Olympian Reveals How Overcoming Alcoholism Led Her to Chase a New Sporting Dream 16 Years After Her Olympic Debut

“I was pretty much an alcoholic and I decided that I was a failure,” said Shanaze Reade, recalling how quickly her life changed after her cycling career ended in 2017. The former British BMX star had already suffered two Olympic heartbreaks, crashing in the final at Beijing 2008 before finishing sixth at London 2012. Sixteen years after making her Olympic debut, Reade is now taking on a new challenge in a different sport. But her journey back to competition came after a much darker chapter, as the end of her cycling career led her into a battle with alcoholism.