With just five months to go until the Games begin, boxer Joe Ham is clearly focused on the job in hand. His goal – to win gold for Scotland, in his home city.

“It’s the only thing I want”, says Joe. “To fight in Glasgow at something as big as the Commonwealth Games is huge and I’m totally focused on my preparation and my goals. I want to fight in front of my friends, family and the people of my city and win gold for Team Scotland.”

At the age of 22, Joe is already an experienced fighter, with well over a hundred fights under his belt and almost ten years in the sport. He can also recall his experience at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi and is looking forward to hearing the home crowd in Glasgow.

He said: “The noise in Delhi when the Indian’s were fighting was incredible. I can’t wait to hear our fans in the Hydro. The venue looks amazing and I can’t wait to get into the ring there. There can be home advantage, but it’s all about what you do yourself when you’re in the ring.”

“Delhi for me was a learning process and I took a lot away from the experience of being with the team. I’ve developed and moved on from there though and I’ve been working hard in the gym to make sure I’m at my best come Glasgow.”

A key competition in his Games preparation is the Scottish Championships in March where Joe will look to cement his place in the team. A fifth senior title in as many years is up for grabs and Joe is confident

“I’ve won Scottish Championships at all levels, and I’m looking forward to adding another one to my name in 2014. The Scottish Championships will be a great event. There are a few weight categories where there are a couple of lads going for one spot in the team, which will make things really exciting.”

The 2014 Scottish Championships will take place on 28 March at another Games venue – The Emirates Arena, just a stone’s throw away from the Athletes’ Village where Joe hopes to be, come July.

You can follow Joe on Twitter @JoeHam56

Photo Credit: Getty Images