Raised in the Scottish Borders, near the mountain bike trails of Glentress Forest, cycling has always been second nature for Team Scotland’s Fin Graham.

“I grew up in the Scottish borders near the mountain bike trails of Glentress, and we’d go along as a family before my brother and I could even ride,” he recalls. “Either my mum or dad would stay with us whilst the other went off. Then, as we got older, it developed into all of us riding together.

“Sibling rivalry obviously very quickly became a thing: who could do the biggest jump, who could go the fastest down the hill.

“Having that as a family made the sport really fun.”

Fin Graham

Fin’s early love for cycling laid the foundation for the spectacular sporting career he has built. With nine world and 18 British titles to his name, as well as a Paralympic gold and two silvers, he has become one of Scotland’s most decorated para-cyclists of all time. Despite conquering some of the sport’s biggest stages, one milestone has remained untouched.

Until now.

Glasgow 2026 will mark Fin’s first time competing for Team Scotland, and a home crowd is to make that extra special.

Looking back on his cycling journey, Fin admits there were moments when reaching this stage felt far from certain.

“2016 was when the para cycling journey started for me. I’d just finished school and was still training on the mountain bike.

“I was getting to the point where I thought I wasn’t going to make it in that discipline, but then someone mentioned the para route to me, and I’d never really thought about it as an option before.

“Off the back of Rio 2016, I had been watching the Paralympics and decided I would just message British Cycling and ask how I would go about getting on the programme.”

That message led him to a talent ID session in Derby just a few weeks later.

“Luckily, they liked what they saw, so from there it all kind of snowballed.”

Fin MB

By 2018, he was a full-time athlete with British Cycling, and at the delayed Tokyo Paralympics in 2021, he claimed two silver medals.

“After that, I knew I wanted my next Games to be gold.”

A four-medal haul – including three golds - at the 2022 Para Cycling Track World Championships signalled Fin’s arrival at the very top of the game. And when he discovered the following year’s UCI World Championships would be held in Glasgow, his focus was laser sharp.

“As soon as I found out the Worlds were going to be in Glasgow the following year, I knew I wanted a gold in front of a home crowd.”

And gold he got. Graham stormed to victory in the C3 individual pursuit in the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, and though competing for Team GB, recalls just how much the crowd turned up the volume when he picked up the Scotland flag.

“Having experienced that in a Team GB kit, I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like this summer competing for Scotland.”

The following year, Fin got his Paralympic gold in Paris in front of a roaring crowd. He now looks to add a Commonwealth Games medal to his impressive collection. 

Fin Graham Paralympics
credit: Paralympics GB

Reflecting on what a medal-winning moment at Glasgow 2026 would mean, Fin shares:

“To have the opportunity to race in your home country is something that every athlete dreams of, and to be on that podium would mean everything.”

“To have friends and family there who usually wouldn’t be able to make the journey to watch me compete is going to be so special, and it will definitely give me that extra bit of motivation.

“I know it’s going to be tough, but I’m going to be giving it everything I’ve got to get on that top step and hopefully hear Flower of Scotland.”