Ben Swift returned to track competition with an eighth-place finish in the Commonwealth Games’ elimination race on Friday evening.

The Onchan resident opened up his second Games campaign for Team Isle of Man with gutsy ride in the fast and furious track race that sees the last rider eliminated every two laps.

Cheered on by a vocal crowd at the Chris Hoy Velodrome the experienced professional admitted he was a little disappointed not to have continued longer into the race.

The 38 year old said: ‘There was a lot of movement around on the track, a lot of argy-bargy and pushing around, near misses and stuff like that.

‘But it's an exciting race. Fortunately, the end result wasn't what we really wanted, but it is what it is, and it was at least it was an exciting race to watch.’

Speaking about representing his adopted home nation, the Yorkshireman added: ‘It's fantastic. The cycling community and the community in general there is unbelievable, and I feel really part of the wider family there.

‘Also to ride with Bocky who is a real medal prospect is wonderful.’

Despite his experience on the track and the roads, Swift added he’s still learning on the job: ‘The tracks come on a long way since 2012 when I did my last major championships.

‘Things like the gear ratios are hugely different to what they were back then.

‘That's still a little bit of a learning curve, but two more days to go and we'll try and rectify the mistakes from today.’

Swift and team-mate Matthew Bostock are back in action on Saturday morning in the men’s scratch race heats, before tackling the points race on Sunday.