Sir Chris Hoy hopes his children, Callum and Chloe, will finally grasp the significance of the Glasgow velodrome bearing his name, following a previous visit where they were less than impressed. The cycling legend, who won six Olympic gold medals, is in Glasgow for the duration of the Commonwealth Games, which he believes will be a fantastic success.
Previous Visit Left Kids Unimpressed
On the Hoy family's last trip to the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome at Parkhead, Glasgow, son Callum, now 11, and daughter Chloe, now eight, were too young to understand the enormity of their father's achievements or the honours he has received. Speaking to the Daily Record, Sir Chris said: "They weren't that impressed last time by the fact that their dad's name was on the side of the building. But they're now eight and 11, so hopefully they'll appreciate a little bit more now."
The world-class venue was built for the 2014 Commonwealth Games and has since boosted track cycling in Scotland. The children, along with their mother Sarra, were invited previously but failed to grasp the honour.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Sir Chris plans to take his kids to as many events as possible during the Games. He said: "I'll take my kids to as many events as possible, and hope that they are going to be inspired. They went to Paris in 2024, and they've been to the World Championships in Glasgow a couple of years ago. So it will be nice to bring them back to the velodrome that's got my name on the side of it."
He also revealed that he will have a "fun" part to play in the Games' opening ceremony next Thursday. Additionally, he expressed appreciation for the National Lottery funding that enabled him to reach his maximum potential.
Fascination with Weightlifting
During his track cycling career, Sir Chris was known for intense gym work, including heavy weightlifting to build his leg muscles. This experience sparked a fascination with weightlifting, and he hopes to attend a lifting event during the Games. He said: "I'd love to see the weightlifting. It's one of these things that I've always been massively impressed by, and I've seen it on TV, but I've never seen it live. You know, for most people, they watch it and they see these great big red discs on the end of the bar and think that looks heavy. But I know what that feels like to lift half of that."
