The last time Cyrille Tchatchet II was in Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games, he defected from the Cameroon team, spent two months homeless and contemplated taking his own life.
Every athlete has a story. Tchatchet II's takes rather longer to tell.
After making his Commonwealth Games debut 12 years ago, he walked out of the athletes' village wearing only his weightlifting shoes. He slept rough just a few streets away before boarding a train south.
Arriving in Brighton, he spent two months sleeping under a bridge, a world away from the Friendly Games. One night, he planned to take his own life.
"I just felt hopeless. I thought suicide would fix things," he said.
A call to the Samaritans was followed by an arrest for breaching the terms of his immigration visa and a spell in a detention centre in Dover. His initial application to remain in the UK was denied by the Home Office. He moved to Birmingham and reconnected with the sport while training to become a nurse.
He made his Olympic debut for the IOC Refugee Team in Tokyo, finishing tenth, before returning to the Commonwealth Games with Team England four years ago, narrowly missing out on a medal.
When Glasgow stepped in at late notice to host these Games, Tchatchet II came out of retirement in an attempt to make the England team once more. For him, it was an opportunity to complete a remarkable circle.
"When I came to the UK in 2014, it wasn't a very smooth beginning," he added.
"I experienced homelessness and I had to rebuild my life away from my family. I had to make new friends. I had to spend a period of time by myself and I experienced loneliness. I think this experience has shaped my personality; it taught me resilience and perseverance.
"I'm pretty happy to be going back to Glasgow, this time with Team England. It's been a long journey. It wasn't easy – I've gone through a lot of difficulties, a lot of setbacks, and I'm pretty proud of myself for having persisted.
"Glasgow feels like a good place to end the story. Last time wasn't the greatest experience for me. I wasn't there psychologically.
"What I would say to the young Cyrille back then is: you must be brave. You must be hopeful, and you must keep pushing.
"I did go through very bad moments, but I was able to stand up and continue. I was supported by a lot of people and a lot of organisations, who helped me through."
Tchatchet spent his early years in Cameroon's capital, Yaoundé, and took up weightlifting after seeing a picture of his uncle performing a lift. By the time he was 18, he had made his national team debut at the African Championships.
He trained relentlessly, fuelled by his mother's home cooking and his favourite dish of yams with ndolé, a stew made from bitter leaves and peanuts.
"I started weightlifting about 16 years ago, when I was 14," he said. "I got into weightlifting by chance because I was taking part in my cousin's baptism and I saw a picture of their father. It was a very captivating picture and I found it really interesting.
"I told my mum that I wanted to do this sport and that's how I ended up in the gym a couple of days later. I've been addicted to it ever since."
There is certainly unfinished business with these Games for Tchatchet II. Four years ago, in his adopted hometown, he arrived as favourite but finished ninth after recording no valid lift.
"I don't think I'd ever felt that pain before, even on the day I wanted to end my life," he added.
"I was just devastated. I was crying and shouting and in a very bad state. I woke up the next day and was just happy to be alive. It just took time for me to accept it.
"This time, my first goal is simply to complete my lifts. If I'm able to execute them successfully, I'm pretty sure I won't leave here empty-handed."
Glasgow is a city where everything fell apart for Tchatchet II but also the place where, at last, he has the chance to complete the story on his own terms.
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