With nine medals; seven gold and two silver, Sir Jason Kenny is Team GB's most decorated Olympian in history. As I speak to him a few moments before he is going to be inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame, however, he describes himself as “normal.”
It’s a sign of Kenny’s humble character that he is reluctant to speak about the gravity of his achievements. As he stands with his wife and fellow Olympian, Laura, they laugh and chat like any other couple – they just share a whopping 12 gold medals between them.
“I’d just like people to remember me at all to be honest as I think I can be quite easily forgettable,” Kenny laughs when I ask him to pick the highlight of his illustrious career. “If I’ve encouraged one person to get on the bike and go racing, or do any sport, then the sky is the limit. I think I am normal which is why people forget me, hopefully that’s inspiring to the next person who is a bit dull and they can go and do something.”
Despite wanting to leave a mark on his sport by inspiring the next generation, rather than just being remembered for what he’s won, when Kenny thinks hard, he highlights 2008 in Beijing as the Games that stands out for him.
“My highlight was probably Beijing with it being my first Olympics, it was so special and set me up. The next four years were the most fun I’ve ever had building up to London and being in that cycle, obviously meeting Laura as well in that time,” he smiles. “I think that kickstarting at 20 years old to win the Olympics meant I got to really enjoy the rest of my career after that.”
Kenny’s definition of ‘enjoying’ his career took the form of a remarkable performance at the 2016 Rio Olympics winning taking three gold medals in the Team Sprint, Individual Sprint and Keirin. In doing so, he joined Sir Chris Hoy as the joint holder of the highest number of Olympic gold medals for a British athlete. And he wasn’t done there, though. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Kenny won Team Sprint silver alongside Jack Carlin and Ryan Owens, to move level with Sir Bradley Wiggins for the most Olympic medals in British history. He took the accolade of the most decorated male Olympian from Wiggins just a few days later when he defended his Keirin crown in breathtaking style, shocking his rivals with a genius solo break with three laps to go for his seventh – and arguably, most impressive – Olympic gold medal.
It’s no surprise that Kenny has been recognised by British Cycling for his achievements, and he notes that his induction into the Hall of Fame feels like a full circle moment both for him and Laura.
“It’s really cool and really special. It’s nice because my career finished a while ago now so I don’t really get accolades like this and in such good company. Ed [Clancy]’s over there and we’re celebrating 20 years of the Academy so it’s quite special to be here as we were amongst the first in the Academy with Laura and Dani [Rowe] as well. We’ve gone full circle now and popped out the other side,” Kenny smiles.
He notes how much the sport has changed since he retired in 2022: “The equipment, positions and price has basically gone through the roof. I think the principles are still the same and that’s why British Cycling has sustained success over such a long time as we have stuck to core principles and the legacy of that from the early days, even before our time when they were first building this winning machine in Sydney and Athens. Although the shiny bits have changed and the speed is going through the roof, the core principles are what prop it up.”
Kenny is now playing a pivotal role in instilling the principles he learnt as part of the British Cycling system, working as the Podium Men's Sprint Coach for the Great Britain Cycling Team. With his experience and expertise, the 36-year-old is able to pass on invaluable knowledge to the next generation. He explains that he’s grateful to the staff and volunteers within the British Cycling scene who have helped keep pushing the sport forward, and Kenny is now one of these people himself.
“The domestic scene took a bit of a hit after Covid and I think it’s important to celebrate the people who are doing their bit to maintain that, like Carole Gosling for example who is also being inducted into the Hall of Fame,” Kenny says.
“It’s really important to support people who put the work in and who put races in because ultimately British Cycling is nothing even if we have the talent but no people to put races on and let that talent race. That’s something we need to keep working on.”
