COMPETITION at the Commonwealth Games for Irvine gymnast David Weir will begin Thursday.

We caught up with the 19-year-old former Greenwood Academy pupil ahead of it for an exclusive interview as he sits down at his base in the Gold Coast and put these questions to him

What was the last major event you took part in and how did it go?

The British Championships at the start of the month, it wasn't too great as were weren't in peak shape, it was just about getting some experience before we headed to Gold Coast. I was ninth on the bar which was first reserve and for the final I hit four of six routines, which was okay.

When do you start competition and what will the training camp involve?

The team qualification and team final is on April 5, which is a two to three hour session, in which Team Scotland will hopefully pickup a medal. Training is two sessions a day and we have limited podium sessions owing to other countries.

How long have you been preparing for the Games?

Preparation for the Games started as soon as Glasgow 2014 finished. It was just recovering the body, getting used to the new gymnastics codes and fixing routines to fit the qualification criteria. Then In 2017 it was just trying to get the scores for the Games and hoping that was once qualification was done that was enough to get picked. The last two to three months have been intense with training camps every three to four weeks with the team but it has been exciting?

What are you hoping to achieve both for yourself and the team?

I hope to do the best performances as I can. We compete as a team and are hoping to retain a medal from Glasgow, as we got a silver, silver or bronze would be good as England are a shoe-in for the gold.

Are you looking forward to being part of Team Scotland, do you expect to interact with other athletes?

It will be exciting to be part of Team Scotland I have never done anything like this in terms of multi-sport. We will interact with other people and see how they have prepared.

Will this be the biggest event you have been involved in?

It's bigger than any other competition apart from the Olympics. This will be he first major Games I have done so hopefully I'll have another couple left in me.

Are any of your family coming out to watch the event?

They flew out on the 28th, my mum dad and sister, fly out to Brisbane, come to the Gold Coast to watch me and then have a holiday.

What will miss about home?

My dog, who is always pleased to see me and my mum and dad's cooking. It's the first time I will have used a washing machine!"

How will you relax when not in competition?

Sleeping, we have Wi-Fi in rooms to watch films.

What made you get into gymnastics and how long have you been involved?

My mum and dad put me into as I had too much energy, I wasn't any good at football and rugby and I got left with gymnastics, I did gymnastics when I was five or six at the school but never really did anything. I went to a summer camp at Dundonald Gymnastics Club and they talent-spotted me and put me on to an elite performance programme. I started proper training aged nine, that's 10 years now.

Scottish Gymnastics has revealed what their artistic gymnasts will be wearing when competing for Team Scotland at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The Team Scotland leotards were designed in partnership with Scottish Gymnastics and their competition kit makers, Milano Pro Sport, using colours and elements, which are important to both Commonwealth Games Scotland and Scottish Gymnastics.