Team Behind the Team: The people powering Emma Foy and Jessie Hodges’ golden partnership

At the centre of that network is Para Cycling Head Coach Brendon Cameron, who brings together a multidisciplinary HPSNZ Athlete Performance Support (APS) team that includes Physiotherapist Lauren Shelley, Strength and Conditioning coach Emily Cavell, Performance Psychologist Rachael Lockhart, Performance Nutritionist Penny Matkin-Hussey, Performance Life coach Christina Jacklin, Physiologist Chelsie Winchcombe and Dr Deb Robinson. Together, they form a true “team behind the team” focused on helping Emma and Jessie perform at their best.

Supporting individuals who compete as one

The unique challenge of tandem para cycling is that while Emma and Jessie race as a team, they remain two individuals with different needs, experiences and life circumstances.

For physiotherapist Lauren Shelley, that means understanding not only the demands of para cycling, but also the unique physical challenges of riding a tandem bike.

Every athlete requires an individual approach, she says, and tandem cycling adds another layer of complexity as the pair must function seamlessly together while managing different physical demands on the bike.

Strength and conditioning coach Emily Cavell takes a similar approach. Emma and Jessie follow largely the same gym programme, designed to develop the strength and power needed for world-class performance, while allowing for individual modifications based on their specific needs and training history.

The pair are known for supporting each other in training, creating an environment where gains made by one athlete ultimately benefit the whole team. “It lifts the whole bike,” Emily says.

Building trust, communication and connection

For performance psychologist Rachael Lockhart, success on a tandem bike starts with trust.
Alongside working with Emma and Jessie individually on wellbeing and performance, Rachael also supports them as a partnership.

“Communication is critical. During racing, Jessie and Emma rely on clear, two-way communication. Both need to trust each other, listen and respond quickly, working together to make effective decisions in the moment,” says Rachael

Their ability to make rapid decisions together and remain mentally aligned under pressure was a key ingredient in their Glasgow success.

That same theme extends beyond training and competition. Performance Life coach Christina Jacklin has helped both athletes navigate their return to the high performance environment, recognising that each arrived through a different pathway.

Jessie returned with an established career outside cycling, while Emma, who co-founded an app called ‘Āhei’, relocated back to Cambridge and adapted to a newly integrated Cycling New Zealand environment. Despite their different journeys, Christina says their performance partnership is remarkable.

“They’re two very different people who, when they focus on performance, it overlaps. That’s the gold,” says Christina.

Keeping athletes healthy and ready to perform

Performance nutritionist Penny Matkin-Hussey works with Emma and Jessie separately, tailoring support to their individual circumstances while ensuring both athletes are appropriately fuelled for the demands of training and competition.

Whether preparing for explosive track sprint events or longer endurance-focused road campaigns, the focus is on providing the right fuel at the right time. Nutrition plans are continually adapted around training blocks, travel schedules and competition demands.

Meanwhile, Lauren’s focus is keeping both athletes physically robust enough to cope with the demands of an increasingly busy international programme that spans both track and road disciplines.

Collaboration as a performance advantage

A common theme across all APS practitioners is collaboration.

The APS team meets regularly to share insights, discuss athlete wellbeing and align support priorities.

Led by coach Brendon, the group combines expertise from multiple disciplines while ensuring Emma and Jessie receive coordinated support rather than competing demands.

Those conversations can range from training loads and injury management to travel, life pressures and performance readiness. Just as importantly, the team understands when to step forward with support and when to step back, allowing the athletes to focus on what matters most.

The result is an environment where Emma and Jessie can concentrate on their performance, knowing the people around them are working together with the same objective.

Glasgow’s two gold medals belonged to Emma Foy and Jessie Hodges. But behind those medals sits another highly coordinated team, one every bit as committed to synchronisation, communication and trust as the athletes they support.