When Medals Are Decided by Fractions of a Second, Bicarbonate Matters

Two years ago, FLYCARB existed only as a handful of samples in our early stages of product development.

Fast forward to 2026, and athletes using BICARRB are winning national titles and standing on championship podiums all around the world. What a journey. 

Just this weekend we have seen BICARRB-fuelled athletes claim medals in both the Japanese and British Championships. In the UK, FLYCARB's home turf, Lucy Armitage and Alex Botterill both earned bronze medals in the fiercely competitive 800m, and Kristian Imroth won the men's 3000m steeplechase. Meanwhile, in Japan, FLYCARB fuelled a sweep of middle distance metals. Nanaki Manno won gold in the 800m, Kazuto Iizawa won the 1500m, and Sanetada Ono had a huge breakthrough with an 8:21 3k steeplechase. 

Why does bicarbonate matter so much in championship racing?

Championship races are often decided by the smallest margins. Unlike paced time trials, championship finals are tactical, with often unpredictable surges. Athletes who can produce a decisive surge, sprint, or kick when fatigue is at its highest are the ones who win medals.

By increasing the body's buffering capacity, bicarbonate helps athletes tolerate the accumulation of acidity associated with high-intensity exercise. The performance gains may be marginal, but in Championship racing fractions of a second split the podium, and those marginal gains are meaningful. 

With FLYCARB's BICARRB our goal was to enable athletes of all levels to benefit from bicarbonate supplementation, by making it more affordable in a reliable format.

Two years on from those first kitchen samples, seeing athletes win national titles and championship medals is a reminder of how far we have come.