Kenny shows world a clean pair of wheels and scoops another cycling gold for Team GB
Cycling? Piece of cake, isn’t it? Turn up at the Velodrome in your best Team GB bib and tucker, hop on a bike, next thing you know there’s a gold medal around your neck and your mush on a stamp.
Which is nice.Now consider the case of sprinter Jason Kenny. Point one, he was selected ahead of Sir Chris Hoy: a national hero, knight of the realm, a man who, on Tuesday night, could well become the first Briton to win six Olympic gold medals. No pressure then. Point two, Kenny had never beaten his final opponent, Gregory Bauge of France, in a sprint match before. Fail again and it was obvious what would be said. See point one.
So Kenny was Aunt Sally. Set up to be knocked down. Hoy has a strong record against Bauge and matches his physical power. Kenny’s style is more complex. There was no little trepidation around his appearance. Suppose Bauge just blew him away? Why shine light on magic, why mess with the undisputed heavyweight of track cycling? Hoy beat Kenny in this event in Beijing and is showing no sign of age at these Games.We need not have worried. As the temperature soared and the raucous noise bounced off the Velodrome’s immaculate Siberian pine, Kenny turned in one of the greatest individual performances by a British athlete at these Games.
No comments:
Post a Comment