Cyrille Tchatchet's journey from homelessness to the Commonwealth Games podium

Cyrille Tchatchet has gone from homelessness to the Commonwealth podium – and now wants his silver medal to be a beacon of hope for refugees and those battling mental health struggles.

The Walsall resident finished second in the 110kg category final in Glasgow, the same city where he fled the Cameroon camp 12 years ago.

Tchatchet, 30, slept rough in Glasgow before heading to Brighton, where he lived under a bridge for two months.

He contemplated taking his own life before moving to the West Midlands, and he has since trained as a mental health nurse.

He reunited with his mum, who flew in from Cameroon to see him compete for the first time, the pair beaming on the podium before sharing an emotional embrace.

“Having her in the crowd cheering me on was amazing. I could hear her voice,” he said. “She's very proud.

“I remember calling her after I left the Commonwealth Games Village in 2014 and telling her I didn't have anywhere to go. She was very worried.

“Seeing the smile on her face today, watching her celebrate and putting the medal around her neck, made me really happy.

“This medal means hope. It means perseverance. It means never giving up.

“My story wasn't straightforward but it shows that despite the struggles and hardships we go through, there's always a possibility if we keep believing in ourselves and keep pushing.

“Life is full of struggles, whether that's at work, at school or at home.

“Keeping your head up and continuing to push forward is the right thing to do.”

Tchatchet retired from weightlifting two years ago to focus on his career as a senior practitioner on a community mental health team in Walsall.

But when Glasgow was announced as hosts of these Games, replacing the Australian state of Victoria, he returned so his journey would come full circle.

“When they announced these Games would be in Glasgow, I just felt that maybe it was fate. Maybe it was meant to be,” Tchatchet, who returns to work on Monday, added. “Looking back now, I think it really was.

“Glasgow is where I competed in my first Commonwealth Games and now it's where I've won my first Commonwealth Games medal.

“It's come full circle for me. At one point I thought this dream wasn't going to happen, so I'm very pleased to have finally achieved it here.”

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