Archie Goodburn: The Commonwealth Games swimmer who might not see 40
As Goodburn offers an insight into what he, and many others, must face on a daily basis, a tear rolls down each cheek.
“I see the future in different ways on different days,” he explains.
“There are days when I wake up feeling positive and hoping things are going to be out there that can help. Other days, my eyes open and I remember I have brain cancer. There is an end point to my life and it’s much earlier than it should be.”
While he campaigns for more funding and better awareness, this extraordinary young man is drawing on the support of family and friends as he pursues his career as elite swimmer.
He has a national title to defend this weekend and, despite everything, he’ll be the strong favourite to retain the Scottish 50m breaststroke crown – live on the BBC Sport website, app and iPlayer – given he claimed silver at the British Championships in April.
It’s difficult for Goodburn to plan too far in advance, though, especially as he may now have to consider more aggressive forms of treatment such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, options he’s managed to postpone thus far.
“I want to keep going as long as I can and be in Glasgow for the next Commonwealth Games,” he says.
“I can live a pretty normal life at the moment but that’s not to say that’s something that’s going to last and it won’t be something that lasts.”
Watching Goodburn train at The Pleasance, alongside sister and fellow Commonwealth hopeful Katie, is long-time coach Mat Trodden.
He can’t quite fathom how his protege is not only still training at a high level, but getting results too. Within a month of his first surgery, he won that Scottish title. And at the end of last year, he equalled his PB at the world short course.
But Goodburn isn’t resting there. While he tackles head on all the difficult challenges life has landed him with, he’s also allowing himself to dream.
“I’m dreaming of bettering myself,” he says. “A diagnosis like this takes away the belief in yourself that you can be better than you were previously. Cancer is something that we look at as a downhill, slippery slope and in some ways it is.
“But I dream of being better than the last time I tried to do something. That lights a wee fire in me when a lot of other things put the fire out.
“Doing a personal best post-diagnosis is a huge dream of mine. Going on to represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Games would be massive. Fingers crossed I can look towards the next Olympics.
“That depends on a lot of factors outside my control. I’m just going to keep going at this as long as I can and keep being Archie.”
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