CALLUM Skinner admits his Olympic successes have brought a weight of expectation as he leads Britain’s medal challenge at this week’s World Track Championships in Hong Kong.

The 24-year-old, who was born in Glasgow but grew up in Edinburgh, won team sprint gold and an unexpected individual sprint silver behind team-mate Jason Kenny in Rio last summer. But with Kenny missing the championships along with pregnant wife, Laura, the reigning omnium champion, Skinner and compatriot Katie Archibald will see the spotlight switched to them.

“It’s a definite shift,” said Skinner, part of a squad that mixes youth and experience with several serial medal winners on post-Games breaks or now retired. “Before, people didn’t expect much, but now I am in a position where I have had a good result and people expect that to continue. The pressure was holding the man three spot and now it’s to continue from there.

“I’m as hungry for success as I always am when I am out there on the track but my preparation hasn’t been as extensive as it was for the Games.But the coaches are saying that once you have found a level it’s quite easy to hopefully get back to that level and build from there. And my numbers aren’t far from that level.”

Skinner was eighth in the individual sprint at the track worlds in London last year when he was battling to keep his spot as the third man in the three-lap, three rider team sprint with Kenny and Phil Hindes, who is also on a post-Olympic break.

Now he travels to the Hong Kong Velodrome as one of four Olympic champions in the 19-strong squad, along with Archibald, Elinor Barker and Steve Burke. However, he will not compete in the team sprint, the event where Britain have won the last three Games golds but not the world title since 2005.

“We’re all keen to continue that momentum we found at the Games,” said Skinner, who starts his sprint challenge on Friday with next Sunday’s kilo time trial also a possibility. “Sometimes we don’t perform as well outside the Olympics. But it’s important to take the long view and not go into this worlds thinking it is another Olympics. You can’t keep that level of intensity over a full four years. It’s about keeping it in perspective and having that eye on Tokyo.”

Britain won six of the 10 available track titles in Rio, but did so with the sport having already become embroiled in controversy over its culture and charges of sexism and bullying in the pursuit of medal success.

The scrutiny is on-going with the final report still being prepared but British Cycling have already announced a 39-point plan with wholesale changes at the top.

Skinner insists it is now time to focus on the future and believes the changes implemented over the last few months are already having a positive impact.

“I wasn’t interviewed but I provided my opinions through written submission,” Skinner said. “There’s no need for the continuous cycle of review after review. I think it’s good to draw a line under it, make the changes that were necessary and move forward.

“There’s been more collaboration in the last six months and I have had more input into my training than ever before. That’s a good way to go forward. I feel more relaxed. That might be a result of changes implemented because of the review or just because I have progressed as an athlete.”

Skinner’s fellow Scot, Archibald, is also relishing the chance to make an impact on the individual stage having won team pursuit gold in Rio last August. The 23-year-old missed last year’s worlds in London through knee and elbow injuries after crashing her motorbike at 70mph, the decision to ride criticised by then technical director Shane Sutton who has since stood down in the wake of sexism allegations.

“It’s daunting, you win an Olympic gold medal and you wake up a new person the next day,” said Archibald, the Sunday Herald’s columnist, about the focus now on her and not on golden girl Kenny. “I’m still getting used to it a little bit but this will be the first chance to kind of make a stamp as an individual at a World Championships so it’s exciting, and scary. It’s going to be a challenge but I’m just going to get my teeth stuck into it.”

Archibald takes the omnium spot vacated by Laura Kenny, but she has already hinted she wants to keep hold of it even if the four-time Olympic champion returns, as she sets her sights on Tokyo.

The double European champion also competes in the individual pursuit on Saturday, where she will be up against favourites Rebecca Wiasak of Australia and Chloe Dygert of the US.

“I think I am lucky to be given this omnium spot,” said Archibald, who will be joined by fellow Scots Jack Carlin and Mark Stewart in Hong Kong. “It wasn’t an easy selection as there is competition but we have got three years to fight it out. I think I have put myself in the best position to give it a good shot. So just bring it on, somebody has got to win don’t they?”