I had the great pleasure of watching Nicole Cooke win Olympic cycling gold medal in the women’s road race in Beijing on Sunday. What a brilliant race! I couldn’t help thinking that all that training in Wales may have ever so slightly prepared her for the lashing rain on Sunday morning. When she rounded the last bend in fifth my heart sank a little but her sprint to the line was true grit – what a performance.

Winning an Olympic gold medal has been her dream since the age of eleven and on Sunday that dream was fulfilled.

Congratulations to Nicole, her family and support team. Our best wishes go out to all the GB medal winners. I’m sure there’ll be more to come.

Mark Robert