#More2Me: James Wilby on pursuing his passion for coffee

Alongside preparing for Paris 2024, Aquatics GB swimmer James Wilby pursued his passion for coffee outside of his sport and created a blend with his teammates that was served at this year’s British Swimming Championships in London.

James was supported by the UK Sports Institute (UKSI) Performance Lifestyle team and its #More2Me campaign that encourages athletes to pursue passions and interests away from their sporting careers.

We caught James and his Senior Performance Lifestyle Coach at the UKSI, Claire Ewing, about his #More2Me story.

James, where did your passion for coffee originate from?

I’ve been passionate about coffee for some time now. I never used to drink it, but one of my University friends got me into it and I’ve never looked back. It’s enjoyable, whether working on the different processes when making a coffee, trying coffees from around the world, or exploring the finer details. It’s also a social thing and brings people together – I’ll have friends around, we’ll make coffees, and we’ll sit, drink and enjoy them.

How did the partnership with the coffee shop come about?

[James] I stopped at a coffee shop called Recent Beans near my hometown and chatted to the owner about how I was at the start of my coffee journey. We clicked immediately, leading to interesting conversations and invaluable insight being shared. When I decided I wanted to do something more in this space, I knew I had the perfect company to work with. I asked if they would be interested in doing a roasting experience with Aquatics GB, which materialised at the start of 2024.

Tell us about the journey from the roasting experience to it being served at the British Swimming Championships?

[James] Nine athletes and various staff members at Aquatics GB turned up to do a roasting experience at the start of 2024. We got to do some tasting, roasting, and more, which was fun and a great way to spend time together. We aimed to create a blend which could be served at the British Swimming Championships, which we did after working through everyone’s preferences. Once the team were happy with the coffee, the Champions Blend was created and served at the British Swimming Championships.

How did it feel having the Champions Blend on offer at the British Swimming Championships, and what are your future plans in this space?

Amazing! It was cool to see it available at the Championships after working with the team to create it. We sent it to everyone on the Aquatics GB Olympic and Paralympic teams ahead of Paris 2024, which was a nice touch. Let’s wait and see after that, but we have some cool ideas in the future.

Claire, what’s it been like working with James on this coffee project?

Watching James take his idea, nurture the relationships with Recent Beans and bring it to life has been a joy. His focus was getting the Aquatics GB group together to enjoy a team event away from the pool, which he did while sharing his passion with the group. Seeing the Champions Blend on sale at the British Swimming Championships was brilliant, as we could bring the story to life. Some very content spectators, staff and swimmers were treated to a special coffee. 

How important is #More2Me for athletes?

[Claire] #More2Me is a reminder that your sporting career is one part of your life, but there is scope to be and do more. It’s a key framework for the UKSI Performance Lifestyle team, allowing athletes to be curious about the chapters yet to be written. More2Me activities like this one with James are essential and exciting and can help inspire other athletes.

James, how helpful has the UKSI Performance Lifestyle team been for you?

Claire and the UKSI helped by guiding me and facilitating a space to throw around ideas. Our first call about it was towards the end of 2023, with Claire being fundamental to ensuring we got to where we are now.

Why is the #More2Me campaign important to you?

[James] It’s important to have hobbies outside of sport. Working with the Performance Lifestyle team enables you to do that and is a positive experience, even if it transpires into nothing. Exploring different opportunities and learning more about yourself is important.

You can access athlete #More2Me stories on the UK Sports Institute YouTube channel.