Sir Chris Hoy – Riding into the sunset as a true Olympic hero

Even in the land of legends, where no tale is too tall to tell, the achievements of Chris Hoy shall hold their own and stand testimony to the sustained brilliance of its untamed hero. In a sport ravaged by the ruthless exploitation of inhuman athletes, Hoy stands tall as a uniquely resilient monument amidst weather-torn ruins. During an era when cycling has been damaged beyond recognition by men more interested in debauching the system than sweating in the pursuit of excellence, Hoy stood out as the most prolific Olympian in his sport. At the age of 37, Hoy rides away into the sunset leaving behind a rich tapestry of hard earned success in the fine colours of his nation. Six Gold medals in the Olympics (2004 – 2012) and eleven in World Championships (2002 – 2012) stand testimony to a great champion, aptly regarded as one of the finest Olympians of all time.

In many ways, Hoy was too anachronistic for an athlete of the modern era. A middle class upbringing and a prolonged struggle for funds filled this determined athlete with a deep respect for hard work, a taste for fair play and above all, the desire to do well for his team and country. Built like a chiselled model, Hoy excelled at rugby, rowing and cycling before he chose to mount the saddle during his days at school, inspired after watching the movie ET. Firmly grounded in his approach, Hoy was never inclined to be one of the many fuelled riders driven by greed and commerce on the murky lanes run by the lecherous looters.

The Scot had to toil for basic support till after the end of the Sydney Olympics where his silver in the team sprint with Craig MacLean and Jason Queally fuelled a boom across the isles. In the initial years of the previous decade, Hoy was a pure sprinter in the 1 kilometre time trial and the team sprint. But the rider was forced to evolve his style when the kilo was eliminated from the Olympics. In 2004, Hoy was still developing his skills and tactics for the Keirin and had to be content with a single Gold medal in the track time trial.

The pinnacle of Hoy’s illustrious career came at Beijing, when the 32 year old cyclist made the summit of sprint cycling by winning the grand slam – made up of the Team Sprint with Jason Kenny and Jamie Staff, Keirin and the Individual Sprint, to finally earn his stripes among the pantheon of celebrated Olympians. Hoy cemented his legacy by defending his titles from the Team Sprint with Jason Kenny and Philip Hindes and the Keirin title to pocket his sixth Gold medal and overhaul Steve Redgrave as the most decorated British Olympian of all time.

The argument about which of these two great gentlemen is the greatest British Olympian takes more out of their accomplishments than it gives. Each man’s achievement is as incredible as it is uniquely improbable. Sir Redgrave won his five Gold medals over a span of 16 years – one each at Los Angeles – 1984 (Coxed Four), Seoul – ’88 (Coxless Pair), Barcelona – ’92 (Coxless Pair), Atlanta – ’96 (Coxless Pair) and finally, as a 38 year old veteran at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 (Coxless Four), to finish his storied career on a celebratory note.

By any account, that effort from Redgrave is as staggering an achievement as you will find from the treasured pages of Olympic folklore. On the other hand, Sir Hoy earned his spoils between Athens and London over three Olympic events. While it is the endurance of the former that reads like a folk tale, it was the movie like drama that preceded Hoy’s participation in London that made for a riveting story.

The two Gold medals were apt tribute too for a man who exceeded his own expectations in London – to not only his undiminished hunger for victory, but also his ability to strain every sinew possible to find that last ounce of energy he needed to overcome the substantial challenge from Maximilian Levy in those final seconds of the Keirin in London. It was a heroic effort from the ageing warrior who was dealing with the disappointment of having to relinquish his spot on the individual sprint to Jason Kenny.

It is worth recounting that final race of Hoy’s decorated career to underline the 36 year old champion’s raw determination and ability to punish his muscles beyond the pain barrier to send his national colours soaring into the sky. The Keirin is an eight lap sprint between six of the best riders who follow a pace setting derny (motorbike) for five and half laps before taking off on their own in a maniacal race to the finish line.

Even as Hoy was living the final few seconds of his Olympic career, Levy overtook the Scot on the back straight, leading almost by a bike length. In a final push, Hoy pedalled away furiously to overcome the younger German in the closing meters of the lap to race away to his sixth Gold medal at the Olympics. It was the ticker tape finish to a fabulous career, akin to living a dream under the loving gaze of his family and friends.

At the time though, Hoy decided that it would be ideal for him to end his career at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year in front of his Scottish brethren inside a Velodrome specifically named after the great Olympian. However, in what might be the most appropriate decision, Hoy considered his chances of success at Glasgow and decided that he’d rather walk away as a winner from the final race of his career. The moment he realised that such an outcome was doubtful at Glasgow, Hoy announced his desire to get off the saddle and walk away to a glorious applause.

It is only fitting that a cycling career that sprung to life from watching the iconic ET movie should help to bring almost superhuman success to the little lad who dared to dream.