Dan Purvis, one of Team Scotland’s three Olympic medal winners, is relishing the prospect of going up against the men he shared glory with in London.
The 23-year-old gymnast was part of a five-man Team GB that won bronze in the English capital in 2012.
And as he explains, the other four Louis Smith, Max Whitlock, Sam Oldham and Kristian Thomas will all be competing against him for England in Glasgow.
“It is going to be fun,” he says. “We all train together at Lilleshall, are friends and, of course, have the bond of having won an Olympic medal together.
“Now we have to go up against each other so there has been a fair bit of banter going on. We have been making jokes like: ‘Careful, don’t slip there’, and stuff like that.
“It has been really enjoyable, and I look forward to getting back to our normal routine again once the Games are over and we turn our attention to the World Championships.”
Before then, though, there is some serious business to be done.
“I believe Scotland are looking really good for a medal,” says Dan.
“If we could achieve that, in front of a passionate Glasgow crowd, it would be right up there with the Olympics for me. We have had meetings with the coaches, and the team is really strong.
“Myself, Daniel Keatings, Frank Baines, Liam Davie and Adam Cox are all experienced gymnasts. We have never had a team like that so to push for gold would be fantastic.
“However, England are very strong and there are a couple of other countries I would put in the same category. You consider that, and even a top three would be a very creditable result.”
Having been born and raised in Merseyside, Purvis qualifies to represent Scotland through his parents and is delighted to do so.
“A Glasgow Games is going to be an amazing event,” he says. “The roar in The Hydro is going to be nbelievable. I know from my experience in London the effect a home crowd can have and I am sure it will be the same here.
“Everyone will get caught up in it. When they play Flower of Scotland at the national anthems, it will be an emotional moment for me and for all the guys. That’s what you want. This is what we made all the sacrifices for.”
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