Fachie may go for gold record in Melbourne

NEIL FACHIE left the door ajar to board the long flight to Melbourne in 2026 to pursue more Commonwealth golds after his bid to become the most successful Scot in the history of the Games fell just short in London on a night of five Caledonian medals in the velodrome. The Aberdonian had been simply unbeatable. Yet, for the first time, he came off second best. Fachie and his pilot were defeated 2-0 by Welsh duo James Ball and Matt Rotherham in the men’s tandem sprint. Tiny margins but no repeat of their triumph in Friday’s 1000metres time trial. The partially-sighted star remains — for now — tied with bowler Alex Marshall with a gold to hang off every finger. ‘I’ll have to come back in four years,’ he joked. He’ll be 42 then. First, there is a Paralympic title to defend in Paris. Quitting for good will be a tough call to make. This weekend was gruelling, he admitted. ‘Warming up, the legs weren’t there,’ said Fachie (below). ‘I didn’t tell Lewis because I hoped adrenaline would come through. But I gave it my all. I’m sorry to everyone. He deserved a gold right there but silver’s not bad.’ Neah Evans added silver in the points race to her individual pursuit bronze, but Australia’s Georgia Baker was streets ahead. ‘That was hard work,’ said the 31-year-old, who has now equalled her two medals of 2018. ‘Individual pursuit is much harder than points race but that points race was hard.’ Unable to accompany his sister Katie on to the Olympic stage, John Archibald’s most rewarding moments have arrived in the Commonwealth realm. The Glaswegian had a lead role in the scratch race that earned him silver behind New Zealand’s Corbin Strong to match his medal in the pursuit from 2018. ‘If I was to predict which race I’d get a medal in, I was really hoping it would be individual pursuit,’ the 31-year-old conceded. ‘But when it didn’t go to plan, I really thought that was my chances gone. So I’m delighted with this.’ Jack Carlin was more shocked than pleased with his bronze in the men’s sprint which came after his foe Matthew Glaetzer was penalised for barging him off his racing line. In their deciding third race, the Australian looked a comfortable victor but a lengthy look from the judges granted the medal to the Paisley man. ‘He came over and shook my hand at the end,’ said Carlin. ‘It’s never nice — but I think it was the right decision in the end. He threw me out of my space, knocked me out of my rhythm.’ But still, the multiple medallist awaits the first gold of his career with Australia’s Matthew Richardson edging out Trinidadian Nicholas Paul for the title. However this was a prize won, not lost, for Carlin, who will now head to the Europeans in Munich next week. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever felt as bad as that on a bike in my life,’ he revealed. ‘I had a bit of an upset stomach last night after dinner. I think it floored me today.’ Veteran Aileen McGlynn is set to retire for good without a Commonwealth title following her bronze in the tandem 1000m time trial with pilot Ellie Stone. The 49-year-old, a three-time Paralympic gold medallist, held on for Birmingham but is set against a Paris adieu. ‘I think this is my last one,’ she said. ‘I get too nervous, so I think I have to finish at this point.’