Olympic: Men's Sprint

Reports by Larry Hickmott, Photos: Phil O'Connor

Great Britain riders: Chris Hoy, Jason Kenny

Men's Sprint

Scotland's Chris Hoy completed a hat-trick of gold medals at Beijing 2008 with a stunning victory over team-mate Jason Kenny in tonight’s (Tuesday) sprint final at the Olympic Velodrome in Beijing.

It takes Hoy’s Olympic medal tally to five medals, including four golds and one Silver, from three Games (Sydney, Athens and Beijing).

He becomes the first Briton to win three golds at one Games since Henry Taylor, who won three swimming golds at London in 1908.

Hoy’s gold also meant Team GB took their total Beijing gold medal haul to 15 – equalling their tally at the Antwerp Games in 1920. One more gold will make it Britain’s biggest gold medal haul since the London Games in 1908.

Triple Gold Medallist: Chris Hoy is the Olympic Champion and Jason Kenny the Silver medallist! I cannot tell you how it feels - it is amazing,"

Hoy told BBC Sport. "When you cross the line, all the pressure that has built up, the expectation and the self doubt evaporates just like that. When you want something that much and the hours you put in, it is an amazing feeling when you achieve it. I was vaguely aware of the history, people tell you about it. But I tried to make it the furthest thought from my mind."

"And that's why the emotions come out at the end. You bottle it for so long that it just erupts at the end. Jason Kenny has come through the ranks and he is the man who will win at London 2012. Beating him was really tough - it was probably the hardest race of my life." Prior to the Olympics, Chris Hoy launched a book about his career in Team GB and after this, he'll need to be adding a chapter or two!  Find out about his book here

Bolton's Jason Kenny also had praise for Hoy. "He is the best, he's really hard to beat," he said. "I gave it my best shot. I got it down perfectly in the second heat, but he just had the legs at the end."

Jason Kenny and Chris Hoy -- Silver and Gold.

“Chris is probably the closest person there is to being unbeatable that there is,” said Kenny who added a sprint silver medal to the Team Sprint Gold he won with Hoy and Jamie Staff. “No-one is unbeatable, but every time you do a personal best in training, he gets up and beats you. He probably has the best legs in the world for this event,” he added. “He drags everyone up with him, so it’s really good for the team."

"Chris is strong, but I know he has the odd little weaknesses. I was hoping that I could do the best ride I could and hope it was enough to win."

More to read: Interesting articles on how GB handled two riders facing each other --  The Guardian Cycling Features

I guess you could say Chris and Jason were pretty relexed before the Podium presentation!

Mum gets  a hug from the Triple Olympic hero whilst the girlfriend waits for her turn!

France’s Mickael Bourgain also praised Hoy. The Frenchman hoped to beat Hoy in the semis, but after the first heat he knew it just wasn’t possible. “I started the first race thinking I had to beat Chris Hoy,” he said. “After the first heat I knew it was an impossible mission. It’s ok to lose to the grand senor of track cycling. I gave it all in the first race to see what I could do. It didn’t work, so I relaxed and took it easy to concentrate for bronze,” he added. “One day Great Britain will be beatable again.”

Hoy said there’s no huge secret to his success – it’s down to hard work and an outstanding support team. “I’m not necessarily invincible, I just manage to do it on the day,” he said. “Three golds was a big ask, but I’ve been preparing for this.“I believe it’s hard work that gets you to the top. I try to go into a race knowing I couldn’t have trained harder or be better prepared. That takes the pressure off and gives me mental strength. 

“Also, our support team is second to none,” he added. “The competition within the team helps too, with guys like Jason challenging you.” Meanwhile Kenny said he was ‘over the moon’ with his sprint silver. He said: “If you had said six months ago that I would have got a silver, I wouldn’t have believed you. I’m really pleased with it. “At the end of the day Chris was faster and there was nothing I could have done. I gave it a good shot.”

There were very emotional scenes track side as Chris went to greet his family and girlfriend and celebrate a huge, huge achievement.

REPORTS

Match B

Jason Kenny versus Chris Hoy -- Gold Medal ride

Chris Hoy is one ride away from making history – the first Brit since 1908 to win three Golds at the one Games and his fourth Gold medal in three Games. Surely he will be knighted for this if he does it? Kenny though will push him all the way. Kenny is on the inside and he leads the Brit duo away down the bottom of the track.

Kenny watches Hoy from the front who is three or so lengths behind and then goes up the track. Kenny has raised the pace again, the bell rings, Kenny goes high and launches and Chris Hoy comes around Kenny elbow to elbow and raises his arm to celebrate as he crosses the line to become a triple Olympic champion in the one Games.

Jason Kenny leads Chris Hoy in the fight for Gold.

Mickael Bougain versus Max Levy -- Bronze Medal ride

Levy went for a long one and he defeats the Frenchman and there will now have to be a decider.

Match A

Jason Kenny versus Chris Hoy -- Gold Medal ride

Chris Hoy is on the inside and in training, Chris Hoy has seemed to have the better speed but then Kenny has come on in the last few months and there is little between them. Hoy leads  and Kenny chases him up the track and they drop to the bottom of the track as Kenny follows a few lengths back and in the home straight they go back up and Hoy forces Kenny to the front. Kenny is happy to take it. Lap two and Kenny leads and the pace is rising. Kenny sees Hoy go up the track and Kenny goes a long way round with over a lap to go and Hoy chases him all the way and Hoy comes around Kenny to win it.

Kenny puts the power down but Hoy is equal to the task

Mickael Bougain versus Max Levy -- Bronze Medal ride

Levy leads the French rider until Bourgain hits the front but at the bell its Levy is leading who starts the sprint and Bourgain chooses his moment well and comes round him and wins easily.

Results

1. HOY Chris Great Britain 10.228  10.216  
2. KENNY Jason Great Britain   

 

3. BOURGAIN Mickael France 11.047   10.560 
4. LEVY Maximilian Germany  10.666 

 

5-8th Final

5. SIREAU Kevin France 10.719 67.170
6. MULDER Teun Netherlands  
7. BOS Theo Netherlands  
8. AWANG Mohd Azizulhasni Malaysia

 

9-12 Final Result

9. NIMKE Stefan Germany 11.051 65.152
10. CHIAPPA Roberto Italy  
11. BAYLEY Ryan Australia  
12. WATANABE Kazunari Japan

GOLD MEDAL PHOTOS

The stig (sorry, Jason Kenny) leads Chris Hoy.

Kenny Leads

Jason Kenny

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SEMI FINALS

Match B

Mickael Bourgain  (France) versus   Chris Hoy (Great Britain)

Hoy leads the two away at the bottom of the track. Bourgain  follows him closely as they go to the fence as Hoy watches him. They go to the bottom of the track again and  then switch to the top. Chris is moving the bike around to keep the Frenchman guessing and Hoy waits and waits and in the back straight puts the head down, sprints  and Bourgain  gives up!

Jason Kenny  (Great Britain) versus  Maximilian Levy  (Germany)

Kenny tightens his straps with help from his coach. Kenny is on the inside and leads them away at the bottom of the track at walking pace and leads the big around the track. Kenny watches Levy, as they roll quickly at the bottom of the track, into the second lap and Kenny has not turned his head yet! Into the bell lap and Kenny lights the burners and Levy like Bourgain gives up and its an all British final!!!! And just as the Princess royal arrives as well. That was certainly a royal performance from the Bolton lad.

Match A

Hoy versus Bougain

Bourgain  leads the away from Hoy who is a few lengths behind at the bottom of the track. High on the track, Bourgain  watches Hoy, and now the speed starts to rise and into the second lap and Hoy keeps him guessing, moving up and down the track. Into the bell lap now and Bourgain gives it full gas and Hoys comes at him down the back straight and going around the long way, Hoy makes Bourgain look slow! Hoy wins so easy its scary!

Match A

Levy versus Kenny

Levy leads at the bottom of the track from Kenny who goes up the track in the back straight four or so lengths behind Levy. Into lap two and back on the bottom of the track, very slow and now the pace rises and Kenny goes to the top of the banking and Kenny hist the burners and throws a dummy and Levy watching him at speed and the back straight, Kenny starts his move and around the bend goes past him, cruising. Bolts – Bolts who –its Kenny Kenny Kenny!

Kenny takes a flyer and there is nothing the German can do about it...

1.  HOY Chris Great Britain 10.260  10.358  

2. BOURGAIN Mickael France   

1.  KENNY Jason Great Britain 10.594  10.335  
2.  LEVY Maximilian Germany 

MORE PHOTOS

You can't escape the focus of the real McHoy!

MEN'S SPRINT QUARTER FINALS

Chris Hoy lights the burners and has far too much in the tank for his rival Awang.

Drawing lots for the sprint. Chris Hoy takes his pick.

RESULTS (reports below)

1. HOY Chris Great Britain 10.820  10.302  
2. AWANG Mohd Azizulhasni Malaysia   

1. KENNY Jason Great Britain 10.546  10.595  
2. SIREAU Kevin France   

1. LEVY Maximilian Germany 10.689  10.660  
2. MULDER Teun Netherlands   

1. BOURGAIN Mickael France 10.524  10.463  
2. BOS Theo Netherlands 

MATCH B

Heat 1. Match 2

Chris Hoy (Great Britain)  versus  Mohd Awang (Malaysia)

In this heat, Hoy has the outside of the track and focuses on the job ahead. Awang leads them away slowly and Hoy I see has the old style Cisco helmet on. Into the back straight and Hoy watches Awang like a hawk who stops in the back straight, Hoy ever to eager to get in his face, pulls up alongside, elbow to elbow, and the two stay there in an old style standstill.

The commissiare  though has his watch out and after 30 seconds, fires the gun -- we're going to have a rerun!

Jan Van Eijden talks to Chris as they line up for the restart and this time there are no standstills as Awang leads and they move around the track as Hoy waits for the moment to go. Hoy throws a dummy, Awang sees it and kicks to start his sprint and then Hoy rides straight around his rival to win easily, easing up as he crosses the line.

No amount of throwing wheelies is going to beat Chris Hoy who having been a BMXer can match anything Awang can do!

Heat 2.Match 2

Kevin Sireau (France)  versus Jason Kenny (Great Britain)

Kenny now on the outside now follows Sireau away from the line at the bottom of the track. Kenny gives the Frenchman a few lengths and they watch each other. Sireau starts to wind it up as the bell starts and down the back straight, Sireau takes Kenny up the track before diving down but Kenny is patient, gets his wheel round the final bend and Kenny wins easily. He is in the semi final. Way to go Jason-- this is amazing stuff from the Bolton youngster and shades of 2006 when he was a level above everyone at the Junior worlds. This however is the Olympics!

Kenny has speed to burn as he takes the long way home to beat France's Sireau.

Heat 3. Match 2

Maximilian Levy (Germany)  versus Teun Mulder (Netherlands)

Levy wins this from the front.

Heat 4. Match 2

Mickael Bourgain (France)  versus Theo Bos (Holland)

Bos on the outside has to win this to stay in the competition. Bourgain leads away at the bottom of the track for the first lap and Bourgain goes to the fence and Bos is happy to go to the front. Bourgain out jumps Bos though, rides straight around him and takes the win as Bos does not have the speed to win the race.

MATCH A

Heat 1. Match 1

Chris Hoy (Great Britain)  versus  Mohd Awang (Malaysia)

Chris has the inside and will lead away on the inside of the track, and Awang follows him close on his back wheel giving Chris no room. Chris keeps the speed rolling and watches for a move from Awang, and at the bell Chris lights the burners into the final bend and Hoy has no problem, leaving the sprint until the last minute and outjumping and sprinting Awang.

Chris watches for a move from behind.

Heat 2, Match 1.

Kevin Sireau (France)  versus Jason Kenny (Great Britain)

This is going to be great match, both young riders and the Frenchman has made some statements prior to the Olympics to give the racing an edge. Kenny has the inside of the track, held up by Iain Dyer. Sireau is the Silver medallist from the Worlds and so Kenny, 5th in Manchester, will need to be alert. He does though seem like a different rider and has an air of maturity about him which he didn't seem to have in Manchester. The boy has grown up and how!

Kenny leads and Sireau gives him three or four lengths. Lap 1 down and Kenny still leads and the swinging up and down the track starts. Sireau has a go, was that a dummy move?, but fails to get to the front. It's the  bell lap and Sireau tries to come round the outside of Kenny but no go Frenchman as Kenny wins it! Easily!

Bell lap and Kenny gives it some gas and Sireau has a big problem if he thinks he can take the long way round Kenny...

Heat 3. Match 1

Maximilian Levy (Germany)  versus Teun Mulder (Netherlands) . Levy wins.

Heat 4. Match 1

Mickael Bourgain (France)  versus Theo Bos (Holland)

Three time world champion Bos versus meets Bourgain, a very quick sprinter indeed. Bos has the inside and leads away and goes to the fence and goes up and down the track to keep the Frenchman guessing. Bourgain gets to the front as the bell lap approaches and Bos makes a charge to try and go round Bourgain but hasn’t got the speed and Bourgain wins it.

Chris Hoy wins the quarter final 2:0. Right, Kenny watches Sireau during his 2:0 

demolition of the World Championship Silver medallist.

DAY 1, Qualifying, 16th and 1/8th Finals

British Cycling's Peter King raises the Union Jack to celebrate the performance of the GB riders on the track today as everyone including Brian Cookson and Bob Howden is amazed at the qualifying times being recorded by our lads.

1/8th Final

Chris Hoy versus Watanabe
Hoy leads on the opening lap, watching his rival who is sat on his wheel really tight and trying to stay out of view. Hoy keeps it low into the second lap and as they approach the bell and from the front, puts his head down to look underneath to see where his rival is and Hoy wins at a canter.

1. HOY Chris Great Britain 10.636 67.694
2. WATANABE Kazunari Japan  

Jason Kenny versus Awang
Jason has the outside position on the line and is held up on the line by Iain Dyer.  Kenny trails on the first lap as they go round the bottom of the track. Kenny gets outside of the saddle as Awang takes him up the track and along the fence with Kenny following him up and down the track as the pace is slow. As the bell is rung, Kenny dives under Awang and Kenny takes him up the track and then with the finish in sight, launches, gets out of the saddle and accelerates and Awang can’t get past Kenny.

1. KENNY Jason Great Britain 10.531 68.369
2. AWANG Mohd Azizulhasni Malaysia  

Victory number 2 for Kenny.

Mulder versus Nimke
Lots of movement up and down the track, a little flick by Mulder on Nimke and at the bell, Mulder leads and in the drag race to the line, Nimke tries to go round the outside but fails by half a wheel. Mulder looks at the big screen, sees that he gets it and he sees that raises his arm to celebrate.

1. MULDER Teun Netherlands 10.888 66.127
2. NIMKE Stefan Germany  

Bos and Sireau
Theo Bos leads them from the line, Sireau takes the lead as Bos gives it up by going high and that’s followed by lots of weaving up and down the track. The pace is quickish and Bos is not giving the Frenchman any room. Then Bos goes under Sireau in a masterful move and at the bell, Bos leads and takes Sireau up the track, they touch which slows Sireau and in the drag race, Bos wins! Maybe the Dutch luck has changed! Theo looked very good as he beat the World Championship silver medallist.

1. BOS Theo Netherlands 10.777 66.808
2. SIREAU Kevin France  

Bourgain versus Chiappa
Bourgain follows Chiappa and he riders around the Italian and at the bell Bourgain
Leads and in the drag race Bourgain wins.

1. BOURGAIN Mickael France 10.734 67.076
2. CHIAPPA Roberto Italy  

Bayley versus Levy of Germany
The defending champion is on the outside and Levy leads them away. It’s very slow on lap 1 and Bayley moves around to keep the German guessing and then takes the inside and moves to the front with two laps to go, They launch and the German riders around Bayley to get the lead back and although Bayley starts to come round the outside, the Aussie doesn’t have it and loses the sprint by a half a length.

1. LEVY Maximilian Germany 10.763 66.895
2. BAYLEY Ryan

1/16th Final

Heat 1

Chris Hoy (Great Britain) versus Denis Dmitriev (Russia)

New Olympic record holder Chris Hoy  goes through easily, after watching his opponent early and then taking the front where he likes to control things before blasting his rival off the track in the final.

1. HOY Chris Great Britain 10.607 67.879

2. DMITRIEV Denis Russian Fed.  

Left: Chris Hoy eases up after victory against Russian whilst right, Jason Kenny destroys the Olympic hopes of the Polish rider.

Heat 2

Jason Kenny (Great Britain) versus Lukasz  Kwiatkowski (Poland)

It’s a very slow start to this heat as the Pole leads and Kenny follows him a few lengths adrift. Two laps out and Kenny dived to the inside of the track and took the lead. He then raised the pace, taking the Polish rider up the track as they approached the bell  where Kenny was pacing himself, doing enough to win the heat.

Heat 4

1. SIREAU Kevin France 10.742 67.026

2. BLATCHFORD Michael United States  

Heat 5

1. BOURGAIN Mickael France 10.562 68.168

2. KITATSURU Tsubasa Japan  

Heat 6

1. LEVY Maximilian Germany 10.840 66.420

2. MULDER Teun Netherlands  

Heat 7 BAYLEY Ryan   AWANG Mohd Azizulhasni Malaysia

The defending champion Bayley was up against a rider who is coached in his native Australia and Awang leads the race from the front and at the bell Bayley closes up and starts to pass around the final turn as elbows touch and the Aussie takes the race on the line in a close sprint finish.

Heat 8: CHIAPPA Roberto versus WATANABE Kazunari Japan

A rider many will have seen in Britain, Roberto Chiappa from Italy is always a crowd pleaser and the fireworks are expected. Who can forget the Worlds in 2000 when he laid out one of the Frenchman and was disqualified. A former World champion on the Tandem, Chiappa leads the match and raises the pace bit by bit  and as they approached the bell the Italian is going up and down the track to keep his rival guessing but the challenge never really comes from the Japanese rider and Chiappa wins the match.

Heat 9: FRENCH Mark versus BOS Theo

Can Theo Bos get back into the Olympics after his crash in the Kierin. He was up against Mark French and the Aussie lines up on the inside of Bos and French takes the lead around the bottom of the track.

French keeps Bos high at the fence before settling for the middle of the track and into the second lap the pace is going up and up. Bos starts to move all over French at the bell and as French launches, Bos sits on his wheel and into the final turn comes around him in the final straight and with the final throw of the bike, Bos takes the heat

1. BOS Theo Netherlands 10.959 65.699

2. FRENCH Mark Australia

Qualifying

Chris Hoy pictured breaking the Olympic record set only minutes before by his young teammate, Jason Kenny.

Great Britain has two riders in the competition, Jason Kenny and Chris Hoy, already a double Gold medallist. In qualifying there were 21 riders and all the big favourites are towards the end of the list. Will the Olympic record go at Beijing, I think it will!

One of Germany’s young up and coming stars Maximilian Levy was the first to threaten that record with a time of 10.199. Would Aussie Olympic champion from Athens take the record as Ryan Bayley started his sprint competition. The answer to that question was no as he did a  time of 10.362. Another Aussie followed, Mark French, a former World Junior champion but the time of 10.337 didn’t threaten the Olympic record.

One the oldest men in the sprint, a great Kilo rider in his time, Germany’s Stefan Nimke did break the record though with a  brilliant time  of 10.064. Would it stand as we got into the big favourites? Next up was Theo Bos. The world record holder at 9.7 (Moscow) did a time of 10.318 and he was slower. This was not the Theo Bos of a few years ago sadly.

Jason Kenny races to an Olympic record and a sub 10 second effort and rightly shows the number 1 finger as he stuns everyone with his time. Kenny was fifth at the World Championships in Manchester and is even better now...

The board shows the effort Kenny has made on the track -- Olympic Record!

Next was former World Junior Champion Jason Kenny, a real find and a Gold medallist already in the Team Sprint. He won three Golds in Gent in Belgium and what a time that was for him. As coach Iain Dyer’s voice could be heard urging him on in the background, the Academy rider produced a brilliant a 9.857, a new Olympic record! What a performance!

Stunning!

Riders came and went including the French who have been so strong in this discipline for so many years but not this year as Chris Hoy came out last after having already won two Golds and the big Scotsman produced a stunning time of 9.815, breaking Kenny’s Olympic record and going faster than both Bourgain and Sireau of France who had done 10.1 and 10.0 rides respectively.

Jan van Eijden pushes Chris Hoy onto the track before he breaks the Olympic record in the flying 200 metres.

Great Britain had gone through the morning fastest in every event. 1-2 in the Men’s Sprint, fastest in the Women’s Sprint and Fastest in the Team Pursuit. It bodes well for the Sprint competitions which start today  but then you can’t get too confident because it has been known for the fastest in the sprint competition to get knocked out during the early rounds. But, and this is a big but, with Hoy being the World Champion and the recent winner of two Sprint competitions in Germany, he for one will be ready for the man-on-man rounds as I am sure will be Jason Kenny.

Kenny gets some instructions from coach Iain Dyer.

Results

 1. HOY Chris Great Britain 9.815 73.357 OR

 2. KENNY Jason Great Britain 9.857 73.044 

 3. NIMKE Stefan Germany 10.064 71.542 

 4. SIREAU Kevin France 10.098 71.301 

 5. BOURGAIN Mickael France 10.123 71.125 

 6. LEVY Maximilian Germany 10.199 70.595 

 7. AWANG Mohd Azizulhasni Malaysia 10.272 70.093 

 8. CHIAPPA Roberto Italy 10.314 69.808 

 9. BOS Theo Netherlands 10.318 69.780 

10. FRENCH Mark Australia 10.337 69.652 

11. WATANABE Kazunari Japan 10.346 69.592 

12. BAYLEY Ryan Australia 10.362 69.484 

13. MULDER Teun Netherlands 10.373 69.410 

14. KITATSURU Tsubasa Japan 10.391 69.290 

15. BLATCHFORD Michael United States 10.470 68.767 

16. ZHANG Lei China 10.497 68.591 

17. KWIATKOWSKI Lukasz Poland 10.504 68.545 

18. DMITRIEV Denis Russian Fed. 10.565 68.149 

19. PTACNIK Adam Czech Republic 10.569 68.123 

20. REPPAS Vasileios Greece 10.966 65.657 

21. NOVIKOV Daniel Estonia 11.187 64.360

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2004 Men's Olympic champion: Ryan Bayley (Aus)
2008 Men's World champion: Chris Hoy (GBR)

World record - 9.772 secs, Theo Bos (NED)
Previous Olympic Record: Gary Neiwand (Aus) 10.129 1996 Atlanta Games