Melanie Woods claimed the Commonwealth Games title after posting a blistering championship record to win the 1500m T54 at Scotstoun on Wednesday. The 31-year-old from Glasgow, competing for Scotland, said the moment felt especially meaningful because of the injuries she recovered from after being hit by a car while riding her bike in Inverness in 2018.
Woods spent a significant amount of time in the spinal unit at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, not far from the stadium, during her recovery. The result gave her a first ever major gold and made the occasion even more special.
Why did the win mean so much to Woods?
Woods said the victory carried extra significance because of the journey that brought her back to the track.
"This feels like a special one,"she told .
"I heard the roar of the crowd even just in the warm-up laps. I was trying to absorb it and trying to use the energy.
She said that support helped her through the race.
"So it felt cool to hear that coming down the home straight, and it definitely gave me an extra boost just coming to the finish line."She added:
"I was definitely trying to absorb every moment of that."
What happens next for Woods?
Woods returns to the Scotstoun track on Friday for the 400m event. After that, she can celebrate.
