‘I’ve got a gold medal and then a massive splinter to put next to it’ – Commonwealth Games gold medallist reveals bizarre backside injury

English track rider Will Tidball, a Commonwealth Games gold medallist, recently shared an intriguing tale about his backside injury following a crash during the Games. The 25-year-old, who has previously been a track world champion, had a thrilling experience in Glasgow, where he was a late super-sub for the race that secured the national team a gold medal. Tidball's late inclusion helped the team achieve a new record, as they edged out Australia in the final.

However, Tidball's day took an unexpected turn on the penultimate day of racing. While competing at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, he crashed and skidded along the wooden deck, resulting in a 7.6cm splinter in his backside. Tidball described the incident as "not particularly nice" and explained that it occurred when he had nowhere to go, leading him to end up on the floor with a three-inch splinter in his glute.

The Devon-based cyclist was initially scheduled to compete the following day, but the splinter forced him to withdraw due to the discomfort and diminished performance. He had to undergo surgery to have the splinter removed, followed by stitches. Despite the setback, Tidball couldn't help but see the humorous side of the situation, quipping that he now had a "gold medal and then a massive splinter to put next to it" as a souvenir.

In a post on Instagram, Tidball humorously remarked that sports can be the greatest humbler, comparing his experience from gold medal to the removal of the splinter to being "better than Saturday nights." Tidball will make a return to Exmouth on Thursday, hosting a meet-and-ride at the Exeter Aces cycle speedway, inviting the public to join him for the event.