Josie Knight has decided there is no point being shy about her ambition to be the individual pursuit champion at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The 29-year-old is almost embarrassed as she lists her achievements that make Commonwealth gold a distinct possibility at the end of July.

Only the Commonwealth and world titles are missing from her CV, and she won silver at the 2025 World Championships, losing out to British teammate Anna Morris, who will race against her for Team Wales in Glasgow.

“Individual pursuit is a big goal of mine,” the Aylesbury native said.

“I am the current national, European champion and world record holder in the event.

“That comes with its own sort of pressure, mainly only from myself.

“I'm not hiding the fact that I really want to win the individual pursuit, I want to be Commonwealth Games individual pursuit champion.

“That is my main aim of the competition, so we'll see how that goes.”

In her debut Games for Team England at Birmingham 2022, Knight failed to qualify for the medal races, finishing fifth.


Knight is twice a European champion in the event, having also twice been crowned world champion in the team pursuit, one of those titles coming in Glasgow in 2023.

Alongside Laura Kenny, who is now Team England president, Knight won her first Commonwealth medal with bronze in the team pursuit.

But it is in the individual event that she is laying all her cards on the table.

She added: “It makes me nervous to say it, and it's one of those things that you don't want to admit it to anyone.

“But then I know at this point I've shown with my recent results that I could do it, it's not out of reach and I don't think there's any shame in stating a goal, even if it doesn't happen.

“It’s what I'm dreaming of and what I think about when I go out and do most of my hard sessions, it's all working towards standing on the top step of that podium for the IP.

“But it doesn't make it any less scary to say it. It is what I want and I have decided there is no point in being shy about it, it is what I dream of.”

Knight is taking on the responsibility of being the most senior member of Team England’s women’s endurance squad, although she rode alongside Maddie Leech and Sophie Lewis in the team pursuit in Birmingham.

Eighteen-year-old Abi Miller has been included in the squad for her debut Games, and Knight is excited to nurture the young squad, whose shyness around her has worn off.

“Since that Games, [Maddie and Sophie] are two of my closest friends now, we train with each other all the time,” Knight, who was raised in Ireland, said.

“It's funny because we had a meeting yesterday about strategy and Maddie put a message into our group chat asking if we would like to buy matching trainers.  

“I laughed because in 2022 Maddie, Sophie and Grace [Lister] turned up to Birmingham with matching trainers and they hadn't asked Laura and I if we wanted them.

“I said ‘what an honour to be asked this time around’. Maddie said ‘we were way too scared last time, there was no way four years ago I was going to ask you and Laura if you wanted to match trainers with us!’

“In the space of four years, they're now two of my closest friends and they wouldn't be scared to ask me anything these days.”