Britain is soaring as Hoy draws alongside Redgrave

Records tumbled and the medals poured in yesterday as the Great Britain team lit up London 2012.

After underachieving over the first four days, Britain have now won 11 medals in the last two and yesterday was the host country’s most successful day of the Olympics.

Sir Chris Hoy led the way, winning his fifth Olympic title in the team sprint to match the British-record feat of Sir Steve Redgrave.

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There were also two gold medals in the space of five minutes from more unheralded members of Team GB – Tim Baillie and Etienne Stott in the canoe slalom and Peter Wilson in shooting’s men’s double trap final.

A silver for Gemma Gibbons in the Under-78kgs division – the country’s first judo medal for 12 years – one for the rowers from the lightweight men’s four, and another for David Florence and Richard Hounslow behind team-mates Baillie and Stott in the canoeing, saw Britain climb from 11th in the medals table to fifth.

The only sour note was the controversial disqualification of Victoria Pendleton and Jess Varnish in the women’s team sprint.

On course for at least silver after showing devastating early pace to break the world record, Britain’s golden girl of the cycle track and her partner were denied the chance to ride for gold against China because Pendleton was found guilty of an illegal changeover in their semi-final win over Ukraine.

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The despair that engulfed the velodrome was only brief as Yorkshireman Ed Clancy and the team pursuit squad of Geraint Thomas, Steven Burke and Pete Kennaugh lowered their own world record in a thrilling ride in the four-kilometre race.

They qualified first with a time of three minutes 52.499 seconds, three seconds faster than the Australian quartet they are expected to meet for the gold medal today.

Their world record run got the crowd to its feet and was the perfect aperitif to the main course.

Hoy has an insatiable appetite for success and together with Philip Hindes and Jason Kenny lowered the Olympic record twice en route to the final against France.

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Not content with one record and the safety net of a silver medal, Hindes and then Kenny led the way for Hoy to storm home, the 36-year-old’s aggressive ride clinching gold and helping to break the world record.

“It’s quite overwhelming,” said Hoy, who was in tears as he stood to acknowledge the raising of the British flag. “We knew it was possible, we knew if we put together the best possible race it could be done.

“We timed it perfectly and we nailed it. I dug deeper than I have ever before, I didn’t want to let the guys down. There’s immense pride to do it here in the UK in front of a home crowd.

“It’s phenomenal. Bradley [Wiggins] said to me after winning (on Wednesday) ‘it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, just enjoy it and go for it’ and I did.”

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The team sprint squad’s 
triumph further emphasised the strength of British cycling, following on from the historic achievements of Wiggins over the last month. It also served to illustrate the natural-born winner that is Hoy.

A sensation on two wheels, he has the chance to surpass Redgrave’s total of five gold medals when he rides in the individual keirin on Tuesday.

His achievement yesterday drew questions about whether he would go on until he was 40 and compete at a fifth Games in Rio.

Redgrave famously said after his fourth title in Atlanta that if anyone saw him near a boat ‘they have my permission to shoot me’. Four years later he won a fifth in Sydney.

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Yet for humble Hoy, there is no debate. He said: “No one will ever beat Steve in real terms – I mean to win five consecutive gold medals.

“I have experienced what it is to do four Games. I’ve no idea what it would be like to do another four years and there is no way I’ll be back in Rio.”

Just as Redgrave could not have won so much without the likes of Matthew Pinsent, James Cracknell et al, Hoy could not have made it five golds without Kenny or Hindes.

For Hindes it was a first Olympic title, and came more as a relief after an inauspicious start in which he stumbled out of the gate in the qualifying round, forcing the squad to have to go back to the start.

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“My start wasn’t the greatest,” said the German-born 19-year-old. “I was trying to do a fast time and get everything perfect.

“But this is unbelievable. I still can’t believe I am Olympic champion. It’s a dream come true.”

Kenny added: “I can’t believe how quick we have gone, unbelievable.

“It was devastating to see what happened to the girls; after that we wanted to keep everything really tight.”

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The relegation of the women’s duo was particularly harsh on Varnish who was only competing in the one event on her debut.

Pendleton, who accepted responsibility, has two more events.

She said: “I’m desperately disappointed for Jess because she has done an incredible job in getting this far.

“Her team sprint (yesterday) was the best of her life so far.

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“I’ve no doubt she will be back in Rio and absolutely smashing it.

“I’m sorry for disappointing all the people that have come to support us and perhaps not offering the ride that we would have done. I’m really sorry.”

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