Jason Kenny: Britain’s most successful Olympian calls time on glittering career to take up coaching role

ByEurosport

Updated 24/02/2022 at 09:06 GMT

Jason Kenny's career as an Olympian yielded seven gold medals and two silvers in a Games career dating back to Beijing in 2008. His first gold came in the team sprint, while he signed off with a brilliant victory in the keirin - stunning his rivals in Tokyo when jumping off the front from a long way out and holding on for the win.

Jason Kenny has brought the curtain down on a career that saw him become the country’s most successful Olympian.

In a career spanning four Olympic Games, Kenny won seven gold medals and two silvers.

After winning the keirin at Tokyo 2020 last year, Kenny teased the prospect of carrying on to Paris in 2024.

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However, injuries have started to bite and he has taken the decision to retire and take up a coaching role with British Cycling.

"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," Kenny told the BBC. "The opportunity at British Cycling to be a coach might not be there in three years. I thought I'd take it now.

“The opportunity came up at British Cycling to be a coach and it's something I wanted to do when I stopped anyway and it might not be there in three years so I thought for the sake of three years, I don't know if I can do three more years anyway, I thought I'd take the opportunity now.”

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The 33-year-old’s first Olympic gold came in the team sprint at Beijing 2008, and his three golds in the team events were his fondest memories.

“The last one (keirin gold in Tokyo) was very special because I know it's the last one now,” Kenny said. “But the team ones are always the most fun because you get to enjoy it with your mates."

The competitive hunger will remain in the Kenny house, as his wife Laura still has her eyes on adding to her five Olympic golds in Paris.

"That's going to be a new dynamic in our house,” Kenny said. "Living with a competing athlete is always challenging but it's also been good that we've been able to go through it together, grow together and go to the races together and spend all that really special time that's normally away from your family.”

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The Olympic Games will return with Paris 2024, live on Eurosport and discovery+.

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