Paralympic Games gold medallist and Strathpeffer cyclist Fin Graham speaks of his pride as he receives MBE in New Year Honours list
Paralympic Games gold medallist Fin Graham says being given an MBE was the perfect way to end the best year of his cycling career.
The 25-year-old from Strathpeffer was given the award for his services to cycling where he has established himself as one of the top para-cyclists in the world.
The former Dingwall Academy pupil, who is now based in Manchester, won the biggest title of his career at the Paralympic Games in September when he won a gold medal in the Men’s C1-3 Road Race for Great Britain.
He also claimed a silver medal at the 2024 Paralympics Games in the C3 Individual Pursuit.
He added it to the two silver medals he won at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo in the C3 Individual Pursuit and Road Race C1-C3.
Graham is the current and three-time world champion in the C3 Road Race, winning the title in Zurich 2024 to add to his triumphs in Glasgow in 2023 and Baie-Comeau in 2022.
In addition, he is a four-time world champion in track cycling as well a European champion in 2022.
Speaking about receiving the MBE, Graham described it as an incredible honour which was the icing on the cake on a fantastic 2024.
“You never really expect to get stuff like that as at the end of the day, I ride a bike for a living,” he said.
“To get a gold medal at the Paralympics was the highlight of my year, but to receive an MBE is special. It was really cool to get that letter in the post.
“When you look at the amount of people after each Olympics and Paralympics that receive honours, it is a special thing to get.
“It has been the best year in my cycling career, so to receive an MBE was a great way to finish it.
“I told my parents at New Year and I was back home and we all celebrated it which was nice.”
Graham was born with bilateral club feet, which left him with no calf muscle and little to no movement in his ankles.
Having fallen in love with cycling at the age of four, Graham began competing in mountain biking three years later and raced across Scotland.
He caught the attention of British Cycling’s para-cycling coaches in 2016 at a talent identification day in Derby and later relocated to Manchester where he has based since.
Graham is now preparing for the new cycling season, but before that he will be taking on Strathpuffer 2025 at Contin next weekend.
He is planning to compete in a team of four at the 24-hour cycling endurance challenge which take place on Saturday, January 11 and Sunday, January 12.
It will be the first time in nine years Graham has competed at the event and is looking forward to testing himself in one of the toughest cycling endurance events in Scotland.
“The last time I competed at Strathpuffer was back in 2016 in a solo event. I am competing in a team four so hopefully my teammates will still be friends with me afterwards!”
