In the Kenny household, there is only one colour that counts. After Rio 2016, when Laura Kenny talked about wanting two more medals to make a clock, she only included the 10 gold ones she and Jason had won.
On her part, the 29-year-old has known nothing else in her Olympic career — a perfect record of four victories from four. As for her husband? A mischievous Laura is only too happy to fill us in. ‘He doesn’t have a 100 per cent record, does he?’ she teases. ‘He got a silver. What a shame!’
The medal that has darkened the family’s door came 13 years ago in Beijing, when Jason finished behind a certain Sir Chris Hoy in the sprint. But he has not lost an Olympic event since then and his record reads six golds from seven.
Jason and Laura Kenny's place in history is already assured, but they want more in Tokyo
The married couple have won a staggering 10 gold medals between them on the velodrome
Here in Tokyo, Jason can surpass Hoy and become the most successful British Olympian and the first to win seven golds. Behind him, Laura also hopes to make it a magnificent seven next week.
‘I am living with the person I am trying to beat,’ smiles Laura, who married Jason in September 2016 and gave birth to their son Albie a year later.
After doing the double-double at London and Rio, this will be the first time new mum Laura has competed in three events in one Games. The 29-year-old is taking on the madison, after it was added to the Olympic track cycling programme, as well as attempting to defend her team pursuit and omnium titles.
‘I went into all of my races at London and Rio hoping to medal, and that’s exactly what I’ll be doing in Tokyo,’ she says. ‘The natural step for me was to put my hand up for all three events, and it’s the same attitude in the extra event — I would hope to come away with a medal.’
Laura will be targeting madison gold amid her three events, partnering Katie Archibald (left)
Action gets under way on Sunday at the Izu Velodrome, 75 miles south of Tokyo, and as things stand, up to 1,800 fans can attend the 3,600-seat venue as the Shizuoka prefecture is not under a state of emergency.
‘I’m glad there will be some noise,’ says Laura. ‘Initially I thought there was going to be no one allowed except the riders, staff and media, and I was a bit gutted.
‘I thought, “What are they going to do — pipe in crowd noise? Can we pick the London soundtrack?” ’
Laura will take part in the very first event of the track programme.She teams up with
