Jason Kenny Hailed For Winning Sixth Gold Medal In The Keirin.. Then Packing Kit Into A Bag For Life

'My favourite moment of the Olympics so far.'

A six-time Gold medalist from Bolton was praised for being the most down-to-earth athlete at the Rio Olympics for one very simple act.

Jason Kenny had just pocketed his latest Gold for winning the keirin when he was pictured seconds later packing his kit away - not into a fancy branded sports bag like other competitors - but into a supermarket bag for life instead. 

Open Image Modal
Kenny exited the stadium carrying his clothes in a bag for life
BBC

The move was branded “the most British thing I’ve ever seen” by one pundit, while other fans of the superstar cyclist hailed the superbly British sentiment. 

But Kenny’s choice of carrier was not a coincidence. His father revealed to Bolton News that the Bag for Life was something of an extravagance for his son. 

“He’s not always had a bag for life. He recently upgraded from a thin, disposable Tesco bag,” Michael Kenny, 54, said.

One Olympics viewer added that the choice of bag was “iconic” - more so, even, than the race itself.

Kenny was in the final medal race on the Velodrome track, and survived a scare when the race was paused as officials studied footage to determine if had had illegally overtaken the motorised Derny bike before it had left the track.

The restart was also paused – with all six riders again starting – and at the third time of asking no-one could live with Kenny’s blistering pace.

The 28-year-old from Bolton emulated Sir Chris Hoy’s 2008 achievement of winning three titles at one Olympics to move level with the Scot as the Briton with the most Games golds.

Hoy won the Keirin at London 2012 before retiring. Kenny has two more Games in him.

SEE ALSO: