‘I know everyone thinks I’m absolutely mad’

Updated 27/11/2023 at 09:00 GMT

Britain’s five-time gold medallist Laura Kenny is targeting a fourth Olympics in Paris next year, following the birth of her second son, Monty, in the summer. The 31-year-old will be making her second comeback, after having her first child Albie in 2017. Kenny says she felt like she had a “point to prove” on that occasion, but this time “I’ve come back for me”.

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Laura Kenny says she is determined to be selected for next year’s Olympics in Paris, even if people think she is “mad” to target it following the birth of her second son in the summer.

Britain’s five-time track cycling gold medallist is attempting a second comeback, after successfully adding to her medal tally in Tokyo, having had her first child Albie in 2017.

If she is picked for Great Britain’s team, Kenny will compete at a fourth Olympics, having made her breakthrough with two golds at London 2012.

Kenny says she sees no reason to end her cycling career just because she has extra parenting responsibilities.

“I would hate to be sat here thinking, ‘Well, I never even gave it a go to see if I could make it.’ I hope both children see their mum as someone who was determined to make both things work.

“They will never have the burden of thinking, ‘Oh, mum had me and then ended her career.’ Because I didn’t. I carried on; I made it work. I hope they look back and they can see that, and see that from the day they were born, they were part of the journey.

“The two different comebacks between Albie and Monty have been so different.

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“With Albie I came back feeling like I had a point to prove, that you could be a mum and be an Olympic champion all at the same time.

“I think this time, I’ve come back for me. I’ve come back because I love riding my bike and I cannot imagine it not being part of my life.”

Kenny has roughly seven months to prove to selectors that she is worth a pick, with qualification working on a quota system. Who fills the slots will be up to British Cycling and the British Olympic Association.

Kenny has also been speaking about how “terrifying” an ectopic pregnancy was last year, which followed a miscarriage in 2021.

“Having the ectopic was way worse than the miscarriage,” she added.

“It all happened so fast. I went to hospital thinking I had severe Covid and left just like ‘what the hell?, having had a major operation when I didn’t know I was pregnant.

“It was all terrifying really. I struggled massively mentally after everything that we went through, and I’d say I probably wasn’t truly happy until I fell pregnant with Monty.”

The Olympic Games will return with Paris 2024, live on Eurosport and discovery+

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