WITH thighs the size of tree trunks there aren’t many challenges Bolton's Matt Rotherham isn’t equipped to deal with.

Two major sporting events within two weeks of each other could have been too much for other sportspeople, but not Rotherham.

The Deane rider won double World Championship gold as a pilot for Neil Fachie at the Para-Cycling Track World Championships in Rio, less than a fortnight ago.

And the former Canon Slade pupil has now added a Commonwealth Games gold medal to his list of achievements as he, riding for Scotland and again piloting Fachie, powered to blind and visually impaired kilometre time trial gold on the Gold Coast.

“It feels really good,” said the former individual sprint rider.

“This was a little bit different to Rio. We knew what everyone else was going to do and it was a case of just repeating the worlds performance and we definitely did that.

“We were a little bit off and we were hoping to go a little faster but yeah, we won so we’re happy with that and essentially we still smashed it out of the park and beat everyone comfortably, so we’re really happy with that.”

Rotherham piloted James Ball to double World Championships success in 2017 and his partnership with Fachie is still just a few months old.

But with two World Championship titles and a Commonwealth gold already to their name, Fachie is delighted with his new man.

“Matt is definitely built for tandem racing. He’s a great solo rider in his own right but on the front of a tandem he is immense,” said the Scot.

“We haven’t been riding together that long to be honest - just since December - but we’ve gelled so quickly.

“Things can change but hopefully we’ll be the pair going towards Tokyo, and then really look at getting the world record in the kilo.

“That’s all to be decided back home, though.”

Rotherham and Fachie beat Wales’ Hall and his pilot, Pete Mitchell, into silver medal position on the Gold Coast and the British riders are expected to go head to head once more when they return to the track for the sprint event later this week.

And for Fachie, whatever happens in that race, he is just delighted with what he and Rotherham have been able to accomplish in such a short space of time.

“This has been a dream to come away from these two championships with four golds and go under the minute barrier in one of those four rides,” he concluded.

“We didn’t go under a minute today but we did it a couple of weeks ago. And we’re on three out of four golds so fingers crossed we can finish the job.”

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