Becky James has defied the odds and captured the moment to deliver a handful of epic Olympic performances which proves sometimes in sport, fortune really does favour the brave and perseverance has its own reward.

Over the last couple of years James has been plagued by injury and illness, including a cancer scare, but the Abergavenny speedster’s tenacity and determination to overcome, ride on and win was evident for the watching world on Saturday and Tuesday night in Rio.

In front of a packed house which included her mum, dad, granddad, auntie, sister, and boyfriend George North, the 24-year-old dug deep in the women’s keirin on Sunday to pull off an audacious move in the space of the final lap which saw her move from last place to second place and claim silver.

Only gold medalist Elis Ligtlee of the Netherlands had the legs to keep James at bay, but missing out on the top spot didn’t matter to the Rio rocket, who insists that considering the circumstances leading up to the Olympics, getting a silver meant “absolutely everything.”

“I was desperate for that medal,” explained an over the moon James.

“I can’t believe it. I came here in some really good form and that’s what I needed.

“I love the Keirin and once I got through the first round I just thought I would enjoy the whole day of racing. In that final I was just thinking when do I go and I had so much speed in the last burst and I don’t know where it came from.”

Reflecting on the build up to the games and the obstacles she had to overcome to make the GB squad, James admitted, “This has been a really tough time for me the last two years,“Over a year ago I’d just started my full time training and I was barely getting through a full week of training.

“To think where I was a year ago from now to where I am now – I could never have imagined it.

“My form has been pretty good the last few weeks from the holding camp so I was feeling confident but you never know in the keirin.”

Of course, when your friends, family, and boyfriend are on hand to celebrate your big win it makes the silver taste all the more sweeter, as Becky explained.

“My family and George [North] are in the crowd. I’ve never been able to celebrate medals with him before.

“It means the world to me, especially having my parents here too.

“They don’t often get to come and my mum has never been on a long haul flight before so it’s incredible that they can all be here and that we can celebrate together.”

George North tweeted, “Words can’t describe how proud I am! Everything she’s been through what an absolute hero.”

And proud dad David told the BBC, “We didn’t think she’d ride her bike again at one time in 2014. It was a slow, slow process.

“Even in January, we didn’t think she’d get back competitively. And here she is winning silver medals in the Olympics.

As Winston Churchill famously said, “If you are going through hell, keep going.” A motto which has paid off handsomely for the Abergavenny speed queen, who following her silver success, began her campaign for a second medal on Sunday evening by setting a new Olympic record of 10.721 in the women’s sprint qualification before easing through the first round.

Matt Cosgrove, Performance Director at Welsh Cycling said, “I would like to congratulate Becky James on her Olympic silver medal in the Keirin for Team GB. This is Becky’s first Olympic Games, and her medal is much deserved following years of hard-work to return to this level of racing. Becky has been a talented cyclist from a young age, winning her first world titles as a junior cyclist, and winning medals for Wales in the Commonwealth Games in 2010. To see her win silver at the Rio 2016 Olympics is a proud moment for Wales, and Welsh Cycling.”

Anne Adams-King, Chief Executive Officer at Welsh Cycling added, “On behalf of Welsh Cycling, I would like to congratulate Becky on her silver medal in the Keirin. It is brilliant to see Becky achieve at the highest level in cycling. She’s had a tough few years, but it is just fantastic to see her on the podium in Rio. Becky, along with Elinor and Owain, are products of Wales and all three are fulfilling their potential in cycling and will inspire a whole new generation of cyclists in Wales.”

And as the chronicle went to press, we were delighted to hear that Becky has bagged another silver in the sprint final where she faced Germany’s Vogel in the battle for gold.

Becky’s medal haul is a testimony to her tenacity, true grit and proof that every cloud has a silver lining. As Rocky Balboa once said, “It aint about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!”

For Becky James and the rest of the Team GB cycling team, the future really does look golden.

Congratulations!