Wee fighting man proves guid gear comes in sma' bulk

The 26-year-old sounds almost as if he is trying to convince himself as much as any sceptical observers but such curious cocktails have become a part of his routine, replacing breakfast as his first meal of the day and sustaining him though a rigourous morning training session. But what exactly is in each blend? "Well, this one has lettuce," he begins, unpromisingly. "And there's frozen fruit, coconut, peppers, water, I think there's a pear as well . . . really just whatever I can find in the house. It's full of carbohydrates and natural sugars and it fills you up so you're not diving in for a roll and sausage."

As a self-confessed fussy eater, McFarlane concedes that the latter would be a much more palatable option but recognises the need to regulate his diet if he is to compete at his preferred 55kg category. Despite his powerful build, the Glaswegian's diminutive stature means he tends to sit around five kilos above that, so his "hit of protein" has to wait until later in the day.

A liquid diet has become particularly important over the past couple of weeks as he prepares for the Commonwealth Championships in South Africa. Scotland will send a strong team of nine athletes to the biennial event in Johannesburg, with McFarlane's first bout in seven days' time. Having already shed a couple of kilos during a high-altitude camp in Granada last week, he will lose the rest of his excess with double sessions and saunas upon arrival on Monday.

That the part-time wrestler will be able to compete - and was able to travel to Spain beforehand - is thanks to the understanding of his employers, Glasgow Life. As an assistant manager at Springburn Leisure Centre, McFarlane has been permitted to take several weeks of unpaid leave, which has enabled him to train twice a day as well as enter international events. He plans to do the same ahead of next summer's Commonwealth Games. "It's difficult because you've got to live but so far it's paid off," he says. "It means I can double my sessions and that's crucial if I want to achieve something next year."

Of that there is every chance, with McFarlane having been identified as a potential medallist. While his selection for Glasgow is not yet confirmed, a top-eight (or top-half; whichever is harder) finish in Johannesburg, combined with a podium place at the English Championships in February, and added to his British Championships triumph earlier this year will almost certainly assure his inclusion in a 14-strong team.

That, too, would perhaps help convince some of those who not only hold false impressions of wrestling but also look at McFarlane's size and consider him a soft touch. "You do get a bit of stick because as soon as you mention wrestling to anyone they associate it with the American stuff," he says. "And especially with me being a wee guy, people think they can take me on but even the biggest guy in the work can't lift me. I don't like to make too much of it because you will get people trying it on but I've never had a problem . . . especially not when I tell them I'm British Champion."

John Beattie, the former Scotland rugby internationalist, can testify to that, with a wince-inducing video on the BBC website depicting the towering former forward being tossed around with comparative ease by a grinning McFarlane. That said, with team-mates Brian Harper and Craig McDonald keeping him honest in the 55kg division, every session is a bruising encounter. "If you're not getting hurt in training, you're not doing it right," he says. "We're a bit passive here sometimes but I've had three operations now, a dislocated shoulder, a broken bone under my eye, countless back eyes . . . you always get niggles and there is always something hurting but it's good for you because it toughens you up."

Despite that, the Milngavie native describes wrestling as "like a fast, physical game of chess, or a Rubik's cube", in which opponents are outwitted by tactics and technique as much as strength. That perception is not one he has always held, though. When his uncle first took him along to the local club at the age of 13, ostensibly to bulk up his puny five-stone frame, McFarlane understood wrestling to be solely about strength, an opinion that lingered up until he stepped away from the sport at the age of 17.

At that stage, the early thrill of competition had receded and the opportunities for progression seemed scant in a country where the budget of the governing body was only around £5000 per annum, so he dedicated his efforts instead on his studies, visiting the club every couple of months just to see familiar faces.

However, once he graduated form university and began working, McFarlane was drawn back, a successful outing in his comeback tournament in Wales and the dedication of his Moldovan coach Vladimir Gladkov convincing him to focus on the sport once more. "I was hooked again," he recalls. "I think it's quite a natural thing, wrestling; it's human nature to want to fight and I always did that with my two younger brothers, driving my mum crazy. I only left because I didn't think it was going anywhere but now it's changed my life."

McFarlane's return came just before the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. At that stage he had no pretensions of making an international impact but, upon hearing the stories of those who did travel to India, he realised he wanted to compete in 2014 more than anything. Now, training every day at the Emirates Arena, he rubs shoulders with other potential Team Scotland athletes, while his work with Glasgow Life offers further exposure to the excitement. "It didn't feel real until last week when I saw it mentioned somewhere that there were 250 days to go," he says.

"It's something I've thought about a lot. People have texted me or mentioned they've got tickets and every one is another wee boost and a wee bit of added pressure, but you heard a lot of the athletes at London saying the crowd gave you that little bit more energy and to be in that arena next summer will be phenomenal. I don't think 'excited' covers it. I've wondered whether I'll feel the pressure and I think it will be difficult to keep your head in the game with all the noise and support but I'm from Glasgow, fighting in Glasgow . . . it will be incredible."