Plagued by injuries at the beginning of her career, Suzie Cave had to think laterally; and now her flair for sprinting has lead to global success in disciplines she hadn’t even known existed

Words: Rachel Ifans Portraits: Rob Wright

WARRIOR

Suzie set out to prove there’s life after 30 and she’s ended up proving so much more than that

Hard work and natural flair see Suzie excelling in all disciplines

Suzie Cave is having an unusual year. After her most successful year ever in 2019, she’s seen all competitive events slip off the calendar in 2020, due to the global pandemic, and the focus of her training disappear. This has been something every sportsperson in the world has had to face this year, but for someone who’s at the top end, age-wise, this wasted year must be even more frustrating.

Not so for Suzie. “I’m pretty easy going, I try to take things as they come.

It’s another challenge that we all have to face. Yes, it’s a different one and we don’ t know when it will end or how we’ll come out of it, and yes, it means I don’t have short-term goals, but my long-term goals remain the same.”

Suzie has drive, internal motivation and a desire to challenge herself and try new things – just look at her sporting history for evidence of that. From running to showjumping, to modern pentathlon, triathle, laser-run and fencing, Suzie is the most accomplished all-rounder we’ve ever met. And she’s outperforming athletes who are a decade younger than her – we salute you, Suzie!

From sprints to splints

Suzie’s running started young. She loved running at school and she lived across the road from a track. “I showed a flair for sprinting and I loved the competitive side of it so I got into the local athletics club – Lagan Valley – and it took off from there”.

When she was 13, though, the running took a knock when she developed bad shin splints. To come at a time when she was loving her sprinting and competing in the Celtic Games as a junior, and being a condition that hangs around for a long time, it had a huge impact on her running development.

It got so bad that she was unable to train at all – but this didn’t stop her turning up to races to compete. Suzie explains: “It’s not during the sprint that it hurts – it’s when you pull up at the end of a race and you get a searing pain. You can easily have yourself convinced during a race that you’re fine and it’s only once you stop you see what you’re in for.” Suzie particularly remembers one time when her dad came to the track and had to carry her off afterwards. “In the end my parents said enough is enough. I was winning the races but I would end up in tears immediately afterwards.”