Sport
Bolton track cyclist Jason Kenny becomes most successful GB Olympian of all time
There are calls for Kenny to be knighted after he bagged a ninth Olympic medal of his career on the final day of Tokyo 2020.
The Manc -
8th August 2021 
Jason Kenny from Farnworth in Bolton has become the most decorated Team GB Olympian of all time after winning a stunning seventh gold medal of his career at Tokyo 2020.
The decorated track cyclist won the men’s keirin final on Sunday 8 August – taking his total number of medals to nine and rendering him the most successful British Olympic athlete of all time.
Kenny, 33, has secured podium finishes at four separate Olympic Games events since 2008 – winning seven golds and two silvers in team sprints, sprints and keirin events.
But his victory in Izu this past weekend arguably tasted the sweetest of all – resulting in Kenny being labelled by Team GB as “our greatest Olympian”.
The feat has even resulted in calls for the Olympic champion to receive a knighthood.
Talking to the media after his victory, Kenny said that the result was “really special“.
He stated: “When you look back on the ones you have already got it seems pretty easy. Then, when you try and get more, you remember how hard it is. It is easy to forget the hard work that goes into it.
“I have been disappointed this week, I haven’t been as competitive as I wanted to be. But in the keirins you can race hard and ride your luck a little bit…
“Before today I had all but given up, I was counting my career in days and races as opposed to years, but maybe I have bought myself more time now.”
Kenny is already a renowned figure in his hometown of Bolton – with a community leisure centre named after him on Moor Lane.
The cyclist also secured two gold-painted post boxes for the local area on Deansgate and Churchgate after winning gold medals at the 2012 Olympic Games.
Kenny’s victory marks yet another huge achievement for the North West at Tokyo 2020 – with the cyclist joining the likes of other local heroes to have grabbed gold at the Games including Oldham’s Matt Walls in cycling, Bury’s James Guy in the swimming freestyle relay, and Manchester’s Georgia Taylor-Brown in the triathlon mixed relay.
Featured image: Team GB
