Dame Laura Kenny DBE
Best known for:
Five-time Olympic Gold Medalist
Summary:
Great Britain’s most successful woman Olympian, cyclist Laura won double-gold at both London and Rio in the team pursuit and the omnium. She won her fifth gold in the women's Madison during the 2020 Tokyo games.
Biography:
Laura Kenny is one of the most recognised sportswomen on the planet and Britain’s greatest ever female Olympian. She is adored by her fans as much for her personality as for her domination in the velodrome.
In winning her fifth Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Laura became the first British woman to win gold at three consecutive Olympic Games.
Born with a collapsed lung and asthma, a young Laura was advised to get involved in sport to help her breathing problems. She and her older sister (who became a road cyclist) took up cycling with their mother and soon Laura was competing at junior level on the track.
After picking up junior national titles, the teenage Laura joined the senior cycling team, at the time one of the most successful teams in the world. Within two years she was a fixture in the squad and competing at the London Olympics.
In her autobiography The Inside Track, Laura along with her husband Jason give the inside track on what it takes to become a champion.
She has been awarded Harper’s Bazaar Sporting Icons award alongside Dame Sarah Storey; and her and teammate Katie Archibald became Sky Sports Team of the Year for their Madison gold medal in Tokyo at The Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year.
Laura made her punditry debut on Eurosport at the inaugural UCI Track Champions League, in which she will be racing.
Laura and Jason were named in the New Year Honours List for their services to cycling. and received their titles together, at Windsor Castle.
Publication: The Inside Track (2016), Michael O’Mara Books
Fee range:
10,000-20,000 GBP