Chris Hoy facts for kids
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Hoy in 2008
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Christopher Andrew Hoy |
| Born | 23 March 1976 Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Weight | 92 kg (203 lb; 14 st 7 lb) |
| Team information | |
| Discipline | Track |
| Role | Rider |
Sir Christopher Andrew Hoy (born March 23, 1976) is a famous former track cyclist and racing car driver from Scotland. He proudly represented Great Britain at the Olympic and World Championships. He also competed for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games.
Chris Hoy is an amazing 11-time world champion and a six-time Olympic champion. He has won a total of seven Olympic medals: six gold and one silver. This makes him the second most decorated Olympic cyclist of all time! From 2012 to 2021, he was the most successful British Olympian ever.
With three gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Chris Hoy became Scotland's most successful Olympian. He was the first British male athlete in 100 years to win three gold medals at one Olympic Games. After winning two more gold medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, he became one of Britain's top Olympic athletes. He has won Olympic gold medals in more different events than any other cyclist.
Contents
Early Life and First Bikes
Chris Hoy was born on March 23, 1976, in Edinburgh, Scotland. His parents are David and Carol Hoy. He went to George Watson's College and later studied at the University of St Andrews and the University of Edinburgh. He graduated with a degree in Applied Sports Science in 1999.
Chris got his first bike for just £5! He was inspired to cycle at age six after watching the 1982 movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. He loved the BMX bike he saw in the film. Before track cycling, Chris raced BMX bikes from ages 7 to 14. He was ranked second in Britain and ninth in the world. He even got sponsorships from companies like Slazenger.
He first learned about track cycling by watching Scottish sprinter Eddie Alexander win a medal at the 1986 Commonwealth Games. Chris also played rugby for his school team and rowed for the Scotland Junior Rowing Team.
Starting His Cycling Journey
Chris Hoy joined his first cycling club, Dunedin C.C., in 1990 when he was 14. He started focusing on track cycling in 1993. He joined the City of Edinburgh Racing Club. In 1997, experts like Phil Liggett saw him and fellow Scottish sprinter Craig MacLean as future medal winners.
Hoy won a silver medal in Berlin at the 1999 UCI Track Cycling World Championships. He competed in the team sprint event. Over the years, his regular teammates in the team sprint included Craig MacLean, Ross Edgar, Jamie Staff, Jason Queally, Matthew Crampton, and Jason Kenny.
Olympic Achievements
Sydney 2000: First Olympic Medal
At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Chris Hoy won his first Olympic medal. He took home a silver medal in the Team Sprint. He raced with Jason Queally and Craig MacLean. This medal helped start a new era for British track cycling.
Athens 2004: Gold Medal Glory
Chris Hoy was in top shape for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. His main event was the Kilo Time Trial. He was ranked number one. Just before the race, he had a small accident in the Olympic village but was okay.
He set a new sea-level World and Olympic Record of 1 minute and 0.711 seconds. This was his first Olympic gold medal! However, the Great Britain team finished fifth in the Team Sprint.
Developing New Skills After 2004
After 2004, the Kilo event was removed from the Olympics. This made Chris Hoy want to try new events. He started focusing on the keirin event. In keirin, riders follow a small motorbike called a Derny for several laps. The bike then pulls away, and the riders sprint to the finish line.
Chris even went to "keirin school" in Japan in 2005. He started winning major keirin races, showing he was becoming a great tactical sprinter. His success came from his amazing power on the bike.
Setting Records and Winning World Titles
On May 12, 2007, Chris Hoy tried to break the world record for the kilometre. He was incredibly close, missing it by just 0.005 seconds! He also set a record for the 500m flying start.
Hoy's biggest achievement was in the individual sprint. This is a very important event in track cycling. Kilo riders usually don't do as well in sprint because it needs more tactics. But Chris proved he could master it. He won the sprint title at the World Championships in Manchester in 2008. He was the first British man to win this title in 52 years!
Beijing 2008: Three Gold Medals!
At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Chris Hoy made history. He became the first British male Olympian in 100 years to win three gold medals at one Games! He won gold in the men's keirin, the men's team sprint, and the men's individual sprint.
2009-2011 Seasons
After his amazing success in Beijing, Chris Hoy took a short break. He returned to racing in December 2009 at an event in Manchester. He won both the Sprint and Keirin competitions. He also won gold medals in the Keirin and Sprint at the British National Championships.
At the 2010 UCI World Championships, Hoy won his tenth world title in the Keirin event. He continued to compete and win medals in various events, even after facing some injuries.
London 2012: Flag Bearer and More Gold
Chris Hoy was an important ambassador for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. He had the great honor of leading Team GB as the flag carrier at the opening ceremony. He then went on to win gold in the team sprint with Jason Kenny and Philip Hindes, setting a new world record.
On August 7, 2012, Hoy won another gold medal in the Keirin. This made him the most successful British Olympian ever, with a total of six gold medals! He also tied for the most total medals won by any British athlete in the Olympic Games.
Retirement from Cycling
On April 18, 2013, Chris Hoy announced he was retiring from competitive cycling. He said he was very proud to have been part of the sport's growth and success.
Motorsport Career
After retiring from cycling, Chris Hoy started a new career in motorsport. He began racing cars! He competed in the Radical SR1 Cup and even got his first podium finish.
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In 2014, it was announced that Hoy would join the British GT championship. His goal was to compete in the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 2016. He achieved his first international victory in 2015 at the European Le Mans Series. He drove a Ginetta-Nissan and won a class title with his teammate Charlie Robertson.
In March 2016, Chris Hoy competed in the 2016 Le Mans 24 Hours race. He was the first Summer Olympic medalist to race at Le Mans. He and his teammates finished the race in 17th place overall.
Hoy Bikes
In November 2012, Chris Hoy launched his own bicycle brand called "Hoy Bikes." The first collection included road bikes, city bikes, and a track bike. He later added bicycles for children to the range.
Personal Life
Chris Hoy is married to Sarra Kemp, Lady Hoy, who is a lawyer. They got married in 2010 in Edinburgh. They have two children, a son and a daughter.
Chris Hoy has also written books. His autobiography was published in 2009. He has written several children's fiction books about a young cyclist named Flying Fergus. In 2020, he published another children's book called Be Amazing.
He has been an ambassador for UNICEF UK since 2013, helping children around the world. He also supports the Scottish Association for Mental Health.
Honours and Awards
Chris Hoy has received many honors for his incredible achievements:
- 2005: He was made a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE).
- 2008: He won the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
- 2009: He was made a Knight Bachelor, which means he is now called "Sir Chris Hoy."
- 2009: A high-speed train was named after him.
- 2012: The Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow, built for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, was named in his honor.
- 2013: He was given the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh.
Images for kids
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Hoy in 2008
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Hoy at the 2008 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Manchester
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Hoy celebrates winning the keirin at the 2010 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Ballerup, Denmark
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Hoy leading Team GB out as the team's flag carrier at the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
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Hoy contested the 2014 British GT Championship in a Nissan GT-R
See also
In Spanish: Chris Hoy para niños
