Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / SCOTLAND
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
UK Contents:  England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | UK Politics | Education | Magazine

11:46 GMT, Wednesday, 20 August 2008 12:46 UK

'Incredible feeling' for Chris Hoy

Chris Hoy

A day after clinching his third Olympic gold medal in cycling, Scotland's Chris Hoy said he was "beginning to realise" what both he and the team had achieved.

Speaking in a BBC Scotland interview he said: "It's been something we've been hoping would happen for so long and we've planned every detail.

"It's finally come to fruition. It's incredible, an amazing feeling."

Asked whether he had had an opportunity to consider his options for the 2012 Olympics in London and the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, he said both events would be a "massive motivation" for him.

"It's the kind of thing they usually wait until you die [to do] so it's quite nice to have it now"
Chris Hoy on the new national velodrome being named after him

He added: "I really want to keep going as long as I can. I really love what I'm doing day-to-day, the training, the preparation, all part of the life of being a cyclist. As long as I'm healthy and fit I want to keep going."

The 32-year-old now intends to take some time off to wind down then see what happens from there.

He repeated calls for better cycling facilities in Scotland and said he would not have been an Olympic champion without local facilities such as Meadowbank Stadium in Edinburgh.

'Huge honour'

Edinburgh City Council plans to demolish the facility and replace it with a "downsized" sports venue.

Mr Hoy said: "Track cycling only exists if you have the facilities.

"It's really sad to think that if that (Meadowbank) goes and nothing else replaces it then we could miss out on a future Olympic champion somewhere."

He added that what was needed was all-year-round facilities which would benefit "elite riders and school kids alike".

Glasgow City Council announced on Tuesday that the new national velodrome being built for the 2014 Commonwealth Games would be named after Chris Hoy.

He said that was a "huge honour".

"It's the kind of thing they usually wait until you die [to do] so it's quite nice to have it now."




E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:
Velodrome honour for golden Hoy (19 Aug 08 |  Scotland )
Hoy clinches historic third gold (19 Aug 08 |  Cycling )
Emotions erupt for champion Hoy (19 Aug 08 |  Cycling )
Call for Meadowbank plan rethink (08 Apr 08 |  Edinburgh, East and Fife )
'Sustainable legacy' from Games (16 Mar 08 |  Glasgow, Lanarkshire and West )
Demolition go-ahead for stadium (13 Mar 08 |  Edinburgh, East and Fife )
Games lessons 'must be learned' (09 Nov 07 |  Edinburgh, East and Fife )
New stadium 'dead in the water' (12 Jun 07 |  Edinburgh, East and Fife )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
London 2012
Glasgow 2014
Glasgow City Council
Edinburgh City Council
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
UK Contents:  England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | UK Politics | Education | Magazine

NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©