Six-time Olympic gold medalist Sir Chris Hoy confirms cancer diagnosis
- Joel Orme
- Feb 16, 2024
- 2 min read
Sir Chris Hoy has confirmed he was diagnosed as having cancer last year, but says he's "optimistic, positive and surrounded by love".
The track cyclist has shared his diagnosis on his Instagram account, along with a statement that says he's currently undergoing "treatment including chemotherapy".
He says it came as a surprise and had no symptoms before the diagnosis. He said that he'd hoped to keep it private, but "regrettably our hand has been forced".
He continued: "As you might imagine, the last few months have been incredibly difficult. 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 has won six Olympic gold medals, 11 World Championships golds, and two Commonwealth games golds. His professional career on the track spanned from 1999 to 2012, and is the second most decorated Olympic cyclist of all time.
He's since raced in motorsport competitions, taking his first victory in 2015 in the opening round of the European Le Mans series at Silverstone.
In March 2016 it was confirmed that Hoy would be entered for the 2016 Le Mans 24 Hours, sharing a Ligier JS P2-Nissan with Andrea Pizzitola and Michael Munemann.
He was the first Summer Olympic medallist to compete at Le Mans, the ninth former Olympian to race there and the second Olympic champion to do so, after alpine skier Henri Oreiller.
Hoy is now a stalwart presenter for the BBC coverage of cycling, and regularly appears on Olympic coverage.
Hoy has been Ambassador for the Scottish Association for Mental Health since 2009. In that time he has devoted many hours to raising awareness of and funds for the mental health cause.
In December 2016 and December 2017, Hoy supported the Scottish social enterprise Social Bite by sleeping out at their Sleep in the Park events to raise money for homeless people.
Comments