By Ian Gordon
Becky James admits a fairytale return to cycling after injury and a cancer scare has given her a different mindset at she targets Olympic glory.
The Abergavenny ace put two years of what she calls her ‘deepest, darkest time’ behind her after winning bronze at the World Track Championships.
James, 24, says her third spot in the keiren in London felt like a gold for the woman who had the cycling world at her feet just three years ago.
Then she won two golds and two bronze medals in Belarus before her life and career was turned upside down in 2014 when she had an operation to remove potentially cancerous cells.
This was followed by surgery on a shoulder injury and a knee injury that forced her to miss the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow two years ago when she would have expected to strike gold for Wales.
James, whose boyfriend is rugby star George North, said: “I was over the moon to win a medal.
“I went into it really relaxed because it was just a bonus to be racing again having not raced for two years.
“It felt like I’d won gold – especially being in front of a home crowd. It was amazing getting a medal again after being out for so long.
“It was on a par with winning my world title just because it meant so much to me.
“I’ve had so much support from everyone over the past two years, from my family, my boyfriend, sponsors and everyone who had belief in me.
“Obviously my knee injury and cancer scare was a really bad time for me and it went on for a long time.
“This time last year was really tough and if someone told me I‘d be where I am now – on a podium winning a bronze medal – I wouldn’t have believed them.”
James now has her sights firmly set on Rio where she expects to be part of Britain’s team for her first Games after she missed out in London in 2012.
And after the illness and injury, James admits she will head to Brazil with a different perspective.
James, speaking to the Western Mail, added: “After going through those experiences I feel like a whole different me.
“Going through the injury had made me into a different person and I’m going into races with a different mindset.
“I feel like a different rider from what I was in 2013.”
endig