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Brits top of track in Beijing

by VeloNews.com

• August 19, 2008
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By Agence France Presse

Great Britain dominated track events in Beijing, capping off the effort with a solid world record in the premiere event.

Photo: Casey B. Gibson

Britain confirmed their status as rulers of the Olympic velodrome Tuesday, claiming two of the last three track cycling gold medals on offer to finish with seven out of 10.

On a day that Australian blushes were saved in timely fashion by Anna Meares’ sprint silver, giving the team that dominated in Athens just one medal, Britain were celebrating a total of 12 out of 30 medals awarded in Beijing.

They medalled in eight of the 10 events, only failing to claim a medal in the women’s points race and the men’s Madison.

Flying Scotsman Chris Hoy brought the curtain down in dramatic style when he equalled a 100-year-old British Olympic record on his way to winning his third gold medal of the Games in the coveted sprint event, ahead of England’s Jason Kenny.

That handed Hoy a first Olympic sprint title, to go with his victories in the team sprint and keirin.

Kenny, a 20-year-old from Bolton who is competing in his first Olympics, picked up the silver and will go home with two medals having won gold in the team sprint with Hoy and third team member Jamie Staff of England.

“It’s pretty special,” said Hoy, who becomes the first Briton to win three Olympic golds in a single Games since swimmer Henry Cotton in 1908.

“When I think multiple medals I think about (rower) Steve Redgrave and (swimmer) Michael Phelps.

“Although I haven’t quite matched up to their medals, it’s a great achievement to have three gold medals around my neck.”

Britain’s record tally of medals was completed by Victoria Pendleton, who maintained her unbeaten momentum throughout the tough three-day sprint tournament to claim her first Olympic crown.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet, this whole week has been unreal,” said Pendleton, who admitted that her biggest sporting legend was the man with whom she has been training on a regular basis.

“Chris (Hoy) is a legend. He’s my hero, and he’s even more of a legend now.”

She added: “I keep pinching myself thinking I’m going to wake up. It’s very emotional watching the races in the Olympic village. It’s a dream come true.”

The 32-year-old Hoy, who was born in Edinburgh, now has a total of five Olympic medals, four of them gold.

In Athens he won the kilometer time trial crown on its last Olympic appearance and in Sydney four years earlier he claimed silver in the team sprint behind France.

It was after the kilometer was axed from the Olympic program that Hoy turned his attention to the speed events.

That has turned out to be a blessing in disguise, leading him to win a first keirin world title in 2007, and defending it in 2008 – when he also won the world sprint crown for the first time.

After his displays in the keirin and team sprint at the Games, in which he was unbeaten, Hoy went into the final against his younger teammate as the big favorite.

Kenny, one of the revelations of the track here, gave Hoy a run for his money in the first match before Hoy proved his gold status with a more dominant display in the second.

Kenny could be a main feature of the London Games in 2012, but Hoy said he plans to stick around.

“London? What more motivation do you want,” he said as he stood clutching his three gold medals.