SEB GRINDLEY & HIS DAD DAVE
The British teenager has hit the ground running in his sporting career, but that’s no surprise as his father did exactly the same
Seb Grindley is one of British cycling’s most exciting young prospects. Having only just turned 18, he is already a winner on the road and in the winter mud of cyclo-cross, in the UK and in Europe. He is not, however, the first Grindley to enjoy international success as a teenager. Seb’s dad, Dave, won a bronze medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in the 4x400 metres relay, and his time of 44.47 seconds, aged 19, at the Barcelona Games remains the fastest ever by a European teenager. Though he was ranked as the world’s second-best 400m runner in 1993, injuries stalled Dave’s highly promising career, and he retired from athletics in 1996 aged 24.
After hanging up his spikes, Dave Grindley started cycling with North Cheshire Clarion and raced road and cyclo-cross, achieving a second-cat licence. Having earned his flying stripes in 1997, Dave now pilots passenger planes for TUI as well as teaching trainees at Gatwick airport.
In 2006, Dave and his wife Zoe welcomed their first child, Sebastian, into the world, followed two years later by daughter Elizabeth. Seb began cycle racing aged eight, often competing alongside his father on Wednesday nights. Though Dave hung up his road racing wheels in 2016, Seb has progressed into one of the country’s fastest young riders, winning last year’s junior national cyclo-cross title, and in March he won the fiercely competitive Belgian Classic Nokere Koerse Juniors race.
We spoke with father and son to find out what impact Dave’s rapid running has had on speedy Seb’s cycling.
SEB
I didn’t know the significance of the Olympics at the time, but he used to come into my primary school and give talks about winning a medal in 1992. All the other kids thought it was cool he was my dad.
My dad has always been passionate about us moving, and most nights of the week the four of us are training. But athletics was never an interest, though I attended a few running sessions at a local club. I prefer to be out on the road, enjoying the changing scenery. That’s why track cycling never captured my attention.
If you think running 400m takes 45 seconds, that should translate to good one-minute power for me in cycling, so those shorter, intense flat-out efforts. My one to five-minute power is my best quality, and I’d like to think I am fast, so I suppose he has.
I’ve not done much gym work until this year but there is a lot of potential for me to get stronger, with my dad’s genes. If we’re to compare athletics to cycling, my dad, as a 400m runner who could also run a fast 800m, is a puncheur. I’m also quite punchy, have a good kick,
