Podcast – Andy Welsh

I always love to do podcasts with friends who are not very revealing on social media about their BMX history and career. It’s kind of a mystery and, in this case, it’s a total mystery, as Mr Andy Welsh is not on social media at all.

I’ve known Andy since the mid 80s. He was in the age group above me and has been someone I always looked up to and respected for what he did in BMX, and you will also find out on this podcast that he’s a very humble man with good values.

Andy made a name for himself pretty much right off the bat, getting on GT Factory. Coming from Scotland, it was known Andy would make the long drives south to get his BMX fix or, as in many cases, would take the train down to the Nationals and back home on the sleeper Sunday night in time for Monday’s school.

Andy talks about racing in Scotland at the start, the rivalry with Wayne Llewellyn, Lee Flavin, Dean Iddiols, Simon Hayes, Sean Field, alongside some of the teams he rode for. Andy chats about people who helped him along the way, from his dad to Fred Hunter, Bernard Williams, Sonny Ives, Tony Scott, Ron Peter, Mark Fryer, Carole Gosling and Tom Lynch Sn (Big Tom).

He covers his training, having a trainer even in the 80s, analysing Geth Shooter and why Andy’s first straight was so good.

Andy talks about pulling the slam in 1986, winning the National and British Championships, the European Championships and World Championships all in the same year.

Years later, Andy talks about how honoured he was that fellow Scot and six time Olympic Champion Chris Hoy sent him the 86 Worlds video and gave him props.

In his first year Superclass in 1987 at only 16 years old, Andy went head to head with Tom Lynch for the National title, crashing out while leading the European Championships finals in Belgium, to when he was looking like a favourite again at the 87 Worlds in Orlando, winning everything up to the final for a possible showdown with US star Mike King, only to flip the gate in the final, and if you’ve seen the video you will know what Andy shouted.

Andy talks about winding it down, family life these days, work and keeping in shape. It’s great to finally see and catch up with Andy after 25 plus years and record this.