Olympic history for Hoy

Sir Chris Hoy won the sixth Olympic gold medal of his career to become Great Britain's most successful Olympian of all time.

Hoy's victory in the keirin event on Tuesday took him past Sir Steve Redgrave in terms of gold medals - the rower won five golds in successive Games between 1984 and 2000 - while it drew him level with Bradley Wiggins on seven medals in total. Wiggins 'only' has four golds.

It was Hoy's second gold of the London Games - he was also victorious in the team sprint - and meant GB ended the track cycling programme with champions in seven of the 10 events.

The 36-year-old, who also won a gold in Athens in 2004 and three in Beijing four years ago, not to mention a silver back in 2000 in Sydney, stormed to the front in the final with two laps to go.

It momentarily looked like he might have gone too early when he was challenged on the final lap by German Maximilian Levy, who briefly hit the front in the back straight, but the Scot responded on the last bend to ensure he crossed the line first.

Levy was second, while two bronze medals were awarded as Simon van Velthooven of New Zealand and Teun Mulder of Holland could not be separated by officials scrutinising the photo finish.

Hoy told the BBC: "I'm 99.9 per cent sure I won't be competing there in Rio.

"How can you top this? This is phenomenal.

"Glasgow (for the Commonwealth Games of 2014)? That's another question.

"If I can keep going to Glasgow that would be a dream ending for me but when you get to my age you can't look too far ahead, you have to focus on the here and now.''

After shedding tears on the podium, Hoy was joined on the track by Redgrave, who gave the Scot a hug.

"To me he will always be the greatest no matter how many medals you win," Hoy said.

"To be here and have Steve congratulate me is incredible.''

When asked about his tears, the Scot added: "I could not hold it in. I think it's when you realise how many things have not gone so well and you have doubted yourself and you take nothing for granted. In sport nothing is assured.

"I was going to celebrate any medal.

"It's just been the most unbelievable experience of my life.''

Hoy was given a guard of honour from the GB support team following his lap of honour and he was quick to praise their part in his remarkable success.

"There's no way I could have done it without the support team we've got here," Hoy added. "This is very much a team effort and I'm literally just the one person you see at the top of the pile.

"There are 100 guys working away in the background that don't get the credit.

"I think people see the final polished product of the British team and they think we must be super confident, we must win all the time, it must be easy for us - it's anything but.

"There have been some really difficult moments and to get through them all and succeed here, it's just one of the greatest feelings I've ever had.''

BOA chief executive Andy Hunt paid tribute to Hoy as "the most successful British Olympian of all time''.

Hunt said: "Sir Chris Hoy is a shining example of the very best of what British sport, and the Olympic Movement, stand for.

"We congratulate him on the extraordinary achievement of becoming the most successful British Olympian of all time.''