Never, Ever Underestimate Sir Chris Hoy

I'll be honest. I was really beginning to wonder about Sir Chris Hoy.

I watched him win all three gold medals in Beijing live from the Laoshan Velodrome, a superhuman effort that ended with tears of joy and relief. His was an extraordinary performance at an extraordinary Olympics but, at the age of 31, could he seriously contemplate returning to London four years' later to win even one gold medal?

At present the Scot sits on four golds and a silver from his three experiences of the Olympics but one further gold will place him, at least statistically, as the greatest British Olympian of all time ahead of Sir Steve Redgrave's five golds and a bronze, albeit secured over a staggering five consecutive Games.

You can argue the merits of which is the greater achievement but Hoy's success is still startling in anyone's language. I was also present at the world track cycling championships in 2010 and 2011 to see a less than impressive Hoy, at least by his own ridiculous standards.

Medals may be good for most, but not for Hoy if they are not coloured gold. Maybe time was finally catching up with him, time and competition. Then the Olympic test event took place at the London velodrome over the weekend and Hoy stunned the world with two golds in the men's sprint and keirin, and a bronze in a team sprint in which the Brits expect to improve.

Of course, there is still the world championships to come in April in Melbourne but, right now, Hoy is not only defying all of us by finding his best form, but is looking on for not one, but two Olympic gold medals in the summer. Six golds and a silver would end all debate over the greatest. The man with the biggest thighs in sport is on course to have the last laugh.