The talented teenagers have been displaying their sporting prowess in Bahrain, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait and have seen their hours of dedicated training pay dividends. The British expats, who live in Hamala and attend St Christopher’s School, are now hoping to attract sponsors to enable them to put their talents to the test in more trips abroad and to further their sporting ambitions.

In recent weeks Jamie has been sitting A/S examinations with his final A levels in Design and Technology, Physics and Biology to come next year. He has already made the determined decision to take a year out to see whether he has what it takes to become a professional sportsman … a likely combination of talent, drive, luck and the ability to attract serious sponsorship.

Currently, Jamie, 17, is entering gruelling triathlon competitions on a bike he picked up during a shop sale three years ago. He said: “I just want to see how far I can go, improve all the time and attract enough sponsorship to make full-time sport a career option.

“I find sport is a great way to escape from normal life – any worries you have disappear and as endorphins are released when you exercise, it actually makes you feel happy too! It’s also a great way to make friends and meet new people.” Jamie rides a basic Boardman road bike which he picked up for around BD150.  It’s heavy and has none of the latest technology on it. To improve and continue being competitive he needs to get a modern, lightweight race bike under him. 

Top-of-the-range Boardman Bikes, however, cost between BD1,200 and BD5,200. The all-carbon, aerodynamic racing machines are reckoned to be 40 per cent more effective. Kizzy, 16, now sitting GCSE examinations, is already assisted by Boardman Bike Middle East and rides one of its race bikes.

She said: “The training can be a tough commitment but once you are competing and you see that all the hard work and time you’ve devoted to it pays off, it all seems worthwhile.”

Training consists of:

  • Swimming. Two early morning (up at 4.45am and in the pool at 5.30am for 75 minutes) and two evening sessions of which one might be an open water long swim.  About 15,000 to 17,000m per week.
  • Running. Three times a week. Monday is an interval session with the Bahrain Road Runners, Wednesday a track session and a long run of 10km-plus at the weekends.
  • Bike. Friday at 5.30am for a ride out with the Bahrain Triathlon Club and two midweek rides which often have to be done on an indoor turbo-trainer because of the weather and dangerous roads.

Next year the Price pair aim to compete once more in the kingdom, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait.  They will enter the ITU World tour event in Abu Dhabi and, if selected, hope to race at the Gulf and Arab Championships. 

After that it depends on results, but Bahrain boasts the makings of a promising junior group of triathletes and could make up a competitive mixed relay team (two boys and two girls), international coaches believe. Dad, Andy, who works at the British Embassy, has been taking part in pentathlons since the 1990s, competing for the UK national team for three years, and is fully aware of the sporting challenges ahead.

He often runs biathles with his wife, Vicki, a swimming coach, and both are supporting their children all the way. “We’re very proud of them and they work incredibly hard,” he said. “Bahrain is a great place to train and they have had fantastic support from the Bahrain Triathlon Club, who sponsored both kids last season, and from the Bahrain Road Runners.  “They have both had a lot of local success and will continue to compete at all the Bahrain events but now need to make the transition to regional events to see how good they could really be.”

Sport also appears to have played a significant part in the children’s outlook on life, according to their mum. “I really value the attitude that sport has helped them to develop,” she said.

“They always show good sportsmanship, listen to advice, encourage others, have the strength of character to persevere after a disappointing result and truly understand the value of hard work. “I really love that they have the courage to aim high and we will always be there to support their dreams. “I sometimes still work with them in the pool but they are really lucky now to have a very experienced and inspirational head coach called Yavor Zahariev at St Christopher’s School swim squad, who trains them along with local coach, Hussain Ali.

“Their father is a top level running coach and works really hard with them to coordinate their training programme and to improve their running and cycling. My role now is often more of a supportive one, ensuring everyone is where they need to be, have eaten what they need and, of course, that they’ve done their homework!”

If you would like to sponsor the Price kids, email editor@ gulfweekly.com