Matthew Robertson knew he would have to be at his best to beat his pal Fin Graham to gold – and duly delivered a Commonwealth Games record.

The 27-year-old was first up in the men’s C1-C3 3000m individual pursuit final and flew round in 3:22.597.

Graham had the home crowd behind him as he sought to ensure Robertson’s record was short-lived but came home in 3:23.673, ensuring the Londoner could begin his celebrations.

“That was probably the hardest end to a bike race I've ever watched,” he said.

“It was so close. I knew roughly what times he could do because we train together all the time, and I knew I'd done a good ride, even without looking at the clock, just from how it felt. It was really nerve-wracking watching him.

“We came onto the programme together and we're really good friends.

“It's a bit surreal standing on the podium like this because, coming into this, I thought he'd probably win and I'd get second. 

“I just went out and did my best. We're usually in different classifications, so we've never really raced together at a major championships like this before. 

“We've always said it would be amazing if we could both win here. He's already a Paralympic champion and has gone on to win so many things. I've always felt like I needed to achieve something that put me on that sort of level. 

“This feels like the start of that journey, or at least confirmation that I'm on the right path.”

Robertson has taken the hard road to the top of the podium. A road traffic accident brought about an enforced lengthy absence in 2023 but he returned to win a brilliant Paralympic bronze in Paris the following year.

And having now tasted victory in Glasgow, he is able to reflect on the work that got him to this point.

“That crash in 2023 was probably the biggest I've ever had, and it took a huge amount of hard work to come back from it,” he said. 

“I spent about eight months doing really difficult rehab and off-the-bike work. These moments are exactly why we do it. 

“It's quite hard to take it all in because everything happens so quickly, so afterwards it's about trying to relive the moment and really soak it all up.”

Robertson was particularly delighted to be handed his medal by Sir Chris Hoy in the velodrome which bears the Olympic legend’s name – ‘he is the reason I started cycling’ – while he was one of three English medallists on the final day of track action.

Kadeena Cox took silver in the women’s C4-C5 1000m time trial, finishing in 1:09.943, just over a second behind Australia’s Tara Neyland. Morgan Newberry was fifth.

Cox, 35, is a multiple Paralympic and world champion across cycling and athletics but was making her Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow and relished the challenge.

“I'm a 500-metre specialist, a one-lap specialist really, and I love doing P1 in the team sprint,” she said. 

“Stepping up to this distance is something I never really wanted to do, but it's been a challenge I've had to take on.

“I've been fortunate over the last 10 years to be at the top of my game and at the top of the world for a long time, so having something that really tests me is actually quite nice.”

Joe Truman also took silver after clocking 59.525 in the men’s 1000m time trial. Australia’s Leigh Hoffman came out on top, while Truman’s compatriot Harry Ledingham-Horn finished fourth, with Hamish Turnbull eighth.

Truman said: “I'd like to have got gold, but silver is still a medal so I'm relatively pleased. It's a bit disappointing not to win, I think it was there for the taking.”

Katy Marchant finished fifth in the women’s keirin, with Georgette Rand ninth and Sophie Capewell 11th.