Olympian Hoy ‘surrounded by love’ after cancer diagnosis

SIR CHRIS HOY, the six times Olympic track cycling champion, has announced that he has been diagnosed with cancer.

Hoy, 47, said his cancer diagnosis last year “came as a huge shock” but he added that he was “optimistic, positive and surrounded by love”, and that his treatment was “going really well”.

He is one of Britain’s best known and most loved athletes, his exploits in the years leading up to London 2012 reserving him a special place in the affections of British sports fans.

Writing on his Instagram account, Hoy said: “I have a bit of news. Last year I was diagnosed with cancer, which came as a huge shock, having had no symptoms up to that point.

“I’m currently receiving treatment including chemotherapy, which thankfully is going really well. I’d like to extend my sincere gratitude to all the medical professionals for their amazing help and care.”

The Scot, who grew up in Edinburgh, said he had planned to keep his news private but that his “hand has been forced” without revealing any further details. He also did not reveal what type of cancer he has.

He said: “For the sake of my young family, I had hoped to keep this information private but regrettably our hand has been forced. Whilst I’m thankful for any support, I’d like to deal with this privately. My heart goes out to the many others who are also going through similar challenges right now.

“However, I currently feel fine – I am continuing to work, ride my bike and live my life as normal.

“It’s an exciting year of work ahead, not least with the Paris Olympics in July. I can’t wait to get stuck in, have fun and share it with you all.”

Hoy won the first of his gold medals in Athens in 2004 when he set a world record in the kilometre time trial. “The Flying Scot” would go on to collect five more gold medals over the next two Games, the last of which came in the keirin at London 2012, when he passed Sir Steve Redgrave to become Britain’s most successful Olympian of all time.

That record has since been taken by his protege and fellow track sprinter Sir Jason Kenny, who won his seventh gold medal in Tokyo.

Hoy, who was knighted in the 2009 New Year Honours for services to sport, has in recent years written children’s books about a young cyclist called Flying Fergus, launched his own bike company and competed in various motorsport series.

In 2016, he became the first summer Olympic medallist to compete in the Le Mans 24hrs race, finishing 17th overall and 12th in class.

He is also a charity campaigner, and has been an ambassador for the Scottish Association for Mental Health since 2009.

Sir Chris Hoy said that his cancer diagnosis ‘came as a huge shock, having had no symptoms up to that point’