IN a world where we are more connected than ever it also feels like there is a big disconnect.
The positive side to phones and social media is that it keeps us connected with our friends no matter where in the world we are.
Jamaica is kind to my body and mind but months without seeing friends can remind me of life during lockdown when you spent all of your time alone.
It’s a reminder to how fast life is moving and we can all be guilty of not reaching out to people we know or have met.
I jump back to 2011 for this - I am stood in the gym at Bisham Abbey with the British Rowing Team and I see this young lad walking in pushing a bike.
A fresh faced youngster with a set of quads to rival Chris Hoy made his way over to the warm up area.
I wandered over to say hello. ‘Ah you’re from Scotland,’ the young lad said. ‘Yes I am,’ I replied, ‘and you?’
‘Yeah I am from Caithness,’ the youngster said in strong Scottish voice.
We instantly hit it off and each week I looked forward to catching up with a fellow Scot.
It was obvious he was a sprint cyclist, I just didn’t know how good a sprinter he was at that point. A humble young athlete but with a clear talent and ability.
The gym would stop and watch when he squatted. Us rowers weren’t he best at squats, so it was an impressive sight seeing this youngster putting out reps with 180 kilograms.
Sport like life moves fast and one day the youngster wasn’t in the gym and the next time I would see him was 2014 in Glasgow when he lined up for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games.
Instantly we were reminiscing about the days back in Bisham and it was nice for me as I had just been diagnosed for the second time. To see how happy all the athletes were gave me a real love of life.
It wouldn’t be until this week that I would see the fresh faced youngster again. And unfortunately it was in the worst circumstances imaginable.
Like most in the world of cycling I was shocked at a post that appeared online sharing the news that John Paul, or ‘JP’, had passed away in his sleep aged just 28.
The photo of him standing with his bike wearing the rainbow jersey was shared online in the cycling community.
Like many who read it, I froze with the thought, ‘is this real’.
I hadn’t seen JP since 2014 and he wasn’t a guy for social media, so I guess it was easy to lose touch with what he was doing in life.
Glasgow track club today are holding a session in his memory and I know there will be many stories of this young Scottish sporting champion and how nice a lad he was.
Once tipped as a talent that only comes around every so often JP won a world junior championships and was loved as much on the bike as he was off it.
I know many will have wonderful stories of sharing junior cycling days with him and his joking personality.
But for me he will always be the young kid who chatted away back in Bisham Abbey.
Rest in peace JP.
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