Glasgow City Council has paid tribute to Chris Hoy's Olympic success by announcing that the new National Velodrome being built for the 2014 Commonwealth Games will be named in his honour. The Edinburgh sprint cyclist became the first British Olympian in a century to win three gold medals in a single Olympics.
"Chris's performances at the Beijing Olympics were simply outstanding and he deserves every recognition," said Councillor Steven Purcell, Leader of Glasgow City Council. "I can think of no better way of marking his historic success than by naming Scotland's only world-class track cycling facility after him."
Campaigners to save Meadowbank stadium, including Hoy himself, hope that his success in China will bolster the campaign to save the velodrome. Meadowbank hosted the Commonwealth Games in 1979 and 1986. Edinburgh City Council voted in March to demolish Meadowbank stadium and its uncovered velodrome and build residential houses and a smaller stadium on the 25 acre site.
Hoy, who trained at Meadowbank velodrome as a youngster, said he probably would never have got into the sport had the facility not been there.
"Elite sport cannot stand alone without local facilities giving kids
the chance to get into the sport in the first place. I really hope
Edinburgh is going to continue to produce world champion cyclists in
the future but we cannot do this without a local facility," Hoy says in a campaign video put out eight weeks prior to leaving for Beijing.
The council is currently talking with the national cycling body, Scottish Cycling, about creating a local velodrome facility.
The National Velodrome, being built next to the National Indoor Sports Arena in the east end of Glasgow, will be the new home for Scottish cycling and will host all of the track cycling events during the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
The 4000 seat, covered facility (reduced to 2500 seats after the Games), is due to start construction next summer.