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Britain’s most decorated Olympian, Laura Kenny, has announced her retirement from cycling.
The five-time Olympic gold medalist announced her retirement on Monday after previously targeting her fourth Olympics in Paris this year.
The 31-year-old decided to call time on her illustrious career just seven months after giving birth to her second child in July last year, as British cycling bosses deemed her return to the sport ‘thin “.
Dame Laura posted photos and videos from her cycling career on social media to announce her decision to leave the sport she loves so much, writing: “Thank you cycling for everything you have given me – including a husband and our growing family!”
Here at Mail Sport, we look back at every medal won by the Essex native during her glittering 14-year career, including a closer look at her most impressive wins.
Dame Laura Kenny announced on Monday that she was retiring from professional cycling
Kenny with her husband Jason Kenny, who is also a former Team GB cyclist at the Rio 2016 Olympics
Kenny is highly regarded as one of Britain’s best athletes, having won gold five times after competing in three consecutive Olympic Games.
Kenny became a British celebrity during her impressive performance at the 2012 London Olympics.
Already a three-time world champion at the time, Kenny became a household name and cycling icon when she won two gold medals at her country’s Olympics.
Gold – 2012 London – Team Pursuit
Although Kenny had already had a cycling career worth celebrating, the Essex cyclist had yet to win the medal most athletes dream of, a medal at the Olympics.
Kenny won his first Olympic medal in his first appearance at the games. The then 20-year-old won her first team pursuit medal with partners Joanna Rowsell and Dani Rowe.
Gold for the girls seemed inevitable at the time, because before the final race, including the pre-Olympic races and the event itself, the ladies had broken the world record for the event six times.
They managed to finish the event in three minutes 15.669 seconds in qualifying, then reduced the time by another second in the first round, and went on to win the gold medal in 3:14.051.
Kenny won his first Olympic gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics alongside Joanna Rowsell and Dani Rowe.
Gold – 2012 London – Omnium
What started it all for Kenny… and the catalyst for her becoming Britain’s most accomplished Olympian, was that one day after the team pursuit, Kenny, formerly Trott, was back on the track to compete individually at the Omnium.
She managed to impress from the start, leading the event from day one, after winning the flying lap and the heat race, but only placed tenth in the points race.
Despite pressure from American cyclist Sarah Hammer who fought her way through after the individual pursuit and scratch race, Trott won the final time trial to claim her first individual Olympic gold medal.
The now 31-year-old won her first individual Olympic gold medal in the Omnium event.
European Championships – Gold – Glasgow 2018 – Elimination race and team pursuit
Many might argue that this is Kenny’s most impressive victory. After winning gold in Rio in 2016 for the Omnium and the team pursuit, Kenny stepped away from the sport for a little while to give birth to her first son, Albert, with fellow British cyclist Jason. Kenny.
She cemented her place in the nation’s heartland in 2018 when she won double gold in the team pursuit and elimination race at the European Championships, although she revealed she had passed many sleepless nights while competing in Glasgow looking after her baby, Albert.
Despite many sleepless nights caring for her newborn Albert, Dame Kate managed to win two medals at the 2018 European Championships.
She won gold at the 2018 European Championships in the team pursuit event.
Gold – 2020 Tokyo – Madison
Following the birth of his son Albert in 2017, many counted Kenny among the gold medal contenders for Tokyo 2020, after he suffered several falls before the games and it seemed unlikely that Kenny would compete in the games.
However, due to the pandemic, the games were postponed and Kenny managed to get back into shape to compete in the games – and she wasn’t just there to compete.
Alongside Katie Archibald, Kenny dominated Madison’s event making her games debut.
Their performance in the race was one of the most dominant performances of all the games which saw them win gold and Kenny his fifth Olympic gold medal.
Laura alongside Katie Archibald won gold at the 2020 Olympics postponed to 2021 for the Madison race’s Olympic debut
Flag bearer – Tokyo 2020 – Closing Ceremony
Off the track, Kenny achieved another incredible milestone, having once again proven her worth as one of the best cyclists the world has ever seen, even after becoming a mother.
Kenny had the honor of being Great Britain’s flag bearer for the closing ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony, Kenny was a five-time Olympic gold medalist, giving her the rightful duty of carrying the Team GB flag for the Closing Ceremony.
Every Medal Laura Kenny Has Won Throughout Her Amazing Career
Olympic Games
Gold – 2012 London – Omnium
Gold – London 2012 – Team Pursuit
Gold – 2016 Rio de Janeiro – Omnium
Gold – Rio de Janeiro 2016 – Team Pursuit
Gold – 2020 Tokyo – Madison
Silver – Tokyo 2020 – Team Pursuit
World’s Championships
Gold – 2011 Apeldoorn – Team Pursuit
Gold – 2012 Melbourne – Omnium
Gold – Melbourne 2012 – Team Pursuit
Gold – Minsk 2013 – Team Pursuit
Gold – Cali 2014 – Team Pursuit
Gold – 2016 London – Scratch
Gold – 2016 London – Omnium
Silver – 2013 Minsk – Omnium
Silver – 2014 Cali – Omnium
Silver – 2015 Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines – Omnium
Silver – 2015 Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines – Team Pursuit
Silver – 2018 Apeldoorn – Team Pursuit
Silver – 2019 Pruszków – Team Pursuit
Silver – 2020 Berlin – Team Pursuit
Bronze – 2016 London – Team Pursuit
European Championships
Gold – 2010 Pruszków – Team Pursuit
Gold – 2011 Apeldoorn – Omnium
Gold – 2011 Apeldoorn – Team Pursuit
Gold – 2013 Apeldoorn – Omnium
Gold – 2013 Apeldoorn – Team Pursuit
Gold – 2014 Guadeloupe – Omnium
Gold – Guadeloupe 2014 – Team Pursuit
Gold – Granges 2015 – Scratch Race
Gold – 2015 Granges – Omnium
Gold – Granges 2015 – Team Pursuit
Gold – Glasgow 2018 – Elimination race
Gold – Glasgow 2018 – Team Pursuit
Gold – 2019 Apeldoorn – Team Pursuit
Gold – 2020 Plovdiv – Team Pursuit
Silver – 2019 Apeldoorn – Omnium
Silver – 2019 Apeldoorn – Madison
Silver – 2020 Plovdiv – Omnium
Bronze – 2020 Plovdiv – Madison
Commonwealth Games (for England)
Gold – Glasgow 2014 – Points race
Gold – Birmingham 2022 – Scratch Race
Bronze – Birmingham 2022 – Team Pursuit