WHEN we talk about sport we often use terms like ‘heartbreak’ or ‘misery’ or ‘agony’ without really thinking.

I’m as guilty as the next man or woman of going overboard to describe a last-gasp goal conceded or some other relatively trivial matter.

But this week sees the return to action of two local sport stars who have really been through some tough times in recent years.

Tomorrow sees the start of the UCI 2016 Track Cycling World Championships at London’s Lee Valley VeloPark and the return of Abergavenny’s Becky James to the world stage after two years out.

James first caught the eye by winning double gold at the 2009 European Track Championships as a 17-year-old.

She went on to claim two medals for Wales at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and two British titles in 2011 and looked set to make an impact at London 2012.

But a series of mishaps put paid to her Olympic dream four years ago.

She suffered food poisoning following a World Cup event in Kazakhstan in November 2011, then picked up an Achilles injury the following month before having to have her appendix removed in January 2012.

James used that frustration to fuel the greatest moment of her career so far when she became a double world champion with gold in the sprint and the keirin in Minsk in February 2013.

She followed that up with two bronze medals at the 2014 world championships before her bad luck really started.

The 24-year-old missed out on competing at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow due to career-threatening knee and shoulder injuries and a cancer scare following a cervical smear.

The last two years have been a nightmare for James and she’s just glad to finally be pain free and in with a chance of a shot at Olympic glory in Rio this summer.

“There was definitely a time when I thought that I was finished but that's when the team around me and everyone supporting me wanted to help,” she said this week.

“Sometimes you don't want to hear that – you want someone to say its fine, come home, we'll support you and help you get a job.

“But that's not what I want to do – I want to get back. For me it has been a huge learning process over the last few years.

“There's been ups and downs and so many emotions I've been through, even three four months ago it's like an emotional rollercoaster.”

South Wales Argus: RETURN: Cefn Fforest fighter Robbie Turley, right

Cefn Fforest boxer Robbie Turley’s problems started with a routine brain scan in March 2012.

Turley, who took superstar Carl Frampton the distance in the summer of 2011 (above), was unable to fight for more than two years after the British Boxing Board of Control in Cardiff withdrew his licence.

A microscopic amount of blood on a pineal cyst in Turley’s brain caused the Board to take action but neurosurgeons insisted there was no risk to his health.

Turley’s dad Chris estimates that he spent £6,000 in fighting his son’s case and the Board finally gave the former Celtic super-bantamweight champion the green light to fight on.

Turley paid tribute to his dad for helping him through the toughest few years of his life.

“I’ve been in a depression for the whole time,” he told the Argus. “I was in a deep hole. I thought I’d never box again.

“If it weren’t for my father I’d have given up and I can’t thank him enough. He’s been brilliant.”

Even after his return to the ring in March 2014 things haven’t been easy for Turley with fights falling through and potential opponents seemingly doing everything they can to avoid taking him on.

But Turley has landed another British super-bantamweight title eliminator this Friday night – against Tommy Ward in his native North East.

Win and the 29-year-old St Joseph’s fighter is one step closer to fulfilling a boyhood dream.

“I promised myself from when I was a kid that I’d win the British title and that’s what I want to do,” he said.

“I was gutted when I thought that dream was over but I’m definitely going to become British champion.”

Good luck to Robbie and Becky this week – they’ve certainly earned it.