At just 19 years old, and in her first season on the elite cycling circuit, Erin Boothman has her eyes set on a medal at a home Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer. Living just 20 minutes from the competition venue, she has the credentials, with four World Junior titles, three European Junior titles and world junior records to her name. Already mixing it with riders she idolised growing up, she’s putting absolutely everything into emulating their success. 

“All the Scottish riders are super strong,” she says, sitting in the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, which will host the cycling action at Glasgow 2026. “This is where I grew up as a kid, it’s where I learned to ride the velodrome and now to be potentially riding at a Commonwealth Games on my home track with the honour of wearing that jersey, it’s special and something I’m really looking forward to. 

 “The women’s endurance squad that Team Scotland have potentially going to the Games is one of the strongest on paper, so I think we’d be going with the intention of medalling, if not trying to get that gold medal. So I certainly wouldn’t just be going along for my first experience, I’d be there ready to compete and hope for medals.” 

Medals have been plentiful so far in her career, announcing her potential on the junior circuit with gold in the Team Pursuit and Madison at the 2024 World Junior Championships, as well as with silver and bronze at the European Juniors. 2025 was even better, defending both titles at the World Juniors and taking home three gold medals, including the Team Pursuit in a world junior record, at the Europeans. She also set a world junior record in the 3km individual pursuit at the British Junior Track Championships. 

She’s come a long way in a short time, from family holiday rides to taking up the sport competitively at age 10, to being selected for the GB Pathway when she was 16. She even deferred her place to study Pharmacy at Strathclyde University to concentrate on her cycling career, a gamble for herself and her family, but one that seems to be paying off. 

“It was a hard decision for me, and it was also hard for my parents to accept. It’s a big leap of faith. You have to have the trust in yourself that you can make it. I always knew I could come back to university, and I think I would have been silly not to take the opportunity and really commit to my sport. I’m happy now that I did make that decision.” 

As she makes the step up to elite level, she’s already mixing it with the riders she idolised growing up, beating World and Olympic medallists Katie Archibald and Anna Morris to the Elimination Race gold at the British Track Cycling Championships. 

“That was a big shock for me, she says. “I’d ridden the Madison championships a few months before with Anna Morris, who’s one of the best in the world. We’d won, so I knew I was physically good, but the Elimination Race is hard to get right tactically on the day and it’s a lot of luck too. I was really emotional at the finish when I won because I didn’t expect it. An elite national title in my first year was not what I was expecting, but I couldn’t be happier with it. 

“Everyone knows it’s a massive jump to elite level and I did a big winter of training to try to prepare and even still the jump was even bigger than we thought. I’m trying to find my feet this year and just see what we can do.” 

With Glasgow 2026 on the horizon, selection and success there could kickstart a highly promising senior career. There’s a lot of experience around to guide her too and she’s taking in all she can from those who have been there before, like Katie Archibald. 

“Katie’s been a huge part of my career, especially on the track,” says Erin. 

“When I was young and just getting into the sport I’d come into the velodrome and see her training, and now I go to Manchester and she’s there with the GB squad. It’s been that shift from looking up to her, but not being in her circle, to now being around her and learning from her, it’s very special. 

“It’s a bit surreal to compete against someone that you have so much respect for, almost idolise really. It’s nice just being in the peloton with her, but being on the line trying to beat her is something different. It’s a bit weird beating someone like that because, when I was younger, I always saw her as someone way above me and someone who was a completely different level to anyone. It’s a really nice confidence boost and, if I get into the team, I look forward to maybe competing with her.” 

Cycling and Para Cycling will take place at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome with competition running from 30 July to 2 August. Tickets to watch Team Scotland compete are available here.