Hoy overjoyed to be three-time golden boy

CHRIS HOY wrote his name into the record books as he secured a historic third cycling gold this morning.

_{HOYCULES: GB cyclijng hero Chris Hoy makes it three of the best in Beijing}

He beat team-mate Jason Kenny, exactly 12 years his junior, in the men's sprint final to ensure his place in the pantheon of British sporting greats.

His medal collection may not match Michael Phelps but the victory was his third in just five memorable days - following his previous wins in the team sprint and keirin race.

Hoy - already Scotland's greatest ever Olympian - won the fourth gold of his decorated career with a peerless performance of power sprinting that will live long in the memory for all who witnessed it.

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"There has been a lot of pressure and I'm relieved it's finally over," said Hoy.

"I came to the Olympics to win three golds - that was always the aim. I've been keeping away from reading my emails, looking at the internet or watching the news. I've tried to keep myself in a little bubble and avoid all distractions but this was the goal."

Swimmer Henry Taylor, the last British athlete to win three golds in a single Games, would have struggled to believe the scenes at the Laoshan Velodrome today.

All he had was his trunks and his wits, while Britain's cyclists carry with them enough space age kit to launch a mission to the moon.

But Hoy's victory wasn't dependent on technology for success.

With tree trunk thighs, a lung capacity that could host an Olympic swimming pool and the heart of a lion, there was a certain crushing inevitability about his success.

Hoy breezed past semi-final opponent, France's Mickael Borgain, in two straight races - the Frenchman wouldn't have got near him if he'd been riding a supped-up Penny Farthing.

And Britain's overwhelming power at the velodrome was underlined when Kenny beat Germany's Max Levy to make it an all-British final.

Kenny is only 20 and has never raced at a senior championships before. In Team GB's handbook his achievements amount to just four lines - compared to Hoy's 26.

However, his inexperience counted for nothing as he left Levy burned up in his jet stream.

Cycling's sprint discipline might often start like a slow bicycle race from a primary school sports day but it ends in a blur of pedals as speeds touch over 40mph.

And no-one is better than Hoy - with nine world titles and two Commonwealth golds to add to his endeavours on sport's biggest stage.

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Kenny tried in vain to get on level terms but there was no denying the Scot his destiny.

The Real McHoy, the Hoyminator, the Golden Hoy of British cycling, call him what you will.

This morning he was happy just to be an Olympic champion - again.

JAMES TONEY in Beijing