The former cyclist is one of Great Britain’s most successful Olympians having won medals at four separate games
Olympic legend Sir Chris Hoy has opened up about his private health struggle, revealing his diagnosis of terminal cancer. One of Great Britain’s most decorated Olympians, the Scot has an impressive seven Olympic medals to his name from four separate games, a record only surpassed by Jason Kenny.
Beyond his Olympic triumphs, the Edinburgh-born athlete, who turned to cycling aged 14, boasts 11 World Championships and 34 World Cup titles. His first Olympic medal, a team sprint silver, came at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, paving the way for a knightship after clinching three golds in Beijing 2008.
Retiring in 2013, Sir Chris transitioned to broadcasting, recently adding expert analysis to the BBC‘s coverage of the Paris Olympic games just months ago.
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Here is what we know about the 48-year-old Olympic cycling hero.
Cancer diagnosis
The former cyclist, born in March 1976, took to Instagram in February to share his cancer journey, writing: “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.
“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.”
In a later interview with The Times, Hoy disclosed that his cancer is terminal and he has ‘two to four years’ to live. He then took to Instagram to share another message.
“You may see in the news this weekend some articles about my health,” he penned. “So I just wanted to reassure you all that I’m feeling fit, strong and positive, and overwhelmed by all the love and support shown to my family and me. Onwards!”
A host of fellow Team GB members and sports personalities flooded the replies with their messages of support, including Ally McCoist, Mark Cavendish and Dame Kelly Holmes.
Net worth
Hoy established Trackstarts Limited in 2005 to manage his income streams and commercial ventures. Figures from August showed that the company’s worth increased by £350,000 to just over £1.5 million, since last year.
His income sources include advertising campaigns as well as his work as a pundit. After retiring from cycling, he co-authored a series of children’s books named ‘Flying Fergus’ and participated in motorsports, competing in the Radical Sportscard SR1 Cup and the 24 hours of Le Mans event.
Family
Hoy tied the knot with his wife Sarra in 2010 and they have two children, a son Callum, and a daughter, Chloe. In a devastating revelation, the former cyclist also disclosed to the Times that his wife was diagnosed with a ‘very active and aggressive’ form of multiple sclerosis (MS) back in December.
