- 16 Aug 08, 04:52 PM
I'm just getting my breath back after another special day at the Laoshan velodrome that will stay with me for a very long time
Three medal events, two golds, a silver and two bronze, with gold and silver guaranteed in the women's pursuit on Sunday as well!
Every rider in the British team to appear on the track so far has managed to win a medal, but leading the way on the first two days of competition has been the unofficial leader of the team, Chris Hoy.
Hoy has now become Scotland's most successful Olympic athlete ever, after winning his second gold of these Games and his third in total.
Don't bet against him making it four either. He starts his quest for the sprint crown on Sunday morning.
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The team sprint gold set the tone on the first night of racing and Hoy was key to that. Jamie Staff and Jason Kenny set the platform for victory, but Hoy's speed and staying power ensured they finally beat the French after so many near misses.
His tactics in the keirin, in which he is the world champion, are fairly straightforward: hit the front and stay there. This is what he did here in Beijing and no one came close to beating him.
This level of performance is absolutely extraordinary when you consider his speciality has been dropped from the Olympic programme.
Hoy won the gold in the kilometre time trial in Athens and at that point thought his career in individual events was all but over.
Since then he's totally re-invented himself in the match sprint and the keirin, becoming world champion in both.
The Real McHoy, the Hoyminator, the Golden Hoy of British cycling, call him what you will.
But, for his achievements at the highest level of sport and for his sporting attitude and behaviour, perhaps a knighthood should be considered in the future.
One thing I do know, there can be few better ambassadors for British sport anywhere.
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Comments
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Hoy's achievements are incredible - even more so when you consider the (ridiculous) decision to drop his favoured Time Trial.
The man looks so powerful and assured on the track and seems to have these afterburners that just blow any opposition away. Awesome to watch.
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It is as if Hoy has an engine on his bike. He does to his opposition what Bolt did to his field today in the 100 m.
It almost feels like cheating, are the rest of the World not supposed to be a bit better at an Olympics.
Much praise to everyone involved in British cycling, sailing, rowing and swimming (at last). Hopefully the athletes will hold their own this week in a very competitive environment. One gold, four medals would be good. Come on Rutherford in the long jump, he has a great attitude.
End funding for judo. Losing is one thing, just standing around doing nothing on the mat is another. Give their money to cycling - they will use it better!
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ha ha, how would cycling use the money better - they're winning all the medals already! (we've only had 36 hours of velodrome magic and already the GB cycling team are ahead of all the other sports put together!)
I wonder if any track cyclist in the british team is going to fail to get a medal.....
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Better reserve the knight/damehoods for those who deserve it - Hoy certainly does. The politicians were handing them out last time like free sweets at a kids' party, but at least this PM is not as desperate to link itself to their success as the last one, otherwise we'd already have seen a number given away this time round.
Arise, Sir Chris.
@holey, on the contrary, we need more funding for leftfield sports or sports we don't do well at. I'm sure we have enough big companies that could dig deep even if the government or lottery don't. We need to be better all-rounders in sports, as Adlington's medal proves, not just good at cycling, rowing, sailing and athletics. We have a number of promising young competitors in a lot of sports that don't get the coverage because we are obsessed with the few "safe seats" we always get the medals in.
For 2016 and 2020 I hope to see basketball and volleyball teams, but for now archery and judo should begin to be funded better for 2012 success.
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I woulds disagree with giving more funding to cycling. They appear to have not only the sports men and women capable of winning but also the right set up as well.
We need to boost the sports that are not doing so well. It is a strange state of affairs that different sports need to have got medals at olympics in order to get top end funding, but in many ways the only way to get those medals is to get that funding in the first place.
We also lack the top end facilities. We still have only a few 50 meter pools in the country and we have only got a proper rowing facility in the last few years. If we could bring all facilities up to world standard we could be doing well.
I think the other thing we have to ditch is the "I finished 6th but didn't I do well attitude". There still appear to be some sports people and teams who still have this attitude. I was pleased with one of the rowers in the coxless 4s who was able to critise his own rowing just minutes from being out of the boat.
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I have to say Hoy was unbelieveable today. After yesterday I was a bit worried about Hoy believe it or not! I thought in the team sprint, he got a bit left behind if i were to be overly critical. But he was unbeatable today. I think Wiggins also has to be mentioned in the same breath as Hoy and I'm sure he will be later on in the games.
In terms of the failures in Judo, I think it just shows that when it comes to fighting, the Olympic games just brings out the best in the raw talents. I haven't really seen any special british fighters out there, apart from Fallon who has special talent but got carried away with the occassion. This also includes Boxing. I would be very suprised if we win Gold as I havent seen the special talent. No one has come close to the talent shown by Amir Khan 4 years a go. Winning world championships and winning the Olympics are completely different when it comes to fighters.
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Hoy in the Keirin was jaw-droppingly amazing! To watch so much power and speed unleashed is incredible. He is a great ambassador for cycling, Scotland and Britain.
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Loved watching Hoy. His thighs are ridiculous!
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Just wish I could have seen it.....NBC aren't too good at featuring stuff that the USA aren't dominating in - I was lucky to see Adlington's superb win in the 800.
I have to disagree wholehartedly with Lionheretic's comments about no facilities. How many times has the UK hosted the Commonwealth games? I do believe you need facilities for that? In Edinburgh they still refer to it as the "Commonwealth Pool" and it's a smashing facility. Shouldn't other sports be taking advantage of what's already there too?
I believe we should continue to invest in what we're good at and at current levels. Other sports need new money, not to take money from the established ones, that's crazy.....like Eastern European Gymnastics.
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Stramash
Hear hear. I am trying to watch it in the US and frustrated. Didn't see anything of the cycling and still to see the boxing (apart from highlightes of the SuperHeavyweight!) I am just waiting for them to put on a re-run of Tigers US Open win for good measure. Just in case nobody in the world has seen it yet.
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Hoy's win was at least as impressive as Bolt's in the 100m Run, and like him he just seemed to be in a different race. The strength in depth of the British Cycling team is what keeps the top dogs sharp, with new talent challenging all the time. Just why the BBC shows a long roundup and analysis of a creditable 5th and 32nd in the Women's Heptahlon, while Steven Burke's Bronze medal in the Pursuit and Ross Edgar's Silver in the Keirin go barely recognised - certainly very little interview and no analysis.
Let's hope this Gold Rush in sports other than athletics will mean no media can ignore the efforts and wins of the more successful sports where Britons are applying themselves to.
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I sympathise with viewers in the USA. I was there for the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Breaks for advertising halfway through the 100m men's sprint final. Ridiculous!
Regarding facilities, it's not the venues for the international competitions that are lacking, it's those for everyday use. Thirty years ago schools had to sell off their playing fields to pay normal running expenses. Public baths have closed. Gymnasiums are too few. Britain is way behind the rest of Europe in all team sports like basketball, volleyball, handball, baseball, softball, beach volleyball and water polo. The only one which saves our face is field hockey. Get the youngsters off the streets and into sport. Funding of sporting facilities is a social obligation.
Regarding funding generally, finally in a few sports (the ones in which we are winning medals) GB is applying a serious professional approach and it's right that more funds go to the ones who are better organised and more successful. However all sports must have some basic funding. Athletes cannot be expected to dedicate their lives to training and winning glory for GB if they don't have the means to live.
I live in Italy and over half their 350 or so athletes in Beijing and the majority of their medal winners are members of various publice services (police, armed forces, customs and excise, forestry, etc) and so earn a decent wage whilst spending their time training. Winner of an Olympic gold gets 140,000 euro, silver 75,000 and bronze 50,000, apparently 8 times more than even thir US counterparts. How much do the Brits get?
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What a day that was - 16/08/08 - remember it.
Did we witness perhaps the most amazing day at the Olympics ever?
Not only Phelps amazing finish, (i still dont see how he won that race), not only the greatest olympic 100m ever, but Britain seemingly "up there". I remember the days as little as 20 years ago when a few medals across a few sports was all we could achieve. (we could still do better in a lot of sports and athletics seems a bit flat for us especially, but at least were going the right way.
I know there have been plenty of great individual moments both for Britain and other superstars in the past like Owens, Spitz etc but does anybody feel that this day was something unsurpassed?
There was a range of medals for us in a rapid period, 1-2 in the cycling (unheard of)and another for the women tomorrow, (do u remember the days of GDR, USSR), a dramatic finish for a gold in the rowing fours for 3 in a row, british cyclists setting records all over the place and even achieving double medals in three different disciplines.
Finally, dont think i will ever forget that commentary from our man at the BBC (gary Herbert i think) at the end of the rowing - he sounded like he was frantic - ive watched it a couple of times and his commentary is classic. He almost lost it!!!
Good day.
Paul D
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If Hoy wins a 3rd gold @ Beijing who should carry the flag at the closing ceremony? Addlington or Hoy? Helluva tough choice.....
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i forgot Addlington as well - not only gold but smashing a 20 year old record. The old GDR will rolling in its grave.
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I think the Rowing, Cycling, swimming have done us proud so far. There has been some amazing feats from these sports men.
Yes the funding does seem abit heavy on some sides. But I think we have to catch these youngsters early and get the professionals in to ensure they have a ballanced life which can allow them to work and train without finacial worry.
I was so proud of the guys today, they gave their heart and soul for GB.
Yes Chris should be awarded.
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The reason why he is so good is because he goes hell for leather 3 laps from end. Given that he was one the best exponents of the kilo, he possesses a speed which no-one can match. He knows his strengths and utilises them to the maximum effect. If you can do 4 laps in a minute dead, then you'll win any sprint race. He's not tactically brilliant, he just blows everyone else away when he puts on the afterburners.
As for the knighthood, I think you need to win gold medals at at least 4 olympics or be in a higher profile sport, such as athletics for example. Unfortunately that's just the way it is.
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Hoy should carry the flag......
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The cycling team has 25 members - so far 8 medals. If we'd repeat that across the entire olympic squad we'd finish with at least 100 medals!!
With reference to funding; we're the 2nd best baseball team in Europe but couldn't fund the team to travel.
Go Team GB
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jesus, simple stuff folks -
#14 - if hoy wins a third gold he'll have 3 golds and addlington will have 2 ( plus hoy has medals from 2 previous games including a gold ), hardly a tough choice,
#12 - there were/are no breaks in usa tv coverage of the 100 metres final, men's or women's , maybe just before or just after but not during - fact
#9 - you've clearly either never been or at the very least certainly have not been recently to edinburgh's 'smashing facility' the commonwealth pool as it is an absolute disgrace of a pool that quite rightly is about to be bulldozed
#2 - whilst addlington and jackson deserve huge credit i'm not sure this attitude of unremitting praise for the swimming team is right, bar those 2 how many women have won medals? How many men have won anything at all? Top 4 even? Actually i can't remember a british bloke doing better than 6th. Then there is the utter farce that was the women's 4by200 relay team i think it was. Fair enough if you go out and set a pb or a british record etc but if you still don't even make the final i'm just not sure that is worthy of the highest praise, some credit yes but not hoy,ainslie, addlington type praise
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I am pleased for Chris who truely is a great olympian and is an inspiration to all. The cycling squad (male and female) have set an incredibly high standard, closely followed by rowing and sailing where we will see some medals tomorrrow.
If only athletics could learn from these world leading sports we could really have a 2012 to saviour!
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Just pause for a moment and think....... There is a realistic chance of Hoy getting 3 gold medals AND Bradley getting 3 gold as well - and both of them have gold medals from previous Games! I think I may wake up at some point and find this is a dream.
The thing that most impresses me is that the cycling team have been so well prepared and both Hoy and Wiggins were so confident before the event. Also the cycling team is not resting on the shoulders of a couple of exceptional men - and they are exceptional! - but there are youngsters like Burke coming up too!
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Great to see our athletes winning gold by sitting on their bums again, shame the Aussies got a gong for wiggling their bums in the walking race. Ironic for such a bunch of macho wingers. I do like the banter though.
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Chris Hoy and Bradley Wiggins should both be knighted, Hoy is Scotlands greatest Olympian and Wiggins became the first man to sucessfully defend his title at the Olympics
GO GB
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Why should you get a knighthood (or a damehood) simply for winning a race? Should the winning and the manner in which you won not be sufficient reward? The politicians have of late totally devalued the honour by handing out gongs willy nilly.
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#25, I agree. It's got a bit out-of-hand.
Fair enough for someone like Redgrave, but when Paul Collingwood got an MBE for scoring 17 runs in the only match he played in the 2005 Ashes, it was ridiculous. Likewise, the recent tradition of open-top bus parades is slightly embarrassing. It was deserved for the 2003 Rugby World Cup winners, but not for any of the others. "Well done lads, you came first in a two horse race, let's shutdown London for an afternoon."
"Dame" Kelly Homes was probably going a bit far too.
I've got no problem with Chris Hoy getting his MBE upgraded to an OBE for his achievements over a number of years. And I'll be voting for him as Sports Personality of the Year, but a knighthood is probably premature.
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prigy1 Mr know it all eh? Olympic sport is not simple stuff my friend.
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I thought the Damehood for Kelly Holmes was OK, given that she'd been competing at the highest level for 10 years (interrupted only by injury). Having said that, did anyone else think it went to her head a bit?
I don't think the honour should automatically follow the medals. To make Rebecca Adlington a Dame for her accomplishment, however excellent, at a single meet, and calling that "services to sport", seems premature. Sir Chris Hoy? Maybe now is the time.
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Premature from the point of view that he is still competing as nobody imo should be knighted until they have finished their career. However I think Hoy is deserving of a knighthood when his exploits throughout his career are considered, world champs etc. Too much emphasis is placed on Olympic success for me. Undoubtedly it is the greatest achievement for any sports person however it generally is equally tough to become world champion so that is still a hell of an achievement!
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And just to point out something to Prigy1, Look up how many pb's the whole british swimming team has swam this meet and then look at the age of the majority of the team and you tell me if it has been succesful. Fact is not everyone can be blessed with the necessary talent to win but to do your best when it matters is still qualified success. I agree that the 4x200 was a massive disaster, but hey one of the few downsides to a generally positive games.
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#29, I agree. Waiting before awarding honours allows for some perspective. The Ashes winners and the last lot of Olympic medalists were honoured in haste to cash-in on the popular mood.
Geoff Hurst waited decades for his knighthood, and it's not necessarily a bad thing. "Services to sport" is not quite the same as "achievements in sport".
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The Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh isn't great, but it isn't that bad. Either way Hoy is one of Edinburgh Uni's finest. Now for Kath Grainger to also do us proud!
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cyberran87 wrote :-
"And just to point out something to Prigy1, Look up how many pb's the whole british swimming team has swam this meet and then look at the age of the majority of the team and you tell me if it has been succesful."
Wait a second.
ALL swimming times have been destroyed not because of better performance but because of the LZR Racer speed swimsuit. THere's nothing impressive about breaking a National record while every single record by every single competitor is being broken thanks to new technology.
At least in other sports they reset the world records when something like this happens. But, oh no, not swimming where all this ridiculous duplications of medalling happens resulting in every olympics giving 5+ medals to single individuals.
The British swimming team has been a disaster. The interviews have been *embarrassing* with individuals like Tait commenting on how they "don't care" about a medal or others says they've "had fun and thats what matters".
Cycling is successful because ANYONE with that mentality doesn't get a berth. They are there to WIN. And their winning mentality is what gives them funding and participation.
Maybe if the swimming team rewarded winners instead of providing free holidays it might get close to cyclings proficiency.
Until 1992, Britain had won 2 bronze in cycling since the Second World War (and both were on the road). 1992 was a fluke, 1996 we got a couple of minors. Since 2000 we have started cleaning up.
The right attitude, the right training, providing Olympic Berts to the right people. That creates success. Not what happens in swimming where "british records" are some indication of success.
World Records indicate success. Olympic Medals indicate success. Pull all the funding from Swimming till they get their house in order.
Regards,
Eduin
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hoy is simply amazing, however it does seem that he does not get the credit he deserves. Watching BBC coverage they say only three brits have one 2 golds in one olympics. Adlington, holmes an some guy from years gone. yet for some reason hoys winning two does not count.
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Hoy was awesome, but why these calls for knighthood? Please, give the guy a break and let him soak up and enjoy his Olympic moment and glory.
You can give him all that you want after he retires.
Remember, the cricket team getting all those OBEs. What hapenned to them now?
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You can't award a Knighthood to Hoy - he does not play for Manchester United
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I'm afrad you've got caught up in all the hype. Compare this bloke with Nick Faldo who won 6 majors over 2 continents over many years and has also done loads for young kids getting into the sport. And he's not yet a Sir.
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Golf isn't Olympic though #37. i.e. it needs to actually be played in more than a handful of countries to be considered by the IOC. I would argue too that any so called 'sport' you can put the words 'game of' infront of, is not sport, but a game with a bit of low threshold aerobic activity.
Game of cycling anyone?
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It may be too late but I'd like to clarify something. Firstly Keirin is pronounced `kayrin' not `kieren' as all your commentators mistakenly do. Secondly Keirin simply means cycle race in Japanese.
Please pass this on.
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Both Hoy and Wiggins are both deserving of Knighthoods , but the Performance Director of British Cycling Dave Brailsford should be an important consideration for such recognition.
As far as funding is concerned , enough money should be made available to cascade the sucess and facilities down to grass roots level in ALL sports
Perhaps sacrificing a big chunk of the cash (in my opinion) wasted on the "Arts" would benefit the majority of people of this country by making sport (and healthy living) more accessible
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i agree, knight chris hoy or give him an mbe, hell why not make him king? after all it is the english way isn't it? at the first sign of sporting sucess bandy the honours about, give them a book deal, shower them with money and then take their retirement or ensuing impotent performances as given, a la the english cricket team, english rugby team, katie holmes, martin johnson, paula radcliffe etc etc...
do it... i dare thee...
p.s: well done in the recent euro 2008 football championships... ooops, sorry, thats right england failed to qualify...
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#38 (hockinsk) - game of football anyone? game of rugby? game of hockey? game of basketball? Are you seriously saying that none of these count as sports, and that they are "games with a bit of low threshold aerobic activity"?
As far as the honours discussion goes - I agree that awarding such honours has become totally devalued and somewhat ridiculous. In my opinion, honours should be reserved for those who have gone above and beyond for the benefit of others, without any particular personal advancement. People who work tirelessly for charities, for youth organisations, and yes, to bring youngsters in off the streets and into sports, the people whose names never go up in lights for winning gold medals. Teachers who devote way more than their paid hours to supporting extra curricular activities. These are the things that deserve to be recognised by honours.
Let's face it, none of our gold medallists did what they did "to inspire others" - that's a nice side-effect. But they were out there to win gold because that was what they have driven themselves towards for many years,and it's primarily for their own personal satisfaction. Any benefit to others is very much a secondary consideration for them. Now - that is not to say that there aren't gold medallists (and other athletes) who either do, or will, once their athletic career is over, go on to provide such selfless support for others.
I believe every one of our gold medallists is worthy of respect and praise for what they have done, and I have cheered for them 'til I'm hoarse, and am absolutely thrilled for every one of them - but I don't think medals should be enough for an honour.
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Yes a knighthood for Hoy as a reward for a great career for someone who first started off when British Cycling was in the doldrums. And if he gets 3 golds from these games he'll be getting my vote for Sports Personality of the Year!
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Yes, I am saying all sports that are games are not sport in the true Olympic sense of the word.
I honestly don't see for example the difference between tiddlywinks and golf. Both have the same objective of playing within a set of rules in order to get a round object into a hole in the least number of hops. Likewise, Subutteo has very similar objectives to playing a game of Football and use the same rules.
The only difference I see, are the games called 'sport' happen to be played on a bigger stage and invlove more aerobic activity. Certainly the skill required is very similar.
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If we're going to talk about knighthoods and damehoods we should really be talking about the likes of Peter Keen, Dave Brailsford and Chris Boardman what they have created with British Cycling is just astonishing.
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#44 - well - the objective with (the simplest events in) cycling is to get an object (or objects - the bicycle and its rider) around the track as fast as possible. Let's see - we could flip tiddlywinks all the way around the track as fast as possible, and see who wins. Let's call that a sport then, since we can create a set of rules for it in order to get an object (a tiddlywink rather than a bicycle) around the track as fast as possible.
Ridiculous, I know. But, in my opinion, just about as ridiculous as saying that (serious) football is low threshold aerobic activity, or that tiddlywinks is effectively the same as golf.
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Chris Hoy is an inspiration and, going by his interviews, a thoroughly nice chap as well.
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As far as funding is concerned , enough money should be made available to cascade the sucess and facilities down to grass roots level in ALL sports
Perhaps sacrificing a big chunk of the cash (in my opinion) wasted on the "Arts" would benefit the majority of people of this country by making sport (and healthy living) more accessible
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Problem with the arts is the same as the problem in sport. Money is flooded into labouring giants, Tennis and the National Theatre come to mind, which don't represent the needs of the nation. We need more Velodromes more swimming pools and easier access, just like we need better funded local theatres and youth arts projects.
Its not that spending money on the arts is a waste its just that like sports funding most of it is wasted.
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stramash_city wrote:
I have to disagree wholehartedly with Lionheretic's comments about no facilities. How many times has the UK hosted the Commonwealth games? I do believe you need facilities for that? In Edinburgh they still refer to it as the "Commonwealth Pool" and it's a smashing facility. Shouldn't other sports be taking advantage of what's already there too?
In the past 30 years we have held the commonwelath gaesm twice. Once in Edinburgh and the the other time in manchester. That is a grand total of twice. to give you some idea I went to use the swimming pool in Norwich about 4 years ago which claimed (to much fan fair) to be the 10th 50 meter pool in the UK. Although I am sure the situation has improved I think that speaks volumes
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to give you some idea I went to use the swimming pool in Norwich about 4 years ago which claimed (to much fan fair) to be the 10th 50 meter pool in the UK. Although I am sure the situation has improved I think that speaks volumes
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I believe we have a total of 15 Olympic sized pools in England which still means a large percentage of the population don't have easy access, there is only a single one in Wales none in the South West of England, if you live even in large towns like Brighton, Cardiff, and Newcastle you have a massive round trip to your nearest Olympic pool.
Compare that to Australia which has around 47 which in terms of pools per people is massive and still more than the UK when the size of the country is taken into account.
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I would love to be able to watch any cycling or any athletics. As I write this the women's 100 metres final was just run whilst the US' NBC is covering a women's basketball game against New Zealand -- the score right now is a tight 75-42 to the US, just in case you are wondering. Apparently the US women have NEVER lost a basketball match which I again presume is why we are able to watch yet another meaningless competition in which the US smashes someone else to pulp.
They also did not cover the men's 100 metres and the day long schedule upcoming apparently involves Venus and Serena popping into the studio for an in depth interview. Absent the internet I would not know who won the singles or other doubles events. Also the sailing, judo, archery, shooting......
But none of this should not detract from the fact that the US just like GB places intense focus on what they win and simply ignore anything else. When they focus though, they do not stint on the resources. I think Michael Phelps benefitted massively from this -- not to take anything away from his performance.
I just wish I could be able to complain about the BBC coverage!
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The BBC coverage is pretty good with Eurosport also giving a digest of the less GB-orientated sports. You are missing something in the US but doesn't NBC have various streams available?
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Before we get too excited about knighthoods let's look at some facts.
1. Matthew Pinsent has 4 gold medals and no knighthood.
2. Kelly Holmes has 2 gold medals and was made a Dame - presumably all double gold medallists at the same Games now qualify for Sir/Dame. Hoy,Adlington being the latest to qualify.
3. Alex Ferguson, (blame anybody but yourself when you lose, whinge about the referee endlessly and don’t give interviews to the BBC) was knighted.
Not quite sure what value a knighthood has any longer, or even what values it represents.
Over the last decade Rowing, Sailing and Cycling have provided superb Olympic athletes who are a credit to the nation and their sport. These Games provide just a small window into these fantastic sports – it’s a shame that once the Games end we’ll get an endless TV/radio diet of football (aka diving, abuse of officials, blame game when you lose, obscene millions in wages, the biggest branding con in history).
Congratulations to all our medallists.
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#53 - Matthew Pinsent was knighted after he retired.
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At 11:18pm on 16 Aug 2008, UTD3inarow wrote:
"Chris Hoy and Bradley Wiggins should both be knighted, Hoy is Scotlands greatest Olympian and Wiggins became the first man to sucessfully defend his title at the Olympics"
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Actually, Daley Thompson did it in 1984 in the decathlon.
and
At 9:25pm on 17 Aug 2008, steven_taylor wrote:
"#53 - Matthew Pinsent was knighted after he retired."
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Matthew Pinsent is in fact a CBE and not a knight
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
I thought to be a Sir you had to be knighted:
http://www.matthewpinsent.com/index.htm
Sir Matthew Pinsent CBE?
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My appologies Steven, you are right.
I really should have looked at more than one article before putting my name to something, i won't be dong that again
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It's worth remembering where Chris Hoy came from to get gold. Hear his take on developing cycling among kids at http://www.youtube.com/SaveMeadowbank
The reason we have elite athletes is because a large number of kids got the chance to try the sport. Some turn out to be superstars, others find a fun way to enjoy themselves and keep healthy. Either way the country benefits from investment in grassroots sport facilities.
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The problem you have is that because you gave Kelly Holmes a dame for 2 gold medals then anyone who equals or betters it is going to start posing the question: why not me? I think it wasen't deserving to give Kelly Holmes that position only for winning 2 gold medals purely for the reason above. Chris Hoy should get a kighthood. He got more medals than Holmes, so why not?
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Well as no British Athlete has won three golds at a single games for 100 years (I think) it would be a travesty if Chris Hoy was not offered a knighthood.
Similarly if he doesn't get BBC Sports Personality of the Year, with say Ben Ainslee second and Rebecca Adlington third.
However as cycling is a minority sport I'd forecast that Adlington will get it.
Hoy's 200m times in the final were unbelievable. The clock starts when the lead cyclist crosses the 200m line and stops when the winner crosses the finishing line. On both occasions Hoy's front wheel is about 5m behind Jason Kenny's front wheel...roughly 0.25 of a second. Meaning Hoy's closing 200 times were sub ten second.
Usain Bolt, fastest man on earth? I don't think so!
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PlasticGloryHunter.
I agree with you that we should not be rushing to award knighthoods so quickly.
Whilst I think Chris Hoy is fully deserving of that honour I feel it would be more meaningful if it were left for a year or two
In the past knighthoods were awarded to someone who had given service to their sport over a number of years and it was seen as a reward for all of their efforts.
Nowadays as you say they seem to be handed out for one off achievements and somewhat devalues the true meaning of the award.
I know this though, with Bradley Wiggins and Jason Kenny in the team we can look forward to many more World and Olympic titles
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1Wattie
Hoy is 32.
Has won medals at three successive games.
And everything in between too.
I think he deserves it.
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