Oliva returns to GB team with LA Olympics in her sights

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Mum-of-three Oliva, 37, a two-time European champion in the team pursuit more than a decade ago, returned to international competition at this summer’s Commonwealth Games, winning team pursuit bronze for Wales.

Now she is a step closer to realising her dream of an Olympic return with a place on British Cycling’s world class programme.

“It’s just the most incredible opportunity that I am exceptionally grateful for,” Oliva, nee Horne, said.

“My role is to try and make the LA line-up in the women’s team pursuit. That’s what I am aiming to do. It’s a tall order because it is literally the best team in the world, but I’m very much up for the challenge.”

When she announced her return for Wales earlier this year, Oliva said her mission was to inspire her kids.

But Oliva always had another goal – a second shot at the Olympics after what she describes as the heartbreak of 2016, when she travelled to Rio as the reserve rider behind Katie Archibald, Laura Trott, Elinor Barker and Joanna Rowsell Shand, missing out on a medal as they won gold.

“It was completely the right decision that I didn’t ride [in Rio], the best team rode,” she said. “But there’s unfinished business. I want to try and make that Olympic team. I want to ride that team pursuit.”

Oliva’s comeback has been inspired by Helen Glover, the two-time Olympic champion rower who retired in 2016 but, as a mum of three, returned to finish fourth at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

While pregnant with her youngest, Oliva watched a documentary on Glover’s journey and felt inspired.

“I literally cried my way throughout watching it,” she said. “She is incredible. There was this little seed planted. I was like, ‘Ignore it, ignore it’ and then I was like, ‘No, I’ve got to go for it, I’ve got to taste the Olympic dream one last time’.”

Oliva put her bike away after retirement, turning to running while working as a physio – travelling to the Paris Paralympics with the British Wheelchair Fencing team.

But she has quickly got back up to speed, putting out better power numbers now than a decade ago while taking significant time off her own personal bests.

Oliva recognises the huge challenge of juggling motherhood with breaking into a GB team pursuit squad that broke the world record at the European Championships in February, but insists she is up for the challenge.

“When I won bronze at the Commonwealth Games, it was honestly my favourite medal ever because I never worked and fought so hard for something in my life…” she said.

“It’s a huge juggle but it’s made everything so much sweeter. Being back on the Great Britain team and my daughter holding my skinsuit, back in the GB colours.

“I said to Florence, who’s five, ‘Mummy worked hard to get that skinsuit back.’ And she said, ‘I know mummy, I see it every day.’ That is just magic to me.”