The kind of mental fortitude, perhaps, that enabled Gourley to get up in front of his fellow athletes in Nanjing and deliver a rousing captain’s speech, after he was given the honour of leading the British delegation.
“Leave some room for the extraordinary to happen,” Gourley said, when asked what he told his team-mates.
“Don’t just go in thinking you’ll do what you’ve been doing all season or compete within yourself.
“You’ve got to go out there and believe something else is there and you can take some chances and have some ambition.”
Gourley’s ambition is certainly paying dividends. World silver on the mantelpiece and world gold in his sights.
There’s no chance his recent success will go to his head, however.
Before arriving in Glasgow’s east end, Gourley apologised for being a little late. He’d just had a visit from UK anti-doping for an out-of-competition test. Another sign, perhaps, that his star is very much on the rise.
