JASON Kenny etched his name into Great British Olympic history in Rio in what was arguably one of the finest performances by a single athlete.

Certainly as far as Team GB is concerned, Kenny’s three golds take some beating.

And when you consider fiancee Laura Trott also topped the podium twice, the cycling stars really are the golden couple of the Games.

Music and fashion may be the passion down at Rio’s Copacabana beach but for Kenny and Trott, Olympic gold medals are the most-sought after accessory.

And the pair achieved their dreams in some style.

For Kenny, three golds from his three events was a perfect record that had his fellow Boltonians brimming with pride.

Adding to his two golds from London 2012 and another eight years ago in Beijing, Kenny hauled himself level with fellow track cyclist Sir Chris Hoy on six golds – no Briton has won more.

Indeed, Kenny is just one Olympic medal behind Sir Bradley Wiggins when you add his silver from 2008 into the mix.

The 28-year-old could surpass that in four years in Tokyo.

But for now he will be happy to revel in 2016 glory and three imperious displays.

Kenny headed to Brazil in typically low-key fashion but confident he could add to his ever-growing haul of medals.

First up at the velodrome was the men’s team sprint – an event Kenny had already bagged golds in at both the Beijing and London Games.

Having watched Trott and her team-mates qualify in the women’s pursuit in a World record time, Kenny along with Phil Hindes and Callum Skinner set an Olympic record in their first race.

The New Zealand team then broke that new record as they qualified.
Team GB then coasted past Venezuela in round one to make the gold medal race.

As predicted it would be a showdown in the final against the Kiwis but Kenny and co proved too good as they broke that Olympic record again.

Their time of 44.44secs edged the 42.54 by New Zealand with France won the bronze medal.

It gave Kenny his fourth Olympic gold and a third successive one in the team sprint – one more than Hoy.

Afterwards, the Farnworth Flyer said: “It’s great to win four. Maybe I can win a few more during these Games.”

It was a prediction that would come to fruition.

The following day, Kenny was back on track in the qualification races for the individual sprint – another title he had won on home shores four years earlier.

Showing no signs of tiredness from his efforts the previous evening, Kenny registered another Olympic record time of 9.55secs.

The next day Kenny continued his bid to make it through to yet another sprint final.

In the early heats, Kenny was first up and comfortably eased past German Maximilian Levy.

A break until the afternoon followed before the Bolton cyclist was back on track in the last 16.

He beat Colombian Fabian Hernando Puerta Zapata, then took on Australian Pat Constable in the last eight.

In the best-of-three race clash, Kenny was again in supreme form.

He won the first race in 10.34secs and bettered that in race two with a winning time of 10.219s to avoid a third race.

While he awaited his semi-final clash, Kenny watched Trott secure her third gold in the women’s pursuit. And he kept the pair’s form going after that, but only after a minor blip.
Losing the first race of the best-of-three semi-final against Russian Denis Dmitriev, Kenny clocked 10.048secs to level it at one apiece and then blitzed Dmitriev in 10.071s to maintain his bid to retain his title.

Sunday night saw Kenny up against Team GB room-mate Callum Skinner in the final and friendship was put to one side for a short while as the Boltonian clinched gold with two wins in the first two heats.

Two down, one to go and Kenny admitted he was relishing a day’s rest before the keirin event.

He had never won an Olympic medal in keirin, though had been European champion in 2010 and world champion three years ago.

But that would all change on a dramatic final night at the velodrome.

After winning heat four in round one and then crossing the line first again in the first of the round two heats, Kenny was naturally favourite for the final.

In the end his class showed as he came through the pack from third to clinch a British record-equalling sixth Olympic gold medal. 

But it could have been heartbreak after a first running of the final was halted when riders were adjudged to have broken the rules by overtaking the pace-setting bike before it left the track. 

It looked like Kenny may have been the one in danger of disqualification but after long deliberations by the officials, the full complement of riders were allowed to race again – much to everyone’s relief including Kenny who was caught on camera puffing out his cheeks after his reprieve.

Then in the re-run, the same offence saw Germany’s reigning world champion Joachim Eilers close to being thrown out but he also escaped punishment. 

Kenny made no mistake third time around. 

And it was a night of double celebration for the 28-year-old after Trott won her fourth Olympic gold in the Omnium – becoming the first British woman to win four golds in the process. 

The pair, who will shortly be married, are no doubt already planning their bid for more gold medals in Japan and a bigger trophy cabinet back at home.

Whatever happens, Boltonians can be proud one of their is up there with the greats of Olympic history.