MANCHESTER, England (AP) — British cyclist Jason Kenny, the country’s most decorated Olympian, has retired from racing and taken over as the national team’s sprint coach.
Kenny won seven gold medals — and nine in total — in four editions of the Olympic Games. No cyclist has won more.
“It is almost impossible to fathom the level of talent, dedication and resilience it takes to climb to the top of the podium seven times in all four editions,” said Stephen Park, British Cycling performance director.
“I’m excited to have been able to retain all of that knowledge and experience for him to now embark on this coaching career,” Park added.
With Kenny as coach, the cycling team will head into the 2024 Paris Olympics looking to continue their record of finishing on the podium in every sprint event since Beijing in 2008.
Kenny burst onto the international scene by winning three gold medals at the junior world track cycling championships in 2006.
He won his first Olympic gold in Beijing in the team sprint event, and was second to compatriot Chris Hoy in the individual sprint, before winning both titles in London in 2012.
Kenny captured the team and individual sprint titles and the keirin titles at the 2016 Rio Games to match six Hoy Olympic gold medals.
Then in Tokyo last year, Kenny won silver in the team sprint and claimed his seventh gold medal in the keirin race.
He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in the New Year Honors list in December.
Kenny is married to fellow cyclist Laura Kenny, who has won five Olympic gold medals and one silver. It is the most for a British Olympic cyclist.
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