Neil Fachie has no intention of riding off into the sunset after the Commonwealth Games.
The para-cycling legend from Aberdeen competes in the tandem 1km time-trial and tandem sprint with pilot Lewis Stewart.
The 38-year-old – who suffers from congenital eye condition retinitis pigmentosa – is looking to win double gold for the third straight Commonwealth Games after success in Glasgow in 2014 and Gold Coast four years ago.
But, regardless of the outcome this summer, Fachie says it won’t be his last hurrah.
He said: “You never know with sport, but I’ve got no intention of signing out this summer.
“I’m hoping to continue for the next two years anyway.
“I’ve been looking at next year with the World Championships in Glasgow, I really want to be part of that.
“Then, if I get there, Paris is only a year away and I’d really like to be part of another Paralympics.
“I’m not thinking beyond Paris at this point, because there’s no point and I’ll evaluate things along the way.
“It would be a big ask to keep going for another four years to another Commonwealth Games, but I know others who have done it.
“On the Scotland team this time we’ve got Aileen McGlynn (aged 49) on the tandem still going strong and looking to win again.
“If she can do it, perhaps I can as well – we’ll see.
“My wife Lora and I are expecting our first child later this year, so that might change our perspectives, we’re both open-minded in terms of the future.”
Trying to become top Scot of all time
With five gold medals, bowler Alex Marshall is the only Scot to have stood on the top step of the podium at the Commonwealth Games more than Fachie.
Another double success could take him to the top of the list with six, and Fachie admits that is something which motivates him.
He added: “Representing Scotland is something I’ve always loved to do and it’s something I’ve always been proud to do.
“I’m going in hoping for two golds, but it won’t be easy.
“It (being top of the Scottish medal list) does motivate me. To have a disability sportsman at the top of a list like that would be quite a statement I think.
Name: Neil Fachie
D.O.B: 12/3/84
Hometown: Aberdeen
Events: tandem 1km time-trial, tandem sprint.
Previous CG experience: 2xCommonwealth champion tandem 1km time-trial, 2xCommonwealth champion tandem sprint.
“It would show how far disability sport has come on and I’m very keen to try to get there.
“I’m not going to put myself under that pressure. I would love to do it. It’s not like it’s something I need to do, but it would be a great achievement.
“Most athletes strive for those sort of things, it maybe adds pressure, but that’s what we thrive on.
“It depends on what Alex does as well and I wish him and the bowlers all the best because I don’t want them to fail either.
“The great thing is it shows how successful Scotland has been in recent years when there are athletes from the current generation pushing to be the most successful.
“I’m sure down the line there will be athletes who dwarf what Alex, myself and others have done.”
Happy hunting ground where Fachie won first Paralympics gold
Although the Commonwealth Games are being held in Birmingham, the track cycling is at the London Velodrome.
The venue was the scene of one of Fachie’s greatest triumphs when he won his first Paralympic gold medal in 2012.
He is looking forward to returning to the London Velodrome a decade on from that landmark success.
“The atmosphere at the London Velodrome is immense when it’s full and I’m sure all the home nations will get a lot of support,” Fachie said.
“I can’t wait to be back there racing again, it’s such a great venue.
“It’s not often you get the chance to have games at home and I’ve been pretty lucky to have had two in the past.
“I guess back then (2012) I’d have expected to have called it a day by now, but it’s quite mind-blowing how much things have moved on in the 10 years.
“The times we’re doing now don’t compare – 2012 was my first really big year and you don’t know if it will happen again.
“So it’s amazing really that I’m in a position where I’m still not saying when my last race will be.”
Change of pilot
Fachie’s last major championship action was at last year’s Paralympics in Tokyo when he claimed gold in the time-trial with Matt Rotherham.
However, in the Commonwealth Games Englishman Rotherham will pilot Welshman James Ball, who won silver in Japan.
Lewis Stewart was Ball’s pilot at the Paralympics, but will now ride with his fellow Scot.
Fachie said: “So we’ve got an all-Scottish bike there and it makes sense really.
“Lewis is looking to go to university in September and he’ll be taking a break from cycling.
“Whether he comes back or not we’ll wait and see, but it could potentially be a farewell for him.
“It’s also his first outing for Scotland at this level.
“Lewis is looking forward to it and he’s pretty patriotic, so I don’t think he would have wanted to compete for any other nation.”
