Jason Kenny became the most decorated British athlete in Olympic history on Sunday after a stunning victory in the keirin final at the Tokyo Games, before suggesting he "might carry on" to Paris 2024. Kenny had shared the British record of six golds with former track cycling teammate Chris Hoy and his hopes of striking out on his own diminished in Tokyo after relinquishing the sprint and team sprint titles he won at London 2012 and in Rio four years later. But there was no denying Kenny in his third and final attempt to defend his one remaining Olympic title. After the derny exited the track with three laps left of the six-lap race, Kenny was positioned at the front of the six-rider pack. As the rest of the riders tentatively awaited an attack, Kenny took a quick glance back and bolted and his powerful turn of pace saw him open up a lead of a quarter of a lap on the rest of the field. It soon became apparent that his rivals wouldn't be able to reel him in as Kenny raced over the finish line 0.763 seconds ahead of Malaysia's Azizulhasni Awang. Two-time world champion Harrie Lavreysen, who succeeded Kenny as Olympic sprint champion and was part of the Dutch team to win team sprint gold, took bronze. Kenny pumped his fists and soaked up the applause from the crowd - the Izu Velodrome was the only venue to allow a limited number of fans during the Games - as he cruised around the track. The keirin was invented in Japan and Kenny's spectacular victory provided the ultimate tribute. "It's special to get a gold medal still at the end of the day," Kenny told reporters after taking his total Olympic medals tally to nine. "I just keep chipping away really, keep turning up and getting stuck in." Kenny had swept the sprint titles in London and Rio, so after seeing Lavreysen and a host of younger riders emerge in recent years, he questioned whether he still had the power to compete for gold medals, especially after finishing eighth in the individual sprint. Perhaps it meant Kenny was underestimated in the keirin final, or adopting the view it could be his final Olympic race, the 33-year-old from Manchester decided to throw caution to the wind - whatever was behind his race strategy, it worked flawlessly. "I didn't see myself as one of the favourites really," said Kenny, whose wife Laura holds five Olympic golds although her hopes of winning the omnium for the third Games in succession were dashed in a crash. Laura certainly didn't leave Tokyo empty-handed, though, having taken gold in the madison and silver in the team pursuit. "I wouldn't have been betting on myself. So in that sense you have to be ready to take your chances. Maybe [the other riders in the race] weren't seeing me as favourite as well and that gave me that opportunity. "It's been a really tough week. I've been disappointed with my speed really, for whatever reason. I was expecting it to be Laura who would win the 12th [gold] for the family." Kenny arrived in Tokyo with the expectation that this would be his fourth and final Olympics, but his spectacular performance in the keirin, following on from the silver in the team sprint, has given him renewed motivation to continue. "Before today I had all but given up, I was counting my career in days and races as opposed to years, but maybe I have bought myself more time now," he said. "If you had asked me this morning [about Paris] I would have said probably not but I feel pretty good now, I might carry on." Kenny's nine Olympic medals combined with wife Laura's six make them the most illustrious Olympic family in history, but of the two it is Laura who garners the greater media attention. Asked why, he said: "She's just nicer than me and infinitely better looking! You know that's the way it is, she's an inspiring character and lovely obviously that's why I married her. I'm a bit boring, so there you go."
