18 Facts About Wendy Houvenaghel

Wendy Louise Houvenaghel is a Northern Irish former racing cyclist from Upperlands, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, riding on both the road and track, but specialising in the latter.

Wendy Houvenaghel has represented Great Britain in various World Cycling Championships and in the 2008 Olympic Games, most notably winning the silver medal at the Beijing Olympic Games, and gold in the team pursuit at the 2008,2009 and 2011 Track World Championships.

Wendy Houvenaghel has won many British national titles and represented England at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and Northern Ireland at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Wendy Houvenaghel studied dentistry at the University of Dundee, where she met her husband.

Wendy Houvenaghel was fast-tracked onto the Olympic Podium Plan by the British Cycling Federation in June 2006, with the aim of winning a medal at the Beijing Olympic Games in August 2008.

Wendy Houvenaghel took part in a cycling time trial in September 2002, with no cycling experience and became the National Circuit Time Trial Champion the following year.

Wendy Houvenaghel was selected for the GB National squad in 2003 to compete at the World Time Trial Championships in Canada.

Wendy Houvenaghel continued her collection of National time trial titles in 2004, going on to win all British time-trials that she competed in during 2005, and continued in her success throughout 2006.

Wendy Houvenaghel was talent spotted by British Cycling and after physiological testing was fast tracked onto the Olympic Podium Programme tasked with winning a medal at the Beijing Olympic Games within a 2-year time frame.

Wendy Houvenaghel competed for England on both the track and the road at the Commonwealth Games after being turned down for the Northern Ireland team by the British Cycling Federation.

Wendy Houvenaghel went one better to finish fourth in the 2007 World Championships, the following year in Majorca.

Wendy Houvenaghel won silver again in the same event at the 2009 Track World Championships in Poland, losing the final by 2 seconds after beating her opponent in the qualifying heats.

Wendy Houvenaghel retained her World Championship title in the Women's Team Pursuit by qualifying fastest during the qualification ride and winning the final.

Wendy Houvenaghel was however, permitted to race the Individual Pursuit in Melbourne, earning a silver medal.

Wendy Houvenaghel had her most successful road campaign in 2012 winning her 4th British National Time Trial title as well as winning the Celtic Chrono and Chrono Champenois International Time Trials.

Wendy Houvenaghel announced her retirement from the sport on the eve of the 2014 Commonwealth Games after sustaining a back injury in training, forcing her to withdraw from the competition.

Wendy Houvenaghel won three World Championships competing for Great Britain in the Team Pursuit event and an Olympic silver medal in 2008 in Beijing in the Individual Pursuit.

In 2017 Wendy Houvenaghel had accused British Cycling of ageism and 'win-at-all-cost' culture.