No fewer than five Scottish cyclists have been named on the team that will represent Great Britain at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games next month.
With a total team size of 22, that means the Scottish contingent make up over 20% of the squad, taking our total number of cyclists competing in Tokyo, across the Olympic and Paralympic Games, to 10.
Leading the charge will be arguably the most decorated Scottish para-cyclist of all-time, Neil Fachie, who boasts no fewer than 14 world titles, the latest of those coming just last year. An Aberdeenshire native, the 37-year-old will be piloted by Matt Rotherham, as he has been since taking double gold at the Commonwealth Games in 2018.
Fachie already has three Paralympic medals to his name, including gold in London, but will be hoping to add further silverware to his collection in the MB Kilo and Pursuit in the Japanese capital.
Aileen McGlynn is another well-established name to cycling fans, iconic imagery from her double medal success at London 2012 still as memorable as ever. Back alongside her pilot from that memorable two weeks, Helen Scott, the duo will contest the same events as Fachie and Rotherham inside the Izu Velodrome.
Finlay Graham will arguably have the busiest programme of all the Scots in Tokyo, as he contests the MC3 Individual Pursuit on the track, as well as the Road Race and Time Trial. The man from Strathpeffer in the Highlands took his first world medal last month in the Road Race in Cascais, so will head to Japan for his maiden Games full of confidence.
Lewis Stewart is another debutant, the powerful sprinter hoping to add Paralympic gold to the world gold he piloted James Ball to on the tandem last year. Despite only joining the para-cycling world in 2019, Stewart has made an instant impression, and will contest the Kilo and Pursuit with Ball in Tokyo.
Jenny Holl will also make her Paralympic debut, piloting Sophie Unwin across a busy track and road programme. Holl, who has enjoyed plenty of individual success in her own right, has made an instant impression since working with Unwin over the last six months, earning her a ticket to Tokyo.
Speaking of the selection, Scottish Cycling’s Head of Performance and Coaching, David Somerville, said:
“Naturally we are delighted to see such a strong Scottish cohort heading to the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, following on from the Olympic selections last month. When you look at the calibre of the athletes selected, we have every reason to be extremely optimistic of medal success and I wish each of our athletes the best of luck with their final preparations.”
Scottish athletes representing ParalympicsGB at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games:
Neil Fachie & Matt Rotherham - MB Kilo, Pursuit
Finlay Graham - MC3 Time Trial, MC1-3 Road Race, MC3 Individual Pursuit and Mixed Team Sprint reserve
Sophie Unwin & Jenny Holl - WB Kilo, Individual Pursuit, Individual Time Trial, Individual Road Race
Aileen McGlynn and Helen Scott - WB Kilo & Pursuit
James Ball & Lewis Stewart - MB Kilo, Pursuit
