Jenny Davis, 2010 Commonwealth Games silver medallist in the team sprint, today had the thrill of being the first cyclist to take her bike into the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, as part of the celebrations to mark ‘Three Years to Go’ until the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. This magnificent new facility will host the track cycling during the Games and is due for completion next year.
On Wednesday 23July 2014, people from around the globe will be celebrating the Opening Ceremony of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and the start of 11 days of world-class sporting competition between the 71 Commonwealth nations and territories.

To highlight this milestone, the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee is staging a series of ‘Three Years to Go’ celebrations this week. Today (Wednesday 20th July) all eyes were on the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, later this week there will be the official launch of the sport pictograms for the Games and the celebrations will continue at the Merchant City Festival this weekend with a ‘sporting challenge’ that will give festival-goers a taster of all 17 sports that are included in the Games.

At the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, Scottish track cyclist Jenny Davis, was the first cyclist to take a bike into Scotland’s only indoor Velodrome. Jenny won a silver medal in the team sprint at Delhi 2010 and is aiming to go one better when competing on home soil in Glasgow just three years from now.

The 250-metre track at the Velodrome has been designed by Ralph Schumann, one of the world’s foremost track designers and the Velodrome is named in honour of Scotland’s most successful gold medal winning Olympian and Commonwealth Games champion: Sir Chris Hoy.

Joining in the ‘Three Years to Go’ celebrations at the velodrome, Michael Cavanagh, Chairman Commonwealth Games Scotland, said: “This is another key milestone on our journey to Glasgow 2014. Scotland has a strong tradition in cycling and this impressive facility can only help to strengthen that for the long-term. In just three years time the track cycling will be one of the hottest tickets in town and I know how hard our cyclists are working to ensure they will be in the thick of the action for Team Scotland.

“Seeing all the plans progress in the city for the Games over the last few years all adds to the excitement for the athletes and their determination to be competing at Glasgow 2014.”

Thoroughly enjoying her sneak preview of the new velodrome, Jenny Davis added: “Scottish cyclists have waited a very long time for an indoor velodrome and to see this fabulous facility taking shape is absolutely fantastic. For me Glasgow 2014 will probably be the biggest event of my career and the sooner we can get in here and use the track the more we will be able to realise our potential and take advantage of a home Games.

“The word on the lips of every single track cyclist in Scotland is Glasgow 2014 and I am really excited about the prospect of racing here in just three years time. This facility will undoubtedly also help to grow the sport and encourage many more people to take part.”