Will Draper
Personal information
Birth nameWilliam Draper
NationalityManx
Born (2000-01-14) 14 January 2000
Isle of Man
OccupationProfessional Triathlete
Sport
Turned pro2021
Medal record
Men's triathlon
Representing  Isle of Man
Island Games
Silver medal – second place2019 GibraltarIndividual
Bronze medal – third place2019 GibraltarTeam

Will Draper (born 14 January 2000) is a professional British Triathlete from the Isle of Man. Before starting a career in triathlon Will competed as a cyclist where he represented the Isle of Man at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas for cycling.[1] Will won the English Triathlon Championships in 2019[2] before making his triathlon professional debut in 2021.[3]

Early sporting career

Will started his sporting career as a cyclist where he won the National Youth Circuit Race Championships at 12 years old at the Cyclopark in Kent, London.[4] Will finished 2nd in the 2012 British Cycling National Youth Series (U12); 4th in the 2014 British Cycling National Youth Series (U14) and 3rd in the 2016 British Cycling National Youth Series (U16).[5] He later went on to win the Madison event at the British Youth and Junior Track National Championships in 2016.[6] In 2017 (age 17) Will signed for professional junior racing team HMT with JLT Condor Cycling Team (HMT).[7][8] Whilst racing for team HMT Will finished 16th overall at the UCI Junior 2.1 stage race Ronde des Vallées [9] 5th at the Grand Prix de Cherves [10] as well as 14th overall at the Junior Tour of Wales [11] which was won by his elder brother Nathan Draper in 2015.[12][13] During 2017 Will also represented the Isle of Man at the Commonwealth Youth Games where he finished 5th in the road race[14] with teammate Jimmy Bostock taking the victory.[15]

Triathlon career

During his first year of triathlon Will won the English Triathlon Championships in 2019[2] and later went on to represent the Isle of Man at the 2019 Island Games for triathlon where he won individual silver[16][17] and team bronze[18] and also competed in the 5 km run on the track where he finished 4th.[19] During 2020 Will competed away from home twice. Firstly in the Rocquaine Olympic distance triathlon in Gurnsey where he won by over 8 minutes [20][21] and secondly at the Outlaw X middle-distance triathlon where he finished 7th [22] and this (according to his own social media [23]) is where he earned his professional license. With the return of more races in 2021 Will began his professional debut season by competing in the PTO supported Eton Dorney triathlon.[3] Several weeks later he competed at the again PTO supported Outlaw Half Holkham where he finished 4th.[24] Will made his first international appearance as a professional triathlete at the Challenge Davos event in Switzerland where he finished 5th.[25] Will has also competed in off-road triathlon events having won the Isle of Man Granite Mann on several occasions and holding the current course record.[26] Will is currently sponsored by international bike manufacturing company Factor Bikes and says the partnership has allowed him to focus more on swimming and running.[27]

References

  1. ↑ "Manx team set for Youth Games in Bahamas". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Over 1,000 triathletes participate at the Southport Triathlon". www.triathlonengland.org. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Will Draper makes professional debut in PTO Dorney Triathlon". www.iomtoday.co.im. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  4. ↑ "Results: National Youth Circuit Race Championships | velouk.net". Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  5. ↑ "British Cycling Youth Circuit Series - Previous series". British Cycling. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  6. ↑ "British Cycling Youth and Junior National Track Championships: Joliffe wins junior men's sprint title". British Cycling. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  7. ↑ "World Cycling Stats". www.worldcyclingstats.com. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  8. ↑ "History". HMT Hospitals – Giant Junior Cycling Team. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  9. ↑ "Ronde des Vallées - Épreuves". DirectVelo (in French). Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  10. ↑ "Grand Prix de Cherves - Épreuves". DirectVelo (in French). Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  11. ↑ "Final: Junior Tour of Wales | velouk.net". Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  12. ↑ "Nathan Draper (RST RT) victorious in the Junior Tour of Wales". British Cycling. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  13. ↑ Marshall-Bell 2015-09-01T14:15:44Z, Chris (1 September 2015). "Nathan Draper wins Junior Tour of Wales by less than two seconds". cyclingweekly.com. Retrieved 3 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ↑ "CYG 2017 Men & Women Road Race Results". Bernews. 24 July 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  15. ↑ "Cyclist Bostock wins first Manx gold". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  16. ↑ William Draper wins Team IOM's first medal at the 2019 Island Games, retrieved 4 September 2021
  17. ↑ "First medal for IOM in Island Games". Manx Radio. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  18. ↑ "Island Games: Isle of Man bag three medals in triathlon". www.iomtoday.co.im. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  19. ↑ "Island Games: Draper finishes fourth in 5k". www.iomtoday.co.im. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  20. ↑ "'Air bridge' athlete steals show in Guernsey Triathlon's Island Games qualifier". ITV News. 4 August 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  21. ↑ Ingrouille, Jamie (3 August 2020). "Manx Island Games star Draper turns up the heat". guernseypress.com. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  22. ↑ "Outlaw X Success at Thoresby Park". Outlaw Triathlon. 2 October 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  23. ↑ "In 2018 I made the decision to start a career in triathlon after spending my youth racing push bikes". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  24. ↑ "Outlaw Half Holkham 2021: Teagle follows up, easy for Astle | Triathlon News". Tri247.com. 4 July 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  25. ↑ "2021 Challenge Davos results". Professional Triathletes Organisation. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  26. ↑ "Draper breaks record and takes third win". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  27. ↑ "Will Draper's Custom Factor SLiCK Disc". Factor Bikes UK. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
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