THE family of Shaw's Matt Walls is in a state of nervous anticipation on the eve of the cyclist's first appearances at the Olympics.

Walls is competing in the omnium on Thursday, then the madison on Saturday.

The first of these events will see Walls challenge for points in different races over the course of a morning.

The second of these events will see him team up with Ethan Hayter in a gruelling, 200-lap endurance race.

Parents Larry and Lorraine are planning to watch both events with around 80 family members and friends at The Shawside on Grains Road, with some of them coming from as far away as London and Portsmouth.

Larry knows his son will show composure in Tokyo's velodrome, but is making no promises to do the same.

He said: "Once Matt gets racing, he'll be alright.

"He'll be nervous tonight and he'll be nervous on the line, but once the race starts he'll click into race mode."

But when asked how he will be on the day, Larry said: "Lorraine keeps it in and then it comes out at the end.

"She'll be very tearful.

"Me, I get it out all the way through. I shout and bawl, to be honest.

"I'll be animated, but I'll try to keep it under control the best I can."

It has been a long wait for Walls to make his first appearance at the Olympics.

He arrived in Tokyo two weeks ago, but is taking to the track in the closing stages of the competition.

However, this is nothing compared to the almost 15 years Walls has been building up to this moment.

The former St Joseph's Primary School and Crompton House Secondary School student picked up track cycling after a velodrome taster session at the age of nine.

He stuck at the track cycling, as well as road cycling, mountain biking and cyclocross, throughout his teenage years despite the inevitable rise in other distractions.

Larry said: "It's tough for teenagers.

"There's lots of peer pressure and lots going on, especially at 17 or 18 when the social scene kicks in."

Larry hopes his son's commitment is going to pay off in the form of a place on the podium.

He said: "We're hoping for a medal, but there are 20 riders in the omnium and there'll be at least 10, 12 who can win it on the day.

"If Matt gets a medal, we'll be ecstatic. He's an outsider, but he's definitely in with a shout."

Here is the information on Walls's appearances at the Olympics. All of the times below are approximate.

Thursday 5 August

Omnium

7.30am - Scratch Race

8.25am - Tempo Race

9.05am - Elimination Race

9.55am - Points Race

Saturday 7 August

Madison

8.55am

The BBC is showing coverage and highlights on both days.