'Nothing to prove' at Commonwealths for Finucane

Olympic champion cyclist Emma Finucane insists she has "nothing to prove" at the Commonwealth Games despite her ambitions of winning an elusive gold in Scotland.

Finucane, 23, collected two bronze medals in Birmingham four years ago but has since won 16 medals at the Olympics, World and European Championships.

The Welsh star says she is targeting "the top step" on the podium in Glasgow.

"I haven't actually stood on the top step at the Commonwealth Games," Finucane told BBC Sport Wales.

"That's something I'd love to achieve this time round.

"I feel like I'm a different person four years on and I can't wait to show what I can do on the track."

The Carmarthenshire native credits the Birmingham 2022 Games as the "springboard" to where she is today.

"I would not be where I am today without the Commonwealth Games," she said.

"The first time I was pretty young, pretty naive to the sport of sprint cycling.

"It was a very overwhelming experience, whereas this time round I feel like I'm more of an established rider."

She added: "I was 19 [in Birmingham] and the year after I won my first world title, which was crazy for me.

"I think it gave me the confidence I needed as an athlete to develop in my career, and get to where I am so quickly.

"We became Olympic champions two years ago, and I actually don't even know how that happened."

Finucane will compete in the team sprint, the individual sprint, the 1km time trial and the keirin in Glasgow.

There is an impressive crop of British track cycling sprinters threatening her ambitions at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.

The England team has Finucane's Olympic gold-winning team-mates Sophie Capewell and Katy Marchant, while Rhianna Parris-Smith has helped Finucane to UCI Track World Cup silver in Hong Kong this year.

Scotland's Lauren Bell, who won sprint and keirin gold at the British Championships in 2024, could also provide stiff competition.

And that's before mentioning New Zealand's Ellesse Andrews, who won three golds in Birmingham in the individual sprint, keirin and team sprint competitions.

Finucane's partner, Matt Richardson is also a cyclist and represents England after switching allegiance from Australia.

She says they have a "fun relationship on the bike".

"We are really competitive people; if it's a game of Monopoly or it's a bike race, we are competitive and I think we use that to our strength.

Finucane says dating a fellow cyclist helps them to get what the other person might need, whether competitions have gone well or badly.

"He understands completely what I'm feeling or how the times are, what I'll be happy with or what I'll be disappointed with.

"That's something really nice and not many people get that.

"You can literally go to your partner and he'll be like 'It's okay'.

"He gives me so much advice on what I can do or how to deal with things and I'd like to say vice versa.

"He's a lot more experienced than me, but I think I do bring a presence of a bit more calm and maybe perspective in the sport too.

"I think we're a good team together."

Richardson however will no longer be competing at the Games after being forced out by injury.

Finucane hopes a good showing in Glasgow will enhance her legacy in the sport.

"For us there's pressure everywhere, but I also feel calm coming into this Commonwealth Games; I have nothing to prove," she said.

"Obviously I do want to stand on that top step, and that will be the goal I'm trying to do; I've never achieved that in my career.

"But also I have my 'Oscars', as I call them.

"I won the Olympics, I've become world champion and I want to see how far I've gone in this sport.

"I want to win as much as I can, I want to be on the track as much as I can, representing Team Wales.

"So there is pressure. I'll definitely use that to drive me to try to win as many bike races as I can.

"It'll be insane to be in Glasgow, wearing the Welsh jersey, in front of my friends and family.

"I'm going to see how far I can go."