“It’s come around so quickly.”

With the Olympics fast approaching, and the Paralympics hot on its heels, athletes like Livvy Breen are now so close to the pinnacle of the four-year cycle.

The chance to return to a fourth Games is something that makes Breen feel quite reflective on her career.

“I feel old thinking about how long-ago London was,” says Breen, 27.

“The progression since then has been really good. Obviously, there’s been ups and downs.”

Breen, who has cerebral palsy, will be competing in the T38 class 100m and long jump in Paris, having previously also medalled in 200m and 4x100m events.

For most athletes, their training focuses on nailing one specific discipline. Breen, though, reveals that she loves training and competing in two.

“It actually works very well,” Breen says.

“The run-up for the long jump really helps my sprinting. It’s a lot about technique and rhythm and I find it helps a lot.

“Long jump is a lot more technical than the sprint, but I find my training goes together really well. I train for the sprint twice a week and then for the jump three times a week, often doing both together.

“I feel that the balance is right, the power from the sprint and the technique from the jump. Also, it gives me a chance to forget about one if it’s not going well.

“If I’m having a bad day with the sprint, I can train my jumps and forget all about it.”

‘I ran everywhere when I was a kid’

What is clear with Breen is that her passion for her sport has not diminished.

“I’ve loved athletics from my first sports day when I was five years old,” Breen says.

“I always ran everywhere when I was a kid, never walked anywhere. I just had so much energy. I tried loads of sports through school, horse riding was one I liked, but athletics was always my thing.

“When I was 15, my mum said to me ‘You know Livvy, you should try to get into disability sport,’ and I thought ‘yeah, let’s give it a try’. And then I was in the ‘system’ and from there it was a bit of a whirlwind.”

2012 would prove to be a breakout year for Breen, just 16-years-old at London 2012 when she won bronze in the T35-38 4x100m Relay, capping off a stunning start to her athletics career.

“I got internationally classified in May 2012 and then selected for London just a few weeks later,” Breen reflects.

“In such a short space of time, I’d gone from enjoying athletics as a sport to winning an Olympic bronze medal.

“I went to the European Athletics Championships in June, and I got two bronze medals there. That was where I thought I must have a good chance of going, because I was number one in my category in the UK, but because I didn’t win gold, I didn’t expect to medal in London.

“Since then, training and competing has been my life. I’m so lucky, it’s such a brilliant job to have.”

‘If your mind is not ready, then your body won’t be either’

Training and competing can be draining mentally, but the Welsh athlete has a healthy relationship with her training.

“The mental side is hard,” Breen admits.

“Obviously, not everything is positive all the time. There are things you can’t always control or explain. For example, you may be training really well, feeling fast, but can’t bring it together in competition.

“I think in that respect, it’s really important to have a strong psychology because your body and mind need to be working in tandem. If your mind is not ready, then your body won’t be either.

“It’s also important to have a good network around you and have good people in your corner.”

It has not always been rosy for Breen, though. Following a medal-less Rio Paralympics in 2016, Tokyo proved to be even tougher, with Covid-19 looming large over events.

“Tokyo was a tough time because we weren’t always able to have that network because of Covid, but I have a really good feeling about Paris,” says Breen.

“I just need to keep doing what I’m doing and hopefully a big jump will come out on the day.”

‘representing Wales is always so special’

The feeling coming out of Tokyo 2020 was that those Games were clinical and certainly mentally challenging for the athletes competing.

Shorn of a lot of their support networks and required to go into numerous quarantines due to Covid-19 restrictions meant that, despite coming away with a bronze medal in the T38 long jump, Breen has fonder memories of London and Rio.

Indeed, speaking to several British athletes, the event that stands out the most in recent years is the 2022 Commonwealth Games, held in Birmingham.

One of the first since Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, Breen had a phenomenal Games, winning gold in the T38 100m, her first individual sprint gold in her tenth year of competition.

“The Commonwealth Games was my favourite event for sure,” Breen reflects.

“It was just incredible. It will always be a special Games for me.

“I’m half Welsh, and representing Wales is always so special.

“My mum is Welsh, and dad is Irish, but my grandparents live in Cardiff, and I have loads of family connections. Wales has a place in my heart for sure.

“It was the best I’ve ever ran, 100%.”

Breen ran 12.83, a personal best, as she beat two-time Olympic gold medal winner and fellow Team GB member Sophie Hahn

The accolades did not stop there in 2022, as Breen finished the year as Wales Sports Personality of the Year, the first para-athlete to win since Tanni Grey-Thompson.

“I didn’t expect it at all!” Breen exclaims.

“It was a massive shock and a massive honour to even be nominated. I never thought I’d win it.

“They asked if I could join a zoom call and I was a little confused. I thought ‘Why do they want a zoom call with me, is it just to talk about the nomination?’. Then they said on the call ‘we’ve got some good news to tell you’ and pulled out the trophy!

“I was like ‘oh my goodness!’ It was a great way to end 2022 and a huge, huge honour.”

‘I hope I can come home with something shiny!’

Ahead of her fourth Paralympic Games, Breen has begun to think about her role in Team GB and the mentorship that she can offer her younger teammates.

“It’s good for the younger ones to look up to us and just enjoy the moment as much as possible,” Breen says.

“I know it’s easier said than done, but it’s just about making sure they know that they can come to us for advice and help.

“It can be quite overwhelming when you join a new team and don’t really know anyone but if we can help to make the environment a welcoming place, then it can only help.

“I definitely felt overwhelmed a bit at London 2012, but the team were so lovely to me and that massively helped my performance.

“Para-sport is definitely progressing well. I’m always looking around at these events and thinking ‘wow, look how good everyone is!’”

With Paris now just weeks away, Breen is keen to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the experience.

“I’m going to try and make the most of every minute of it,” says Breen.

“I will definitely go and watch other sports, support my teammates. I think that’s really important because a Paralympics only happens every four years and it’s a lifetime opportunity that you have to grab with both hands.

“Coming home with a medal would be amazing. Obviously, a PB would be great as well, but just the experience of being there and embracing every single minute of it.

“Anything can happen on the day, but I hope I can come home with something shiny!”

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