The 33-year-old British cycling legend, husband to fellow cyclist Laura Kenny, is now the most decorated British Olympian of all time
With a surprising victory in the keirin final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Jason Kenny became the first Briton to win seven Olympic gold medals.
In Tokyo, Kenny saved the best for last and attacked early, with no other cyclists able to keep up to him.
The 33-year-old British cycling legend is the most decorated British Olympian of all time and is married to fellow cyclist Laura Kenny.
With a long-range attack, the 2016 champion surprised his five rivals.
Sir Chris Hoy, speaking on the BBC, described Kenny’s stunning victory: “I have never seen a race like it, to watch the guy at the front ride off into the distance, it was just incredible.
“He gained a bit of height, kept the pressure on the pedal and he just went for it. It was never in doubt.”
He added, ” “This is a race that will be discussed about not just for the next few years, but for decades. A race in which the winner totally dominated the field.”
Kenny has won four Olympic Games: Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. His form wasn’t up to his normal high standards at the start of the Olympics, but there could only be one winner in the final.
It is a ninth Olympic medal for Kenny, who won silver in the team sprint to become GB’s most decorated Olympian earlier this week at the Izu Velodrome.
His tally of seven golds is one more than former team-mate Chris Hoy, while he also has two silvers.
Kenny told the BBC after his win: “Seven gold medals is a remarkable achievement, especially when compared to the ones you’ve already won.
“Then you remember how difficult it is when you want to get more.
“It’s easy to forget the effort and time that goes into it. This week has been disappointing for me because I haven’t been as competitive as I had expected. In the keirins, though, you can race hard and rely on chance.
“I couldn’t believe no-one came past, I felt like I was standing still at the end, I was hacking away into the final corner, but just kept telling myself it is a medal. I couldn’t believe it when I crossed the line.”
There was question about how long Kenny would continue after the Tokyo Olympics, but he hinted that there was still more in him.
“Before today I had all but given up,” he said. “I was counting my career in days and races as opposed to years, but maybe I have bought myself more time now.”
His spectacular victory put a beaming smile on wife Laura’s face. However she was unable to keep hold of her women’s omnium crown after a crash in the scratch race and an early exit in the elimination race.
She ended up in sixth place.
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