Gourley would 'crawl' track to star in home Games

Neil Gourley is a man on a mission. The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow looms large this summer and the 31-year-old Scot is determined to cast off months of injury frustration with a starrring role.

"I will be there if I have to crawl round the four laps of the track," he told BBC Scotland.

Gourley, who has world and European indoor 1500m silver medals to his name, has already been selected for the mile event in his home city after an "injury-plagued winter that was dominated by two different injuries".

"I am doing a lot better now than I was a few months ago," Gourley added.

His winter began on the sidelines, dealing with a patella tendon tear that had been troubling him last season.

After returning in February, a broken foot the following month consigned him to further weeks on the sidelines.

Hardly ideal preparation for his bid to be a home hero.

However, he explained: "I am starting to really see some consistency now and thanks to the cross training I was doing, I don't seem to be too far away from fitness.

"The challenge is to turn that all around into fitness in time for the Commonwealth Games among other things this summer.

"I will never shy away from the fact I want to be at the top end of championships and I would love to win a medal in Glasgow, but it is going to be incredibly challenging.

"I have made it harder for myself by having some of the setbacks I did this year. But if every day goes to plan between now and then I think I will be really competitive in that final."

Gourley would be forgiven for thinking his Glasgow jinx was striking again. Having reached the 1500m final at the 2019 European Indoor Championships in the city, he missed the race through illness.

Five years later, there was more woe as he was forced to sit out the World Indoor Championships through injury.

"It is going to have to be third time lucky this one," he said. "I am full intending to be there at that championship 100% healthy."

The prospect of Gourley going head to head on the track with fellow Scottish stars Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman is one of the Commonwealth Games' most eagerly anticipated events.

And though Gourley does not have time on his side to get into top condition, he says there were "positive signs" from a recent "rust buster" 1500m race in Marseilles.

"There is still plenty to do in the next six weeks but I am not maybe as far away as I thought," he said.

"Nothing really compares to the importance I am putting on Glasgow this year.

"Some of the disappointments I have had in not being able to represent in my own city is a huge part of that as well and I am trying not to force that because you can want it too much.

"You can do too much in training and rush things because you feel like you are behind other people, so I am trying not to get too impatient in the training.

"It is absolutely the most important thing that is happening this year and I am excited about competing in front of a lot more family and friends than I am used to and competing in Glasgow."