Jason Kenny - who, I'm proud to say again, is from my hometown of Bolton - last night won a joint record sixth Olympic gold for a Briton.
Kenny equalled fellow cyclist Sir Chris Hoy's British record of six Olympic gold medals on a sensational night in Rio.
His gold in the men's keirin came after a dramatic and nailbiting period in which either he or the Malaysian cyclist may have been disqualified for overtaking the 'derny' bike just as it was pulling off the track and the sprint began, causing the race to be stopped. However, as it was inconclusive as to who the culprit was both men were given the benefit of the doubt and allowed to continue in the race.
Overtaking the derny bike is unusual in the keirin and yet, spectacularly, it then happened AGAIN after the restart, this time the German cyclist appearing to be the culprit, but he, too, was allowed to continue in the race. Eventually, third time lucky, the keirin went ahead properly and Kenny went on to take a British record sixth Olympic gold, with the Dutchman taking silver and the Malaysian taking bronze.
Meanwhile, Kenny's fiancée and fellow cyclist Laura Trott took a record fourth gold medal in the Olympics for a female Briton after winning the women's omnium. Kenny and Trott - now dubbed Britain's Golden Couple - have therefore won ten Olympic golds between them.
Britain have now won 50 medals, passing the British Olympic Association's target of 48 medals and surpassing Beijing as the most successful overseas Olympics ever for Great Britain. The team will now surely try and surpass the 65 medals it won in London four years ago.
The cycling at the Rio Olympics finished with Great Britain having acquired 11 medals in total - all the other countries combined won 13.
Rio Olympics 2016: Jason Kenny wins keirin to equal Sir Chris Hoy's British record
BBC News
17 August 2016
Kenny equals Hoy with sixth gold
Jason Kenny equalled Sir Chris Hoy's British record of six Olympic gold medals on a sensational night in Rio.
The 28-year-old won a dramatic keirin, that twice had to be restarted because of infringements, to add to his team sprint and individual sprint victories.
Kenny has won seven medals in total - his one silver coming at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, when he finished second to Hoy in the individual sprint.
GB's track cyclists won six golds, four silvers and a bronze in the velodrome.
Kenny was cheered on by fiancee Laura Trott, who had earlier retained her omnium title to become the first British woman to win four Olympic gold medals.
Jason Kenny's fiancee Laura Trott tweeted after his sixth Olympic gold medal
"I'm proud to be part of the team's Olympic success and doing my bit," said Kenny.
"It is pretty mental [matching Sir Chris Hoy]. I was there in Beijing and knew he was special and as the years have gone by I appreciated how amazing he was then.
"To do the same is amazing."
Kenny has helped Britain win the team sprint at the past three Olympics. In addition, he has won two individual sprints and now has his first keirin title.
His victory was Britain's 19th of the Rio Olympics - equalling the gold haul from Beijing - and the 49th British medal overall.
Matthijs Buchli of the Netherlands took silver and bronze went to Malaysia's Azizulhasni Awang.
Two restarts and no disqualifications
The final had to be restarted twice after issues with the positioning of the riders and the electric 'derny' bike that sets the pace in the early laps.
Kenny appeared to have overtaken the back wheel of the derny before it left the track to signal the start of the sprint for the finish line but, after a delay of several minutes, he was allowed to continue.
"How close was Jason Kenny to not contesting that final? I'd say very close given. They had already fired the gun to stop the race," British Cycling head coach Iain Dyer told BBC Sport.
"Ordinarily, procedure would dictate you have stopped the race and you make a disqualification if the rider's front wheel has been adjudged to have overtaken the wheel of the derny.
"I don't want to make it sound too coercive. They had a good front view but needed a lateral view.
"You want the photo-finish view but they don't have that here. That's a major error on their part, but all of our performance analysts had a bird's eye view of it so we could see both Awang and Jason hadn't crossed the line.
"And exactly the same proved to be the case with Joachim Eilers in the next rerun. He hadn't crossed the line either. It's just playing fair really."
'I didn't realise how special he was going to be'
Six-time Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy: "That was a test of character. You can do all the reps in the gym but it is character and it is just fantastic to see the smile on his face. It is a really special moment.
"When he came on the team before Beijing we knew he was special but I don't think we realised how special he was going to be."
Laura Trott cries tears of joy and relief after her fiancée wins his British record sixth Olympic gold. Earlier she had looked on nervously as Kenny faced disqualification for overtaking the derny bike
Jason Kenny and Laura Trott have won 10 Olympic gold medals between them
Rio Olympics 2016: Jason Kenny wins keirin to equal Sir Chris Hoy's British record - BBC Sport
Rio Olympics 2016: GB's Laura Trott defends omnium title to win historic fourth gold
BBC News
17 August 2016
Trott secures historic fourth gold
Laura Trott became the first British woman to win four Olympic gold medals by retaining her omnium title.
The world champion, 24, moves ahead of Charlotte Dujardin, who won her third Olympic gold with victory in the individual dressage.
"I can't believe it. I didn't expect that at all," said a tearful Trott, who matched her team pursuit and omnium victories from London 2012 in Rio.
She scored 230 points to win the title by 24 from American Sarah Hammer.
Trott finished second in the opening scratch race of the omnium and won the individual pursuit and elimination race to end Monday's opening day with an eight-point lead over Belgium's Jolien D'Hoore, with Hammer in third.
She was second in the time trial to extend her advantage over D'Hoore to 12 points and then won the flying lap to double her lead heading into the 100-lap points race.
Trott, from Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, concluded the six-discipline event with a tactically astute ride, closing down attacks from her rivals and picking up points in the 10 intermediate sprints.
"I couldn't have done it without everyone, especially Paul Manning my coach. He puts up with me on a daily basis and I am over the moon," added Trott, who also won her second world omnium title earlier in the year.
Trott celebrated her latest Olympic gold by cheering on fiance Jason Kenny as he equalled Sir Chris Hoy's British record of six Olympic gold medals by winning a dramatic keirin.
Reaction to Trott's terrific triumph
Former Olympic champion Victoria Pendleton: "Laura Trott is incredibly tough and tenacious. She might look fragile but it is the complete opposite of what is going on inside. She always pushes herself to the absolute limit."
Trott's team-mate Joanna Rowsell Shand on BBC One: "Laura has got a 100% record in the Olympics - she rode twice in London and two here in Rio and she has won all four. That must be a record in itself."
Former Olympic champion Chris Boardman on BBC TV: "Laura didn't put a foot wrong in the entire race. She did everything that she needed to do, didn't panic and the battle behind her played right into her hands."
Rio Olympics 2016: GB's Laura Trott defends omnium title to win historic fourth gold - BBC Sport
