Jason Kenny Wins 7th Olympic Gold to Become Britain's Greatest Olympian

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Cycling - Track - Men's Keirin - Gold Final - Izu Velodrome, Shizuoka, Japan - August 8, 2021. Jason Kenny of Britain celebrates with a British flag after taking gold in the race. REUTERS/Matthew Childs
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Cycling - Track - Men's Keirin - Gold Final - Izu Velodrome, Shizuoka, Japan - August 8, 2021. Jason Kenny of Britain celebrates with a British flag after taking gold in the race. REUTERS/Matthew Childs
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Jason Kenny Wins 7th Olympic Gold to Become Britain's Greatest Olympian

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Cycling - Track - Men's Keirin - Gold Final - Izu Velodrome, Shizuoka, Japan - August 8, 2021. Jason Kenny of Britain celebrates with a British flag after taking gold in the race. REUTERS/Matthew Childs
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Cycling - Track - Men's Keirin - Gold Final - Izu Velodrome, Shizuoka, Japan - August 8, 2021. Jason Kenny of Britain celebrates with a British flag after taking gold in the race. REUTERS/Matthew Childs

Jason Kenny said he might think twice about retiring from the cycling track after winning his seventh Olympic gold on Sunday to become Britain's most successful Olympian of all time.

The 33-year-old produced a dazzling performance in the men's keirin final to win his ninth medal overall and overtake Chris Hoy, who won six golds.

Elsewhere on the final day of action at the Izu Velodrome, Canada's Kelsey Mitchell won the women's sprint and America's Jennifer Valente took gold in the women's omnium.

But Kenny stole the show and has now also surpassed retired cyclist Bradley Wiggins as the most-decorated British Olympian ever, with seven golds and two silvers across four Games.

The defending champion finished ahead of Malaysia's Azizulhasni Awang and Dutch world champion Harrie Lavreysen -- who won gold medals in the sprint and team sprint at the Tokyo Games -- after pulling off a stunning ambush in the final.

The keirin involves riders lurking behind a pace-maker until the last three laps and Kenny caught his opponents napping by immediately launching into an incredible sprint.

The veteran rider, who briefly retired after Rio 2016, is yet to confirm if he will continue beyond the Tokyo but admits his latest triumph has given him pause for thought.

Asked if this was his final race, Kenny said: "If you'd asked me this morning I would have said 'yeh, probably', but now I feel pretty good so I might carry on."

Kenny had looked like a fading force for most of the week in the Izu Velodrome, where he took a silver medal in the team sprint before being outclassed in the individual sprint by Lavreysen.

- Niggles -
"This morning in my head I was 33 and getting slower," he said. "From a British cycling point of view you'd rather back someone who is 20 and getting faster. It was difficult.

"I haven't been able to train the way I want to, I've had niggles. It might not be up to me (whether he stays in the team). I was disappointed with my pace here so it might be out of my hands."

On his victory lap, Kenny tossed away his helmet before throwing his arms into the air. On the podium, Awang and Lavreysen hoisted Kenny onto their shoulders.

Kenny's wife, Laura, was unable to add to her own medal haul, finishing sixth in the women's omnium, an event in which she won gold in 2012 and 2016.

Laura Kenny won gold in the madison and silver in the team pursuit at the Tokyo Games, taking the Kenny couple's total Olympic medal haul to 15, including 12 golds.

US cyclist Valente won the race, finishing 14 points ahead of Yumi Kajihara, who took silver to win Japan's first medal on the track. Dutch rider Kirsten Wild took bronze.

Canada's Kelsey Mitchell won gold in the women's sprint, just four years after taking up the sport.

Mitchell won the first two races in a best-of-three final against Olena Starikova of Ukraine. Hong Kong's Lee Wai-sze took bronze.



Father and Son Ashley and Tyler Young Could Face Each other in the FA Cup

Everton’s Ashley Young runs into position during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and Everton, at the St Marys Stadium in Southampton, Saturday, Nov 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland,File)
Everton’s Ashley Young runs into position during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and Everton, at the St Marys Stadium in Southampton, Saturday, Nov 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland,File)
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Father and Son Ashley and Tyler Young Could Face Each other in the FA Cup

Everton’s Ashley Young runs into position during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and Everton, at the St Marys Stadium in Southampton, Saturday, Nov 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland,File)
Everton’s Ashley Young runs into position during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and Everton, at the St Marys Stadium in Southampton, Saturday, Nov 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland,File)

Former England international Ashley Young could face his 18-year-old son Tyler when Everton hosts Peterborough in the third round of the FA Cup on Thursday.

Ashley Young won the FA Cup in 2016 with Manchester United as well as league titles in England and Italy. But he said the chance to share the field with his son would be bigger than any trophy he has lifted.

“I’ve said it for (a) numerous amount of years that if there was a possibility that we was able to play with each other or play against each other, it tops everything I’ve done in my career,” he told Everton's website. “It’s going to be incredible if it happens and hopefully, fingers crossed, it does.”

The 39-year-old Ashley Young said there would be no danger of split loyalties in the game, The AP reported.

“That just wouldn’t happen ... as soon as the game comes, as soon as the whistle blows, it’s just another opponent, another enemy and we’ll be both be looking to go out and win the game."

Midfielder Tyler spent time at Arsenal, Queens Park Rangers and MK Dons before joining third division Peterborough last year.

He has played only one senior game for Peterborough when he debuted as a substitute in October.

“I wouldn’t say it’s been an easy journey, it’s been a bumpy road but having him (Ashley) is always a good thing to be able to go to if I need help,” Tyler said.

Ashley is in the latter stages of a career that has seen him represent England at the World Cup and play for storied clubs such as United, Inter Milan and Aston Villa.

Among other instances of fathers and sons in the same game, World Cup winner Rivaldo played and scored in the same game as his son Rivaldinho in a Brazilian second division match in 2015.

In October, Lebron and Bronny James made history by becoming the first father and son to play together in the NBA.

In 1990, Ken Griffey Jr. and Ken Griffey Sr. hit back-to-back home runs in Major League Baseball.