Callum Skinner faster than before!

"I came into the European Under-23 track championships with some form as I had set PBs in training and I could also take confidence that iIhad been the only GB rider selected for all three events; Team Sprint, Kerin and Sprint. 

First up was the team sprint, where I  was man three in the relay. In the first round our lead off man didn't get the best start and we qualified third, although I had set a PB for my own lap. In the final man two didn't have a very good start, subsequently we finished fourth. This was a bit of a disappointment from our silver medal last year, although looking at the positives, I had shaved off a good margin off of my lap time and that's as much as you can do in this team event. 

The individual sprint started off well and I qualified with a 10.29 another PB and much faster than last years 10.45, so I was initially very happy. I progressed through to the 1/4's unfortunately coming up against a GB team mate and knocking him out in the progress. In the 1/4's i won the first heat but the Frenchman got the better of me winning the subsequent two heats and I was knocked out. I had finished better than I qualified and set a new PB but it wasn't enough to match last year's bronze medal result. 

The final event was the Kerin, the first round I was knocked out but got back through in a subsequent heat and made it to the final. This was the first improvement on results from last year, when I crashed out and failed to make the final. As I lined up the in the final I got jumped with one lap to go and didn't have the pace to come round everyone else to finish 4th. It was disappointing to be just out of the medals once again - is there a worse place to finish in a championship than fourth?!

I was quite down about Euros afterwards, it was so frustrating to come in far better form but get a worse result! But again trying to look at the positives I had done as much as I could, I had come away with some very good times and the GB coaches were very happy with my performance. 

After Euros I took a short holiday, but I'm now back and focussing on the next competition, the British Championships in Manchester. Again this competition will be the basis for selection for some exciting international senior races in the winter!

In other news there is a new video featuring me just been released on YouTube. Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2014 asked me to participate in a documentary highlighting the legacy of Manchester Commonwealth Games and hopefully the legacy of the Glasgow games. Take a look http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePPexi02bGA I feature from 1:30 onwards."

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