Britain’s most successful Olympian of all time Sir Jason Kenny has announced he is to retire from cycling.
The 33-year-old Bolton-born track cyclist – who was knighted in the 2022 New Year Honours – has won seven gold and two silver medals over four Olympic games in team sprints, sprints, and keirin events, and stunned the world when he officially became the most decorated and most successful Team GB Olympian after winning his seventh gold at Tokyo 2020.
He won his Olympic gold medal at Beijing in 2008 in the team sprint, and also took silver in the individual sprint at the same games, losing out in the final to Sir Chris Hoy.
Four years later at the London 2012 Olympics, he won both titles, and in Rio 2016, he won the team sprint, individual sprint, and keirin titles
His seventh and final Olympic gold came at Tokyo 2020, where he retained the men’s keirin title.
Sir Jason is now to take up a role with the Great Britain Cycling Team as a sprint coach.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast on his retirement, Sir Jason said: “A massive part of me would love to continue and try to get to Paris and I’m a little bit sad in a way to not do that… [but] the opportunity at British Cycling to be a coach might not be there in three years, so I thought I’d take it now.”
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He explained that his reason for retiring is “a combination of things”, but had previously said he was “not very optimistic” of being at Paris 2024 due to injuries.
“All I’ve ever known is racing and training,” he continued.
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“I’m sad on that front, but excited to start this new journey… It’s a step into the unknown [but] I’ve worked with amazing coaches and I’m trying to unlock my memories of what I remember as a rider and what I liked.”
Kenny says he aims to be a “positive” coach.
“When I look back at the coaches who got the best out of me, they were positive. It’s contagious when someone is positive. You can’t bash someone into being the best in the world or get the best out of themselves.”
The moment when Kenny became the most successful Team GB Olympian of all time at Tokyo 2020 / Credit: Twitter (@TeamGB)
Paying tribute, British Cycling Performance Director, Stephen Park CBE, said: “In many ways Jason’s final race, the Tokyo keirin, was the perfect embodiment of all that has made him such a joy to watch… I don’t think anyone watching could have foreseen the guile and explosive power which saw him blaze to victory, and I can think of no better way to call time on such a wonderful career.
“It goes without saying that Jason has made a magnificent contribution to our team.
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“I’m thrilled that we’ve been able to hold on to all of that knowledge and experience as he embarks on his career as a coach.”
“I just did my best and loved the process of getting to that point where you can have that special moment every four years,” Kenny concluded in his interview with the BBC.
“That’s always been my passion.”
Featured Image – Twitter (@TeamGB)
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Full list of road closures set to be in place for Manchester Day 2024
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Day is back for 2024 this weekend, and the full list of road closures set to be in place has been confirmed.
Now that schools are officially out across Greater Manchester, and the summer holidays are well and truly here, the hugely-popular Manchester Day is making a return once again this Saturday 27 July, and as always, it’s set to be “the day summer officially starts” in the city centre – with a massive celebration of “all things Mancunian” on the cards.
The theme of this year’s annual event is ‘Let The Games Begin’, and it’s inspired by the international summer of sport, just 2024 Olympics kicks off over in Paris.
The day will be packed full of free events and activities to get involved with.
Some city centre roads will be closed on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 July for Manchester Day.
These will include:
🛣️Deansgate 🛣️St Ann Street 🛣️St Mary’s Gate 🛣️Market Street 🛣️King Street
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) July 21, 2024
But of course, in order for the all the fun to go ahead as safely as possible, and as tends to be the case for events like these, Manchester City Council says it will need to make some temporary road closures to facilitate it.
The full list of road closures has now been confirmed by the Council, and there’s some major city centre thoroughfares set to be out of action.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Manchester Day is back for 2024 to celebrate the international summer of sport / Credit: Manchester City Council
Manchester Day 2024 – Road Closures
Saturday 27 July
From 6am to 11:59pm, Manchester City Council has confirmed that the following roads will be closed:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street) – access will be maintained to Marks and Spencer’s car park and Number One Deansgate.
St Ann Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street (Cross Street to Deansgate) – no access for deliveries.
All accessible bays, bus lanes, and taxi ranks within the closed areas will also be suspended during from 6pm on Friday 26 July to 11:59pm on Saturday 27 July.
The parking suspensions set to be in place are:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street)
St Ann Street – including the bays outside St Ann’s Church (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Southgate (St Mary’s Street to King Street West)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Victoria Street (Cathedral Approach to Deansgate)
Todd Street (Corporation Street to Station Approach)
King Street (Spring Gardens to Southgate)
South King Street (Ridgefield to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street West (Deansgate to St Mary’s Parsonage)
St James’s Square (John Dalton Street to South King Street)
Cross Street (King Street to Corporation Street)
Museum Street (Peter Street to Windmill Street)
Marsden Street (Cheapside to Brown Street)
Manchester Day 2024: Let The Games Begin! will take over the city centre on Saturday 27 July from 12pm-6pm.
Check out everything you need to know ahead of the event here.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete
Emily Sergeant
Work currently underway on the Rochdale via Oldham line is expected to take several weeks to complete.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has confirmed that land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has now “slowed”, and this means that detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works have been able to get underway.
In order for trams to run again on the crucial line from the city centre to the two major Greater Manchester towns, TfGM says that a small section of track has to be moved back – also known as ‘slewed’ – into its original position.
The overhead line poles also need to be repaired too, the transport operator revealed.
Rochdale line update
Land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has slowed, enabling detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works to get underway.
To get trams running again, a small section of track has to be moved back into its original position… pic.twitter.com/byERjitdi1
Unfortunately though, due to the “complex” nature of these works, and despite the fact that TfGM says it’s actively looking to “accelerate” the repairs, the project is expected to take up to five weeks to complete in full.
On top of this, the detailed ground investigations will also establish whether any further work to strengthen foundations beneath the track will be needed at a later date.
TfGM has apologised for the inconvenience caused to passengers.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete / Credit: TfGM
Speaking on the scale of works currently underway, and how long he expects them to continue for, Pete Sommers, who is TfGM’s Network Director for Metrolink, said: “I’m sorry for the impact this is having, and will continue to have, on people’s journeys.
“We are working to get trams running through the area again, but this remains a complex and challenging issue and it could still be a few weeks before this happens.
“We will of course keep passengers updated, and I’d encourage people to check our social media channels and website for the latest information and advice.”