Scots stars reunite and gear up for new medal

ON a bicycle built for two, they have to be halves of the same whole.

Now the race for gold at Gold Coast has brought cycling’s Aileen McGlynn and Louise Haston back in tandem four years after the glory of Glasgow.

The pair won double silver in the para cycling at the Commonwealth Games four years ago, with Haston piloting visually impaired McGlynn.

But the road they’ve taken to chase the top step of the podium this time out has been long and winding.

As they got back in the saddle for Team Scotland, Haston said: “It doesn’t seem like four years, it’s flown in.

“I was meant to be finishing after Glasgow but that lasted about a week. I got back on my bike. I’ve done sport all my life and it’s easy to come out and say you’re going to stop, not so easy to actually do it.

“I’m glad I went back to cycling because if I didn’t cycle I always fancied boxing. But my husband is like, ‘No’.

“I’ve done a couple of sessions at Meadowbank. It’s good to get your anger out. But I think my husband is glad I got back on the bike!”

While the 37-year-old mulled over her future, McGlynn got on her own bike in the wake of the Games – but took to the road rather than the track.

The 44-year-old sprint specialist said: “I had a sort of break from doing the intensive training. I went on the road and did a Lands’ End to John o’Groats – that was my endurance year. It worked out about 880 miles in total.”

Haston insists their pairing is perfect. She said: “More often than not when I’m on the tandem, I feel like I’m on it myself. Aileen is such a smooth pedaller – except when she’s breathing out of her backside! Then I can feel it.”

McGlynn added “I decided to come back when they announced that there were going to be tandem events in Australia.

“We just hope to go out there and bring home a medal.”

LOUISE HASTON