Hoy hoping to learn Olympics fate soon

Sir Chris Hoy
9 April 2012

Sir Chris Hoy is keen to know sooner rather than later if he will get the opportunity to defend all three of his Olympic titles in London, or if team-mate Jason Kenny will be given the nod in the sprint.

Hoy won sprint, team sprint and keirin gold in Beijing in 2008, but changes to the Olympic format - with one rider or team per nation per event permitted - means the British Cycling hierarchy have a selection dilemma as Kenny beat his team-mate in the sprint at the Track Cycling World Championships on Saturday.

In theory, Britain have until 12 noon on August 3 - the day before the event begins - to name their sprinter, but Hoy, who won keirin gold on Sunday, said: "Personally I would prefer to know what we're doing straight off - it's good to know your events and focus on them."

After winning one-kilometre time-trial gold at the 2004 Games, Hoy was forced to reinvent himself before his remarkable Beijing bounty, when Kenny claimed silver in the sprint.

Hoy added: "My dream is to win three gold medals and that hasn't diminished at all," Hoy said. "I look back to the Olympics in Athens, winning the kilo and then that event going. Now I feel pretty lucky - three events and if I get two, it's not the end of the world.

"But it's so hard because you're going to leave one athlete behind that's definitely capable of winning a medal."

Hoy finished the Track Cycling World Championships on Sunday with his gold medal heroics in the keirin, with Kenny taking bronze.

In the sprint, Hoy was beaten by his team-mate in the semi-final and finished third, while Kenny was runner-up to Gregory Bauge of France.

Bauge appears to be the biggest obstacle to British success in London, but Hoy insisted: "He's not invincible. I've beaten him before and I can beat him again. Without having to do any unusual tactics, I can beat him."

After an 11th World Championships title Hoy was bullish about his Olympic prospects, insisting: "I'm happy to abide by the decision of the selectors, but I certainly believe when I'm really on form I can beat anybody in the world in the sprint and the keirin.'"

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