint is Jason
My main complaint is Jason wearing knee length office socks with shorts. Truly awful look, unless you are a woman in a black and white film, c.1940.
Is it offensive? I use a
Is it offensive? I use a pretty simple rule of thumb here – when I laminate it then it becomes offensive!
Was she really surprised?
Was she really surprised? Everybody says Kenny is an understated/chilled character.
I’m definitely going to start stealing pretty girls headphones and breaking them now though.
Yes it fucking is. That’s something that somebody without any knowledge of cycling would remark. People think cycling is all “going for a bike ride” and don’t realise it’s one of the toughest sports in the world, which you really really have to love to compete in.
Look and digest.
Look and digest.