Gymnast Adam Cox barely saw his wife for weeks on end and postponed starting a family in order to achieve his dream of being part of a successful Scotland team at the Commonwealth Games.
He has already achieved one ambition by winning Glasgow 2014 selection - and now he is determined to make his sacrifices count by helping the host nation to gold in the team event when the artistic gymnastics starts on Monday.
The 27-year-old had retired from the sport just before the 2010 event, pulling out the day before he was due to fly to India after coach and father figure Tan Jia En was dismissed as national coach.
"I stopped for about two and a half years and came back in August 2012 and thought I would give it a bash for the Commonwealth Games," Cox said.
"I looked at all the boys coming through and I thought, 'This is going to be a really successful team and I want to be part of it, and be part of a home Games'.
"The way I went into retirement was a bit of a downer for me so this is a way to re-write the end of my career."
Cox, from Livingston, had to think seriously about the impact of his decision to renew his gymnastics career.
"I had gone through a lot of change," he said. "I became a full-time teacher with West Lothian Council, and I love my job.
"I had taken on a 36-hour week and I was then going to commit to driving through to Glasgow every day after work, training for four hours, coming back home, getting a bit of dinner and then going to bed about 10, and then starting all over again at seven.
"It's difficult. I have a wife so she got to see a lot less of me. But Kim understands and my family have been so supportive. The sacrifice was all for one thing and now that I'm here I want to make it count.
"Kim's a gymnast coach as well so she can understand the dedication and commitment required, and she fully supported me. It is difficult. There were weeks when I wouldn't see her at all. She is pregnant now and I will hardly see her for five weeks, but she understands.
"We always wanted a family and it was another sacrifice that we made, postponing starting a family for another two years. But I can't wait now. The baby is due on January 2."
Cox won a bronze in the 2006 Games and he is looking for more in Glasgow.
"I already feel I have something to show for the sacrifices," he said. "To represent my country in a home Games is a huge honour.
"But I believe this team can really push a good quarter of those (artistic gymnastics) medals and maybe even a third. I think as a team we will be pushing for a gold medal."
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