Rate it!

41 votes

Sprinter Chris Hoy powered his way to a gold medal in the men's sprint for a total of three Olympic cycling gold medals, helping Britain to seven out of 10 track titles.

Hoy and team-mate Victoria Pendleton won the prestigious sprint titles on the last day of track competition at the Laoshan velodrome to complete a dominant performance by the British.

"They're all world class athletes," said Hoy. "To win seven gold medals in track cycling is ample proof of that."

Britain won a total of 12 medals on the track and failed to medal in only two races: the women's points and men's Madison.

Dubbed the "Flying Scot" for his prowess on the track, Hoy won gold medals in the other two events he entered in Beijing -- the keirin and the team sprint.

"I really worked very hard for that," Hoy said after winning the sprint on Tuesday. "I knew if I was in the form of my life I would be very difficult to beat.

Hoy's dominance left even his team mates marvelling.

"Everybody's asking me who's my sporting hero," said Pendleton. "My hero is Chris Hoy. I get to train with him every day and he's been a great inspiration. Chris Hoy is Superman."

Pendleton, who raced in only one event in Beijing, said she had sat in the Olympic Village feeling a bit left out until Tuesday.

"I didn't really feel a part of the team before I got my medal," she said. "It was like there was no other option."

Like Hoy, Pendleton appeared far better than her rivals even in the qualifying rounds. In the gold medal race she overpowered Australian Anna Meares to win easily.

Showing the depth of the British team, Hoy's rival for the gold was his own team mate, 20-year-old Jason Kenny. But though he showed great power in the semi-finals Kenny was no match for Hoy who dominated the two races they had for the gold medal.

"I tried to treat this as any other race," said Kenny. "I gave it everything I had. But there was really nothing I could do."

The British team did not have all their own way.

Bradley Wiggins, who already won two Olympic gold medals, and Mark Cavendish had been favoured to win the 50-km Madison for Britain but had a disappointing showing and finished ninth of 16.

Argentina's Juan Esteban Curuchet and Walter Fernando Perez scored a major upset and won gold in the two-man tactical event that involves endurance and sprinting.

Britain's coach Shane Sutton said Wiggins was tired after the team pursuit race on Monday.

"It's a shame for Brad, it's a shame for Mark, but you can't win them all," Sutton said.

Reuters