Jimmy Watkins

  
  


Date of Birth: August 26, 1982
Height: 6'1"/1.85m
Weight: 212lbs./96kg./15.1st.
Place of Birth: Bakersfield, California
Hometown: Bakersfield, California
Residence: Bakersfield, California
Team: Project London 2012

World Championship Experience

  • 16th place — 2012 UCI Track World Championships, Melbourne, Australia - Team Sprint

Career Highlights

  • National record holder in : Flying 200 (9.876, Mexico City, Mexico, July 30, 2009), Kilo (1:01.085, Mexico City, Mexico, July 30, 2009) and Team Sprint with Dean Tracy and Michael Blatchford (44.036, Guadalajara, Mexico, Oct. 21, 2011)
  • 20th place — 2011-12 UCI Track World Cup, Beijing, China - Sprint
  • 16th place — 2011-12 UCI Track World Cup, Cali, Colombia - Sprint
  • 26th place — 2011-12 UCI Track World Cup, Cali, Colombia -  Keirin
  • 4th place — 2011 Pan American Games, Guadalajara, Mexico, Men's Keirin
  • 2nd place — 2011 Pan American Games, Guadalajara, Mexico, Men's Team Sprint
  • 1st place — 2009 Pan American Continental Championships, Mexico City, Mexico, 1km Time Trial
  • 2nd place — 2009 Pan American Continental Championships, Mexico City, Mexico, Keirin

National Championship Experience

  • 2nd place — 2011 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships, Carson, California - Team Sprint
  • 1st place — 2010 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships, Carson, California -- Team Sprint
  • 2nd place — 2010 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships, Carson, California - Sprint
  • 1st place — 2008 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships, Carson, California - Keirin, Sprint, Team Sprint

Points of Interest

  • Jimmy is a full-time firefighter in Bakersfield, Calif. where's he has earned the distinguished label as 'hotshot.'
  • Watkins competed as a track and field athlete in the 100-meter dash in the Junior Olympics as a fourth grader.

Personal


Growing up in Bakersfield, Calif., Jimmy Watkins competed and thrived in just about all sports, especially baseball and football. He was often selected to compete on the traveling all-star teams. He was such a good athlete, Watkins competed in the 100-meter dash in the Junior Olympics as a fourth grader.

Time went by, Watkins became a full-time firefighter in California. His position in the fire department was "hotshot," a position considered an elite group among wildland firefighters, due to their extensive training, high physical fitness standards, and ability to undertake difficult, dangerous, and stressful assignments.

To keep up with the high physical demands of his job, Watkins, at age 21, started riding his bike and steadily got more involved in cycling. Naturally, he excelled in it.

He's collected four national titles, owns or shares three national records, represented his country at the Pan American Games, Pan American Championships and World Cups. He even took the top step of the podium at the 2009 Pan American Championships in Mexico City after winning the kilo.

Watkins confesses that being married, having a young daughter (born in May 2010) and being a full-time firefighter leaves precious little training time and even less down time.



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