Cyclist Andy's in the saddle '“ with a sword!

Andrew Brown will be heading to Belgium in July with several medals and titles already in the bag '“ but don't expect him to take his latest award with him.
Andrew Brown, cyclist. Pic by Paul Borg-GrechAndrew Brown, cyclist. Pic by Paul Borg-Grech
Andrew Brown, cyclist. Pic by Paul Borg-Grech

The 18-year-old landed the Wilkinson Sword at the Falkirk Sports Council awards earlier this month as Sports personality of the Year.

The cyclist, from Larbert, landed no less than 13 British and Scottish medals last year and was named in this year’s British Senior Performance squad.

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He’ll head with the Scottish squad to Belgium in July for a six-week racing and training camp, culminating in the under-23 commerce racing event in Flanders.

Until then he’ll be training and racing around Scotland and the UK in preparation for the British road racing championships and the trip to Belgium.

That’s the focus for the Larbert teenager who has been in the focus of Great Britain’s selectors after impressing last year at an event in Manchester - the home of British cycling.

“I was third in the under-18s junior track championship,” he told The Falkirk herald. “That was one of last year’s highlights last summer.”

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It was also one of the events which catapulted him to the winners podium at the local awards and he didn’t stop there.

“I also did the senior event to take in some learning experience and ended up taking the bronze in the Scottish team pursuit.”

Since then he’s made the step up to challenge himself in more senior age categories, most recently in Ireland at the Ras Mumhan where he finished 21st overall and sixth in the under-23s.

“That’s my first real attempt at senior races – the bigger events,” he explained.

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“It was really just a stepping stone for me and a chance to get more experience in something I am not used to. The course was significantly longer, and included a lot more hills than I am used to. Usually at my age-group the races are 60 or 70 miles – this one was 90, so it was a test. The hills made it particularly hard going.”

The recognition at Falkirk Town Hall though was very welcome for the City of Glasgow College student. He was nominated by his mum, Amelia, and walked off with the top award given his plethora of medals which he doesn’t look like lowering this year.

“It was a surprising result,” he told The Falkirk Herald, “but a happy one. I’m pleased with it.