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.”
