Kyle Gordon is proof taking a chance on something you believe in can lead to a new world of achievement.
Gordon gave up his job as an off-shore worker just over four years ago to fully focus on selection for the Commonwealth Games in Australia.
After reaching that target, it would have been easy to give up and feel as though his job was done. Goal achieved, move on to something else.
But his Team Scotland selection this time around comes with him among the more established members of the squad and impressive results under his belt. He was on the podium twice at the National Track Championships earlier this year and picked up four victories at the British Masters last year.
“I took an eight-month sabbatical in September 2017 to try and go to the last Commonwealth Games,” said Gordon. “I went to Australia and, although I was an experienced cyclist, I was an inexperienced track cyclist and learned a lot in those eight months.
“Over the past four years I’ve got more and more experienced and become a smart racer. I’ve been building up experience in the bigger track events and, getting older, you do train smarter.
“You don’t take for granted what you’re doing. There’s no stone left unturned to maximise your training sessions and you take advantage of the expertise around you.”
He has racked up personal-bests over the last 12 months which elevated him to near-sure-fire status for a Scotland place.
Gordon has performed admirably at home and abroad, including runner-up spots at UCI track events in Russia and Switzerland.
“I learned that the mind is an extremely powerful tool when used correctly. People thought I was crazy, when I announced I was taking a break from work to try qualify for the Commonwealth Games. I only had eight hours track experience to my name.
“But I believed I could do it and that’s a start. If you don’t believe I can do it, that’s your thought.
“When the Commonwealth Games had passed, I had a decision to make whether I went back to work or continue as a full-time athlete, which was a dream of mine as a young kid.
“I had a taste for it and I was getting hungrier and hungrier. At that time I was 30 and I wasn’t too old. Over the past four years I’ve achieved a lot and hopefully I’m inspiring other people, not just involved in sport.
“If you’ve got a passion for something, you should be going out and doing it. Don’t be scared to fail; people are scared to try things in case they fail. If you don’t do that, you will never know.
“If I didn’t make that decision, I would probably still be off-shore now and I never would have known ‘could I have made it?’. I’m glad I did take the risk.”
It is not often these riders get the chance to pull on a Scotland jersey. Much of the international competitions are done under Team GB or their cycling team banners.
So to be hurtling around the track with the Saltire skin on next month, it is going to hit differently.
Gordon said: “It’s not been an individual effort. A lot of people have supported me and got behind me; they’ve helped me believe in myself. It’s not something you can do on your own.
Name: Kyle Gordon
D.O.B: 27/07/1988
Home town: Alness
Event(s): Men’s scratch race, points race, individual pursuit
Previous CG experience: 2018
“It’s going to be extremely special to pull on the Scotland jersey again. It’s the type of thing you dream of and, to get the opportunity to do it again, I’m extremely grateful for (it).
“I’ll be with athletes who were at the last Commonwealth Games who are friends of mine, and also athletes at their first Commonwealth Games who are friends of mine.
“It’s going to be special to share it with them again. For my family, friends and sponsors too – it’s as much their journey as it is mine.”
Gordon turns 34 on the eve of the Games and has eyes on making it a birthday to remember.
“It is my birthday the day before the opening ceremony, which will be pretty cool. I’m sure it’ll be one I can celebrate after and hopefully I can celebrate with some medals, too.
“That would be the perfect birthday present.”
