BOLTON has a new sporting hero.

Special Olympics Great Britain cyclist Kiera Byland has emulated her hero Sir Chris Hoy with a sixth World Games gold medal.

The 21-year-old from Bromley Cross, has dominated her events at the two Special Olympic World Games and has just cycled off with her third gold of the 2019 Games at the Yas Marian Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

Now not only is she set to have her name alongside the country's sporting greats, her story to success is set to inspire others.

Kiera has a genetic condition called Rubinstein Taybi syndrome, which is why she has a learning disability. She also has dyspraxia and some autistic traits. She has problems with time, numbers, reading and writing, and struggled to make friends at school.

But then cycling came along and changed everything.

"She never made a friend at school, and that was the one thing she desperately wanted," said Jacqui Byland, Kiera's mother.

"As a child she kept saying to me, 'why won't anybody be my friend?' We tried everything as parents to encourage parties, and then they'd just disappear.

"She said 'what am I doing wrong mum?' I said 'I don't think you're doing anything wrong, love, they just don't get you'.

"The moment she joined Special Olympics, she went to her first cycling event in 2014 and she made friends."

Kiera went on to win three gold medals at her first World Games in 2015 and while sport has helped her foster relationships, contending with her learning disability has been a different challenge.

Kiera's route into cycling was an unconventional one.

Usually, cyclists start with a road bike and move onto the track if they so choose, but Kiera struggled with gears and brakes.

As a result, she developed her balance in the velodrome where the bikes have no brakes and just a single gear.

She has been inspired by Olympians Laura Kenny and Hoy, who she has both met.

Kiera, who has met both Laura Kenny and Hoy, said: "If they can put in the effort, the time, why can't we have a go at it? And even level up to them at some point?

"I'm not too sure if that will ever happen, but you never know if you don't give it a go."

Competitively, Kiera has been one of the brightest to shine for Special Olympics Great Britain at these World Games and she hopes to continue to compete as well as coach.

"What we've seen is Kiera not only improving all the time from a competitive point of view, but also as a person she's growing as well," said her father Brian Byland.

"The way she's interacting with all the teammates, plus other competitors, that's been lovely to see."

Jacqui added: "She's so patient, so kind, she recognises and understands what it's like to be excluded, and she will never ever let anybody be excluded.

"I'd like to think she can inspire anybody to take part in the Special Olympics and compete."