The breakfasts of champions: Olympic medalists reveal how they fuel up for swimming, running and boxing

We’re told breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and for none more so than for Olympic athletes — if they can be persuaded to eat.

‘The biggest battle often is getting some of them to eat anything at all,’ says Dr Sophie Killer, the senior performance nutritionist for British Athletics. 

‘Nerves and adrenaline play havoc with appetite hormones and suppress hunger, making athletes think they don’t want anything at all. But they need fuel.’ 

And depending on their sport, they have very different requirements. Mo Farah, winner of two gold medals at the 2012 Olympics, relied on coffee and cereal, normally Frosties.

Rebecca Downie of the British Gymastics team during a portrait session in Lilleshall this year

‘They gave me my much-needed sugar rush to get me through the early part of each day,’ he said.

Jessica Ennis-Hill, the heptathlon gold medallist, prefers more variety. ‘I like to vary what I eat and include lots of fresh fruit, yoghurts and porridge, which provides slow-releasing energy for the rest of the day.’

Boxers need big, calorific breakfasts with protein to power their punches, while gymnasts need yoghurt as it’s high in calcium to strengthen their bones and reduce the chance of fractures as they twist and land.

Dr Kevin Currell, head of performance nutrition at the English Institute of Sport, says a nutritionist will try to personalise a diet plan for each member of the team they look after.

‘Now and again they might have to eat something they don’t like, such as kale, if it provides the best dose of a vitamin they need to keep up their strength when things get very specific near race day, but with their general diet you need to take into account what they like, their ability in the kitchen and finances.

‘They do the cooking themselves so there’s no point putting a fillet steak on the menu if they can’t afford it.’

Here we feature the recipes designed by the English Institute of Sport for some of the Team GB athletes competing at Rio.

Not only are these recipes tasty and cheap — they could be good for you too, says nutritionist Angela Dowden, who identifies the breakfast to best suit your lifestyle . . .

SPRINT CYCLING

Elinor Barker, world champion at UCI Track Cycling World Championships in 2013 and 2014.

Watch out for her: Team pursuit 4km, August 11.

Elinor Barker, world champion at UCI Track Cycling World Championships in 2013 and 2014

BREAKFAST: 

Manuka honey muesli with apple, sultanas, cinnamon, nutmeg and milk.

Soak 75g of porridge oats overnight. Mix with 100ml Greek yoghurt, 1 tbsp sultanas, orange zest and juice of 1/2 an orange, 1/2 grated apple, 1/2 tbsp manuka honey, 1/2 tsp cinammon and a pinch of nutmeg. Serve with milk.

‘Sprint cyclists are quite slight so they need fewer calories for breakfast than athletes such as boxers might (around 100/150 fewer),’ says Dr Currell.

‘This bircher-style muesli provides a nice mixture of protein and carbohydrates, in the form of the oats, which are going to release energy really slowly and fuel the cyclist around the track. The protein — the milk and nuts — are going to help their muscles repair themselves after a session.

Manuka honey muesli with apple, sultanas, cinnamon, nutmeg and milk, for the sprint cyclist

‘Cinnamon is a great antioxidant and nutmeg helps blood flow which will allow the athlete to recover quickly the morning after a race or training.

‘The apple provides vitamin C, key to staving off coughs and colds. One thing we try and concentrate on across all sports is reducing the number of training days lost to sickness. The more days you can train, the better your performance.’

On race day, sprint cyclists might remove the muesli bit because it can upset the stomach if you’re nervous, says Wendy Martinson, a Team GB performance nutritionist. ‘Toast and jam is a popular alternative.’

GOOD BREAKFAST FOR: 

Active commuters — if you’re cycling to work, or having a reasonably active morning of any kind, this breakfast will provide healthy carbs to help sustain activity. Oats help keep cholesterol in check, too.

BOXING

Savannah Marshall, first British woman to win a world title (AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships) in 2012; gold medallist in middleweight division (69.9-72.5kg) Commonwealth Games, 2014.

Watch out for her: August 14.

Savannah Marshall became the first British woman to win a world title (AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships) in 2012

BREAKFAST:  

4 scrambled eggs on a muffin with spinach and avocado.

Whisk the eggs, heat a knob of butter in a pan then add eggs. When cooked, fold in 1/2 chopped plum tomato, 1/4 a red chili, 1/2 tbsp of fresh coriander and handful of spinach leaves. Mash 1/4 avocado and spread on a muffin then top with the eggs.

‘The most important thing for boxers is a lot of protein because they need to maintain as much muscle as possible so that they can throw the hardest punches at their opponent,’ says Dr Currell.

4 scrambled eggs on a muffin with spinach and avocado is Marshall's morning run recovery

‘But they also need to lose body fat to keep them agile so can’t have high calorie intakes or consume too many “bad” fats, found in very sugary foods like cakes and pastries. Managing their weight and keeping it the same is really key because most boxers will be competing in a particular weight category.

‘We include so many eggs here because they are a fantastic source of protein but they also make this breakfast very filling —you don’t want boxers to snack between meals and put on fat instead of muscle.

‘They do need some fat — and that’s why we add avocado, a “good” fat that is a rich source of energy but won’t lead to weight gain. Boxing is an endurance event so it’s vital that athletes aren’t tiring too soon. Spinach is very high in nitrates which help blood flow around the body by relaxing the blood vessels and in turn making it work more efficiently.’

GOOD BREAKFAST FOR: 

Gym goers — a couple of eggs on a wholemeal muffin with the spinach and avocado is a great balanced breakfast to kick-start an active day.

GYMNASTICS 

Becky Downie, Bronze medallist at the World Championships, 2015; gold medallist in bars and silver medallist in beam at the European Championships, 2016

Watch out for her: Today, Women’s Team final.

Becky Downie, Bronze medallist at the World Championships, 2015, gold medallist in bars and silver medallist in beam at the European Championships, 2016

BREAKFAST: 

Nutty Greek yoghurt bowl.

Crush 50g almonds in a food processor to form the base, layer with yoghurt, top with berries and sprinkle with chia seeds.

‘The priority for gymnasts is dairy — because they need a lot of calcium for bone strength — so this yoghurt pot is perfect,’ says Dr Currell. 

‘One of the most common injuries gymnasts suffer are stress fractures because they’re jumping and bounding about so much and if they don’t get enough calcium, their bones can’t take the stress.’

But keeping their weight down is also key. ‘We use low-fat yoghurt because gymnasts also have to be light and lean — they have to defy gravity in a lot of their routines.

‘The priority for gymnasts is dairy, because they need a lot of calcium for good bone strength

‘They need what is known as a high power-to-weight ratio; that means producing a lot of force to jump as high as possible to do all those twists and turns while also weighing as little as possible in order to make defying gravity less difficult.’

On event day, a gymnast might add a small amount of carbohydrate to their breakfast — some toast or cereal — because glucose fuels the brain and they don’t want to lose concentration on the beam, says Wendy Martinson

‘But they have to wear leotards and are judged on what they look like, so they don’t want to look or feel bloated — and they definitely don’t want to feel full when backflipping through the air.’

GOOD BREAKFAST FOR: 

Women up to the age of 

30. We only lay down bone mass up to 30, so it’s important to get as much calcium before then as possible — beyond that we only maintain bone rather than make new bone.

TRIATHLON  

Non Stanford, gold medallist at ITU Triathlon World Championships in 2012; gold medallist ITU World Triathlon relay, 2013.

Watch out for her: August 20.

Non Stanford, gold medallist at ITU Triathlon World Championships in 2012, and gold medallist ITU World Triathlon relay, 2013

BREAKFAST: 

Three-egg omelette with smoked salmon and asparagus

Heat olive oil in frying pan on medium heat. Whisk eggs in a bowl and add half the mixture to a pan, cooking until it starts to set. 

Sprinkle with 75g salmon, 3 cooked and sliced asparagus spears and parsley and finish under the grill until golden.

‘This high-protein, low-carb breakfast is the kind a triathlete would have, especially in colder winter months, when they’re doing long, slow bike rides and trying to build up their cardiovascular fitness,’ says Dr Currell.

A high-protein, low-carb breakfast is good for thriathletes, especially in colder winter months

Removing carbs from the breakfast helped the triathletes get fitter quicker because glycogen — which is what the body uses for fuel and is stored in the muscle — depletes quicker when it isn’t topped up at breakfast, meaning athletes have to work harder in training, which in turn builds fitness.

‘Triathletes don’t want to build muscle, they want to maintain it so they need lots of protein — the eggs and salmon in this case — but not a lot else. 

'You need to fill them up, because there’s nothing worse than being hungry on a long bike ride, but you don’t want them to eat too much and them to feel sick on a big ride.’

On race days they’d want to add carbs, says Wendy Martinson. 

‘Bagels with jam, porridge and bananas are some of the things that have been requested by the triathletes for breakfast in Rio — triathlons require a lot of strength which they wouldn’t get from just protein.’

GOOD BREAKFAST FOR: 

Slimmers — this is a good choice if you’re trying to lose weight fast. The high protein is so filling you won’t want biscuits and sweets mid-morning.

MIDDLE-DISTANCE RUNNING 

Charlie Grice, current British outdoor 1,500m champion.

Watch out for him: August 16.

Charlie Grice, the current British outdoor 1,500m champion. Watch out for him on August 16

BREAKFAST: 

Chia porridge with Greek yoghurt, banana and cherries

Make porridge by warming 40g rolled oats in pan with 180ml semi-skimmed milk, stirring regularly. 

Stir in 1 tbsp of greek yoghurt, 1/2 tbsp of almonds, 1/2 tbsp of chia seeds, 25g pitted cherries and 1/2 sliced banana.

‘Chia seeds are a great source of “good” fats,’ says Dr Currell. ‘They’re found in a lot of Central American diets and many of the ultra-endurance runners in Mexico eat them because they have anti-inflammatory qualities which help muscles to repair themselves.

‘Middle and long-distance runners get a lot of muscle damage because of the miles and miles they run. 

Chia seeds are a great source of 'good' fats and are found in a lot of Central American diets

'Compared to sprinters, who are exercising for a shorter and more intermittent time, they need a lot more slow-release carbohydrate (such as from porridge), which will release energy slowly and carry them through the race.

‘The pitted cherries are important because they’re a really high source of antioxidants — much better than apples — helping the body cope with the stress of running 20 miles, say.

‘Quick recovery is key for long-distance running because after a 20-mile run, they need to wake up the next morning feeling they can do it again.’

‘There’s no reason why this breakfast wouldn’t work well on race day, too,’ adds Dr Killer. ‘It’s got everything he needs. He might just add a coffee in for good measure.’

GOOD BREAKFAST FOR: 

Older people and vegetarians. 

This is a fab breakfast for vegetarians because the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats it contains are usually only found in any good quantity in oily fish. 

Chia is also a good source of iron, which can be lower in vegetarian diets.

Elderly people will benefit from the slow-release energy from porridge and the omega-3 which, as well as being anti-inflammatory, are good for the heart. 

Chia also has significant levels of calcium and magnesium to help older keep bones strong. And cherries - dried sour cherries are best - have been shown to help gout.

SWIMMING

Hannah Miley, Gold medallist (400m) FINA World Swimming Championships, 2012. 

Watch out for her: Qualified for today’s 200m individual medley, semi-final. 

Swimmer Hannah Miley, Gold medallist (400m), FINA World Swimming Championships, 2012

BREAKFAST:

Banana flapjacks with apple, almonds, pumpkin seeds and raisins.

Preheat oven to 150 degrees. Put 50g butter, 2tbsp almond butter and 2 tbsp honey in saucepan and heat until runny. Add 1 grated apple, 2 over-ripe mashed bananas and 100ml water. Remove from heat, add 100g almonds, 70g pumpkin seeds, 100g raisins and 250g oats and mix. Pour into a lined baking tray and bake for 40 mins. Allow to cool and cut into 12 bars.

The key to a swimmer’s breakfast is that it’s portable, says Dr Currell. ‘They tend to train very early in the morning and so they’re in the pool by 6am or 7am. No swimmer wants to have to get up at 5am to make breakfast so the key is to give them something portable.

The key to a swimmer’s breakfast is that it’s portable, as they often train early in the mornings

‘They can make a batch of these and keep them in the fridge. Then on the way to training they can grab one and eat it in the car.

‘The oats provide slow-release energy and the nuts and seeds add calcium, magnesium and potassium that support muscle contraction. That’s key in swimming because they need to power through the water, a resistant force: the muscles must contract to move bones against that.

‘We suggest they have a glass of milk with it for protein which helps their muscle strength, helping speed and race times.’

On race day ‘the main player at breakfast is porridge or muesli with yoghurt,’ says Wendy Martinson. ‘It depends on what makes them feel bloated, because that’ s the last feeling they need when they climb into the pool.’

GOOD BREAKFAST FOR: 

Frantic mums — on-the-run choices like this suit busy people, it would be perfect for anyone doing the nursery/school run then needing to go straight to work.

BADMINTON

Gabby Adcock, mixed doubles joint world number seven, with husband Chris. World Super Series champions 2015.

Watch out for them: August 11.

Gabby Adcock, mixed doubles joint world number seven, with husband Chris. They both became Super Series champions in 2015

BREAKFAST: 

Mixed bean burrito with sweet potato, peppers, tomatoes and feta cheese.

Chop 1 sweet potato into bite-sized pieces and microwave for 5 mins. Fry 200g chopped tinned tomatoes in a pan on low heat; add 1/2 chopped red pepper and 1/2 tbsp paprika. 

Simmer until soft. Add 200g tinned mixed beans and heat through. 

Place mixture on a wholemeal tortilla wrap, top with sweet potato and sprinkle with 25g feta. Roll, then grill until golden brown.

Georgina Impson Davey, the performance nutritionist for GB Badminton, says: ‘The key for badminton when it comes to breakfast is variation because the types of training they do are very different.

Mixed bean burrito with sweet potato, peppers, tomatoes and feta cheese, for an energy kick

‘On high-intensity court days, when they are hitting a shuttle back and forth for hours, they need to start with something like a burrito because sweet potato and vegetables provide the energy they need to sprint around the court and jump and smash the shuttle.

‘Men’s doubles players, in particular, need a lot of carbs because are likely to perform the most smash shots.

‘On a low-intensity training day, working on tactics or their serve, say, and not running about as much, they’d cut the carbohydrate — in this case the sweet potato.’

GOOD BREAKFAST FOR: 

Hikers — a substantial breakfast with plenty of slow-release energy this would work as a great start to the day if you’re going on a long walk or outing.

ROWING 

Jono Clegg, Gold medallist, World U23 Champion Lightweight Men’s Four; silver medallist European Lightweight Men’s Four, 2012 and 2016.

Came fourth in the coxless lightweight four (weight category, 70kg)

Jono Clegg, Gold medallist, World U23 Champion Lightweight Men’s Four; silver medallist European Lightweight Men’s Four, 2012 and 2016

BREAKFAST (1):

One and a half white bagels with strawberry jam and peanut butter, half a glass of orange juice and then after the weigh in

BREAKFAST (2):

One white bagel with strawberry jam and peanut butter, espresso, two litres of water

‘Rowers who compete in specific categories, including the “lightweight” category, are weighed two hours before the race and will be disqualified if they weigh more than they should,’ explains Wendy Martinson, the nutritionist for GB Rowing.

So they have two breakfasts — one before and one after the weigh in. The first is designed to be simple and easy to digest but most importantly, only weighs 400g.

The two bagels make these breakfasts carb-heavy — the race is very high-intensity, with the rowers going full tilt for 2km and the start and end of the race require a lot of anerobic fitness, which uses glycogen stored in the muscles and is topped up by carbohydrate they’ve consumed.

One and a half white bagels with strawberry jam and peanut butter, half a glass of orange juice

But they’re not carb-loading, like marathon runners, because they don’t want food sitting uncomfortably in their stomach when they have to lean forward to row.

They have white, rather than brown, bread because it’s less fibrous and easier to digest — also, cutting fibre is a big focus for rowers because it soaks up fluid in the gut and makes you weigh more. Dropping fibre in the days before weigh-ins always helps.

As a topping, strawberry jam is good because it releases its energy very quickly and peanut butter provides a little protein.

For rowers, managing liquid intake is vital because fluids weigh a lot. 

In his pre-race breakfast, Jono only has half a glass of orange juice because if he drank two litres of water he’d weigh an extra 2kg on the scales and could knock his team out the competition. 

They heavily rehydrate after the weigh-in, often drinking litres of water at a time.’

GOOD BREAKFAST FOR: 

People with IBS — during flare-ups, they need a low-fibre intake, so a white bagel is good. Ditch the jam and top with smooth peanut butter.

For more recipes and information visit thefoodchampions.org