Commonwealth Games 2022: Neil Fachie aims for more gold with child on the way
- Published
Neil Fachie is aiming to win two gold medals for the third straight Commonwealth Games
Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games |
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Hosts: Birmingham Dates: 28 July to 8 August |
Coverage: Watch live on BBC TV with extra streams on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport mobile app |
At 38 with a child on the way, and a mantelpiece already glittering with medals, you might think Neil Fachie would think about calling it a day after the Commonwealth Games.
Fachie did, indeed, think about quitting after the 2020 Paralympics, only for Covid to delay them by a year and give him time to renew his love for cycling and his vigour for competition.
Now, ending a distinguished career is pretty far from his thoughts.
"We've only got another year to 2023 and the World Championships in Glasgow which is incredibly exciting," he says.
"As a Scottish athlete I want to be part of that, and then you're one year away from the next Paralympic Games in Paris in 2024. So it feels like I can't walk away at this stage."
The Aberdonian won't even rule out returning for the 2026 Commonwealths, by which stage he would be 42. On the one hand, impending fatherhood brings thoughts of settling down to a quieter life. And yet.
"I can't help but think… my wife Lora's going to be there with baby in tow cheering us on at the Commonwealth Games.
"I'm already thinking my baby's kind of there to watch. Even though they're not going to remember it, they're going to be in the velodrome so you want to leave a legacy for your children.
"I'm sure when they come along things will change and it will be interesting to see how I feel about it all. But I love the idea they could be in Glasgow in 2023 for the worlds and I'd love to be there to race with my baby there watching."
Also motivating Fachie for the impending Games is the chance to win double gold - in the tandem kilometre time trial and sprint - for the third consecutive time.
His preparations, though, have been far from ideal. He only linked up with pilot Lewis Stewart in the spring, and his usual training base is being refurbished, which has meant long stints on public transport getting to various venues across the country.
"The hardest bit I think we didn't realise was we were trying to do the same volume of training we were doing in Manchester and not realising sitting on a train for three or four hours was taking quite a bit out of you," he says.
"It takes the edge off and you need to be smarter. Getting kit around is tricky, I don't drive and you can't really be carting a tandem on to a train. You're not that popular with a bike at the best of times never mind one that's double the length.
"You've got to rely on other people to help you out, and when you're travelling these big journeys it's not straightforward by any means but you find a way."
Not that Fachie's using the challenging build up as an excuse. Another two golds could see him become Scotland's most successful Commonwealth Games athlete ever.
Far from playing down the prospect, Fachie is relishing the chance. Not just for himself, but for the broader picture for disability sports.
"I'm aware every time I speak about it that puts a lot of pressure on yourself," he says. "[But] I'm the kind of person who thinks you should aim for the highest possible and if you fall slightly short well, so be it.
"I'd love to do it for Para-sport and show those athletes with a disability, or just people with disability, particularly in Scotland, what we're capable of.
"It's such a massive thing. So I'll certainly try and if I do fall short, I'm still going to be up that medal table and proud of my Commonwealth Games so I'll give it my best shot. But it's a tall order for sure."
Standing in Fachie's way is a familiar face. Matt Rotherham, who was his pilot for the world-record breaking Paralympic gold last year and his Commonwealth gold of four years ago, has teamed up with his Tokyo final opponent James Ball.
Ball's pilot for the final was Stewart, Fachie's new partner on the track.
It's an enticing match up and one which Fachie himself expects to be extremely close given how well they all know each other.
"It's all fun and games at the moment," he says. "But come race day it gets a bit more heated so I don't know if there will be some mind games going around.
"They're a formidable bike and I think it'll be very close but I'm not going into this aiming for silver by any means.
"If we come away with silver it'll have been a hard fight and fair enough, the best bike will have won. But I've got a 100% record in Commie Games. That's a lot to live up to - but I don't want to lose it now."
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