Gallagher has had to play a waiting game, with Para Track Cycling and Track Cycling the penultimate sport to get under way at Glasgow 2026.

And starting from Thursday, the 40-year-old will hope to defend her Women’s Tandem B Sprint and Women’s Tandem B 1000m Time Trial titles at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome with pilot Jacqui Mengler-Mohr.

Gallagher, who became the first Australian woman to win a Paralympic Winter Games medal when she took bronze in the Women's Vision Impaired Slalom skiing event at Vancouver 2010, has Paralympic silver and bronze medals to her name on the bike, too.

She has also competed in Para Athletics and Para Rowing at the highest level.

After claiming two Para Track Cycling silvers on her Commonwealth Games debut at Gold Coast 2018, Gallagher relished her winning moments at Birmingham 2022.

"As a kid growing up in Australia, I'd always watched the Commonwealth Games and I wanted to play there as a netballer, which was my sport before I started to lose my sight,” Gallagher said.

“So to be able to fulfil that childhood dream of going to the Commonwealth Games, looking pretty different to being a netballer, but still to stand on that podium with a gold medal being placed around my neck and fulfil little Jess's dream, was very special.

“Coming into these games, I feel grateful that Para Track Cycling is still a sport and that tandem racing is still included.

“I just feel like it's another incredible opportunity to be out there. I've had some of my best career moments at the Commonwealth Games.”

'Each Games brings new memories'

Gallagher was piloted by Maddie Janssen in 2018, and four years later Caitlin Ward took the role. In more recent times, working with Mengler-Mohr, a former canoe sprint athlete, has given the cyclist - who was diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition as a teenager - something new.

“Each Games brings a different type of experience and new memories that you get to create with the person that you're riding with,” Gallagher said.

“There's so many intricacies and nuances in how to make a tandem bike go fast. Each time you're working with a new pilot, you're back to the beginning of developing that relationship.

“If I can't help the person that I'm riding with be the best version of themselves, then we're never going to get the kind of performances that we're aspiring to have to be able to deliver at a Commonwealth Games. So, there's a lot of work that goes into it.

“But Jacqui is sensational and I'm really excited to share that opportunity with her and see what we are capable of this week.”

Among the others competing in Glasgow will be England's four-time Paralympic cycling champion Kadeena Cox, who will be making her Commonwealth Games debut after an eight-year wait.

Cox, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2014 after a stroke, is also a talented track sprinter and was due to compete in Para Athletics at Gold Coast 2018 but was ruled out through injury. She subsequently also missed Birmingham 2022.

But she will take part in the Women's C4-C5 1000m Time Trial during the last session of Glasgow 2026 Para Track Cycling on Sunday.

Glasgow 2026 could provide a fitting swansong for Scotland's five-time Commonwealth Games champion Neil Fachie, who has come out of retirement to compete in the Men’s Tandem B events and is hoping to bring back memories of his success in the same city 12 years ago, when he won two golds.