Staff GB legend Greg Rutherford, who turned 39 on Monday, is one among Britain’s most profitable ever Olympians however has confronted heartbreak and damage since retiring
Greg Rutherford, the 39-year-old former lengthy jumper, will endlessly be remembered in British Olympic historical past. He famously clinched gold at London 2012, contributing to Staff GB’s unforgettable ‘Tremendous Saturday’, the place they bagged six gold medals, alongside Jessica Ennis-Hill and Mo Farah.
He additionally claimed bronze at Rio 2016 and, in 2015, grew to become solely the second man ever to carry Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth titles on the similar time.
Rutherford stays one among Britain’s most cherished Olympians. However since retiring from aggressive sport, he has endured extreme setbacks, profound private loss and solid an surprising second profession as a wellness entrepreneur.
After stepping away from athletics, Rutherford centered on tv. He reached the Strictly Come Dancing closing in 2016 and returned to aggressive ice in 2024 as a participant on Dancing on Ice.
Tragically, catastrophe struck simply hours earlier than the ultimate. Throughout rehearsals, Rutherford tried a raise along with his skilled associate Vanessa James. He slipped straight via her legs at pace, tearing all his belly muscular tissues off the bone in what he later described as “successfully giving myself a C-section with out anaesthetic.”
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Surgeons spent hours working to reposition his organs. The damage pressured him to depart the competitors and left him dealing with months of intense restoration.
The bodily harm was extreme however worse information adopted. Simply weeks later, in April 2024, Rutherford and his household have been devastated to be taught that their beloved canine Gus had terminal most cancers. The loyal pet, a relentless presence in Greg’s life, handed away solely days after the analysis.
“I’m completely heartbroken,” Rutherford wrote on the time. “We have had a very robust week as a household discovering out Gus had most cancers. He sadly handed away final evening and I simply really feel numb. Between the tears and ache of lacking him a lot, I am longing to see his foolish face or really feel him relaxation his head on my ft or lap.
“Gus has been such an necessary a part of our lives. For me he is been my coaching associate and greatest mate. Each steps session, each run, each bike journey and stroll. He was all the time with me. I would discuss out my plans to him like he understood and be greeted by a contented paw or lick and was all the time glad.
“They’re by no means simply pets, they’re all the things good.”
The double blow left the normally upbeat athlete feeling low as he coped with grief and the calls for of rehabilitation. But Rutherford has demonstrated the identical willpower that carried him to Olympic glory in 2012. Now absolutely healed, he has channelled his power right into a promising new enterprise enterprise.
In 2023, along with fellow Olympian Andrew Steele, he bought Aila – a premium matcha-based superfood firm. Their plant-based, all-natural blends are designed as more healthy options to synthetic pre-workouts, full of matcha, beetroot, spirulina and different superfoods for long-lasting power and focus.
Now co-CEOs, Steele and Rutherford mentioned they’d been contemplating alternatives within the pure vitamin sector for “a while” earlier than discovering Aila, which Steele mentioned impressed them with its style and market positioning as a better-for-you D2C [direct-to-consumer] model.
Rutherford is in a long-term relationship with associate Susie Verrill, with whom he has three youngsters: Milo, Rex and Daphne. In 2023, they shared that one among their sons had been identified with autism.