British Olympic great Jason Kenny retires from cycling

Decorated Olympian won seven gold medals

Jason Kenny burst on to the international scene by winning three gold medals at the junior world track cycling championship in 2006. PA Images

British cyclist Jason Kenny, the country’s most decorated Olympian, has retired from racing and taken up a role as sprint coach for Britain’s team.

Kenny won seven gold medals — and nine medals in total — across four Olympic Games. No cyclist has won more.

“It’s almost impossible to comprehend the level of talent, dedication and resilience needed to top the podium seven times across four Olympic Games,” said Stephen Park, British Cycling’s performance director.

“I’m thrilled,” Park added, “that we’ve been able to hold on to all of that knowledge and experience as he embarks on his career as a coach.”

With Kenny as coach, Britain’s cycling team will head to the Paris Olympics in 2024 looking to continue its record of finishing on the podium in every men’s sprint event since Beijing in 2008.

Kenny burst on to the international scene by winning three gold medals at the junior world track cycling championship in 2006.

He won his first Olympic gold at Beijing in the team sprint, and was second to compatriot Chris Hoy in the individual sprint, before taking both titles in London in 2012.

Kenny took a clean sweep of team sprint, individual sprint and keirin titles in the Rio Olympics in 2016 to match Hoy’s six Olympic golds.

Then, in Tokyo last year, Kenny took silver in the team sprint and claimed a seventh Olympic gold of his career in the keirin.

He was knighted in Queen Elizabeth II’s New Year honours list in December.

Kenny is married to fellow cyclist Laura Kenny, who has won five Olympic gold medals and a silver. That’s the most for a female British Olympian.