When talking about sporting legends who usually springs to mind: Pele, Michael Schumacher, Roger Federer, Emile Heskey? Yes it’s easy to blurt out names from the world of football, rugby, tennis, but there are, in fact, a few hidden gems that people forget about. An example: the most decorated British Olympian of all time and arguably the best track-cyclist Britain has ever produced; Sir Chris Hoy.
The Scot has been gracing our television screens since 1999 and made the Olympic stage his very own ever since his games debut in 2000. Hoy’s ambition, drive and leadership – not to mention his abnormally large thigh muscles – has helped put cycling back on the sporting map and with a little contribution from Bradley Wiggins and co, Britain dominated on the track in the past decade.
But the attraction of wearing tight lycra shorts and climbing off your bike with what feels like a cauliflower beanbag in between your legs wasn’t quite the reason Chris got into cycling. In fact, it was the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial that captured his interest when he was just six years old. And who could blame him? I for one would love to cycle in mid-air whilst wrapped in red cloth. That or have a glowing fingertip – surely a saver on electric bills?
It was then that Hoy got his first ride and one that was sure to impress the ladies down the local park, for it was a girl’s bike handed over by a neighbour. But behind the stabilizers, pink tassels and woven basket was a swift learner with an immense talent for riding.
Between the ages of seven and 14, Chris raced BMX and was ranked second in Britain, fifth in Europe and ninth in the world, attracting sponsorships from Slazenger and Kwik-Fit on the way.
From 1994 the Edinburgh-born athlete was a member of his city’s racing club where he focused primarily on track cycling. It was with them that Hoy won his first silverware five years later, finishing second in the team sprint of the UCI Track Cycling World Championships. By now his name was starting to reach the cycling world’s lips and he was certainly heading down the right track (no pun intended) in pursuing his career as a professional athlete.
With high expectations came further impressive performances, as Hoy took silver alongside Craig MacLean and Jason Queally in the team sprint at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
A first team World Title at Copenhagen’s Ballerup Velodrome was to follow in 2002 before the Greek Gods smiled down on the Brit two years later when he claimed his first Olympic Games gold medal, winning the 1km track time trial in Athens.
The taste of an Olympic podium finish proved greater, but Hoy sought to develop in other events as he geared up (again, no pun intended) for the next Olympics in Beijing, China. With the decision to remove the Kilo from further Olympic programmes, Chris focused his training on the keirin, challenging not only his physicality in sterner events but tactical mindset too. Now, I don’t know if you’ve ever seen the keirin, but it’s basically a group of six to eight cyclists following what looks like a man on a motorised pizza delivery bike around the track. With its speed gradually increasing in an almost ‘come on keep up’ manner, the motorised bike pulls off with 2.5 laps to go and the riders race for the line.
After tons of sweat, flat tyres and angry pizza customers later, the 2008 Summer Olympics played host to Hoy’s newly adopted skills and with great aplomb. He became the first British Olympian in 100 years to win three gold medals at one games, claiming victory in the keirin and team sprint alongside Jason Kenny and Jamie Staff, whilst beating the former to earn gold in the individual sprint.
It was performances like these that were acknowledged by the British public and her majesty the Queen, as Hoy not only won BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2008 but also received a knighthood. Now I know what some of you are thinking: “you shouldn’t be knighted for cycling around an oval at high speed”. See that’s where you’re wrong, as the forthcoming fact will certainly provide the back-up to his rightful honour and question any doubters.
The flying Scotsman’s heroics at the Beijing games weren’t to be his last at an Olympics, and after adding to his immense collection of gold medals in between – not to mention his winning contributions with Team Sky – he wowed his home crowd at the 2012 London Summer Olympics too. An ambassador for the games, Sir Chris led Team GB out as the flag carrier at the opening ceremony, before popping onto his bike and retaining gold in a world record team sprint and keirin. It was these two victories that made him the most successful British Olympian ever and joint holder of most medals won by any Brit, a stat he shares with fellow helmet-head Bradley Wiggins.
It was truly a sight to behold: standing up on the podium surrounded by a host of colours, the British flag being raised to the chorus of God Save the Queen, floods of tears running down the face… and that was just the stadium cleaner at nightfall.
Hoy’s list of accolades goes on and on, from winning World Championship medals every year between 1999-2012 (albeit in 2009), to earning two golds in separate Commonwealth Games. Yet it was not only his pedal power on the track that earns him his status as a ‘legend’ but his dedication and persistency off it, training 25-35 hours a week depending on the stage of the season. His gruelling schedule only a champion could manage includes a two-hour session at the gym, an aerobic conditioning ride on the road and a tough workout around the velodrome, before ending the day with a well-earned massage.
It was with great respect that Sir Chris announced his retirement in April 2013 aged just 37. So what did the greatest British Olympian, knighted for his services, thighs as powerful as wrecking balls, do in his free time? Wrestle bears in the forests of Scotland? Punch cattle in the fields of England? Nope. His smiling face greeted happy shoppers down the aisles for he promoted… breakfast cereal.
Its true then, Sir Chris Hoy can just about accomplish anything (except wrestle bears), which is why he is my personal choice for a sporting legend. And for the younger readers of this, it has been epitomised that dreams set by fictional films can come true, but just remember never to ask Uncle Hoy if he wants to go down the park for a bike ride; or indeed share a tandem.
By Aaron Aquilina
