Laura Kenny: Britain's most successful female Olympian retires from cycling

Dame Laura Kenny, Britain's most successful female Olympian, has announced her retirement from competitive cycling.

The 31-year-old has won five Olympic gold medals and seven world championship titles during an illustrious career in track and field.

She gave birth to her second child in July and was aiming to compete in her fourth Olympics in Paris this year.

In an exclusive interview with BBC Breakfast, Kenny said: “Deep down I always knew when the time was right.

“It's been really fun, but now it's time to hang up that bike.”

Kenny, who is married to former cyclist Sir Jason Kenny, who is the most decorated British Olympian, said: “It's been on my mind for some time now that the sacrifice of leaving my children and family at home is huge.'' It's a big deal, and it's really a big deal,” he added. making big decisions.

“More and more, I was having trouble making it happen. More and more people were asking me what races I was doing, what training camps I was in. I ended up not wanting to go. But that's what happened in the end.”

“I knew it the moment I felt that way. When I told Jace, 'I don't want to ride a bike anymore,' I felt better.”

Kenny gave birth to her first son, Albie, in 2017 and then returned to competitive cycling, eager to prove that athletes can combine the demands of the sport with motherhood.

In early March, British Cycling performance director Stephen Park said there was only a “slim” chance of Kenny competing in Paris.

“There was some hesitation,” Kenney said.

“I would love to win another gold medal, but it just didn’t give me the energy I wanted anymore, it just wasn’t there.

“I wasn't thinking, 'I really want to keep winning.' I was thinking, 'I want to be home with my kids.'”

Kenny, who was already a three-time world champion by then, shot to the public's attention when she won gold medals in the women's omnium and team pursuit at the 2012 London Olympics.

Kenny said it was the “absolute highlight” of her career. She said the 2012 Olympics were a “crazy” two weeks, during which she also went public with her relationship with Jason.

“I never thought I would go to a home game, let alone win two gold medals.

“I look back and think, 'Wow, those two weeks really changed my life.'”

She repeated the omnium and team pursuit double at the Rio Games four years later, becoming the first British woman to win four Olympic titles.

At the Tokyo Olympics, which were postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Kenny won a silver medal in the team pursuit event and was named the first Olympic champion alongside Katie Archibald in the women's Madison event, a new event at that year's Olympics. became.

This made Kenny the first British woman to win gold at three consecutive Olympic Games, and the most successful female cyclist in Olympic history.

A fourth Olympics in 2024 was her plan, but Kenny had not yet returned to team training before announcing her retirement. The Truck Nations Cup in Canada in April was supposed to be the last chance to earn the points needed to qualify.

She won her last world champion rainbow jersey in omnium and scratch racing at the London track where she made her name in 2016.

Kenny is also a 14-time European champion and won three Commonwealth Games medals, including two golds.

Kenny, who was named Dame in the 2021 New Year's Honors, said he was “willing to do anything” in the next chapter of his life.

Regarding this summer's Olympics, Kenney said he would like to participate in them “in some way.”

In early March, before news of Kenny's retirement broke, Park said he believed she would have “continued involvement” with the British Cycling team “for many years to come”.

“Nothing is set in stone, but there are some things I would like to do,” Kenny said.

“Maybe something to help the younger generation, something like an academy.

“I couldn't become a coach because it would be too much pressure, but maybe there's something behind it that could give young players the opportunity I had.”