Wales cyclist Becky James has revealed that a cancer scare meant she could not participate in the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
The two-time world champion was due to compete for Wales, but after a smear test in May returned abnormal results, James underwent a minor operation four weeks later.
Despite trying to regain fitness after the operation, James suffered a series of knee injuries which set her back even further. However, the 22-year-old has said that being given the news made her put things into perspective.
"It was a really hard decision," James told the Daily Mail. "The doctor said to me if I had waited another year it could have been completely different. It makes you think about things in a very different way.
"It was a big part of me missing out on the Commonwealth Games, so that's why I decided to speak about it. If I hadn't had that time out, who knows.
"I realised how important your health is over everything else. I spoke to one of my friends before I was racing in Germany and I said, 'My form's not very good'.
"She said, 'Good health, or good form, Becky?' It's true. It does make you think."
James is the current world sprint and keirin champion.
Germany
Switzerland
Hungary
Scotland
