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Laura Kenny grabs record fifth gold to become most successful GB female Olympian

Laura Kenny grabs record fifth gold to become most successful GB female Olympian
© Reuters
The 29-year-old returned to the top step of the podium on Friday after dominating the first women's Madison event in the history of the Games.

Laura Kenny won her fifth Olympic gold with an historic victory alongside Katie Archibald in the Madison at Tokyo 2020.

After settling for silver in the team pursuit, the first time Kenny had ever taken anything other than gold in an Olympic event, the 29-year-old returned to the top step of the podium after dominating the first women's Madison event in the history of the Games.

It further extends Kenny's status as Britain's most successful female Olympian and she has become the first British woman to win gold at three Olympic Games. She now has six Olympics medals – the same number as equestrian's Charlotte Dujardin.

Here the PA news agency takes a look at her gold medals to date.

OLYMPICS Cycling Kenny
Britain's most decorated female Olympians. See story OLYMPICS Cycling Laura Kenny.
OLYMPICS Cycling Kenny
Britain's most successful female Olympians. See story OLYMPICS Cycling Laura Kenny.

Team Pursuit – London 2012

Victories 'boost brain activity'
Laura Kenny, nee Trott, celebrated her first Olympic gold in the women's team pursuit in 2012 (Tim Ireland/PA)

The team pursuit was new to the women's programme at the London Games. At the time it was a three-rider event across three kilometres in which Laura – then Trott prior to marrying Jason in late 2016 – raced alongside Dani King (now Rowe) and Joanna Rowsell. The trio would dominate from start to finish. Continuing a pattern from pre-Olympic events, they set a new world record in each round of the event – qualifying, the first round and the final – to storm to gold.

Omnium – London 2012

London Olympic Games – Day 11
Trott powered to victory in the closing time trial to win omnium gold in London (Tim Ireland/PA)

Two days after taking her first title, the 20-year-old Trott collected a second with victory in the omnium. She began the second day of the multi-discipline event leading the standings but dropped back behind the American Sarah Hammer, who stretched her advantage in the penultimate event, the scratch race. Needing to pull something out of the bag, Trott saved her best for last as she produced an Olympic record of 35.110 seconds in the closing 500m time trial to take gold.

Team Pursuit – Rio 2016

Katie Archibald file photo
It was team pursuit gold once again in Rio (David Davies/PA)

Another Olympics, another set of world records in the team pursuit. By Rio, the event had been expanded to four riders and four kilometres, identical to the men's event. Trott and Rowsell Shand were joined by Katie Archibald and Elinor Barker and picked up where they left off, repeating the trick of breaking the world record in qualifying, the first round and the final once again. It made Trott the first British woman to win three Olympic golds – an achievement matched by Dujardin 24 hours later.

Omnium – Rio 2016

Tokyo 2020 Olympics Preview Package
Trott celebrated her omnium gold alongside husband-to-be Jason Kenny in Rio (David Davies/PA)

Trott began the omnium as the presumptive favourite and did not disappoint. She finished in the top two in five of the six events, winning three, to take a comfortable gold medal. Afterwards she claimed she did "not feel that good" during the Games, saying she had been a "passenger" in the team pursuit, but whatever her condition her rivals could get nowhere near as she once again moved clear of Dujardin as Britain's most successful female athlete – having won gold in all four events she had entered to date.

Madison – Tokyo 2020

Kenny and Katie Archibald celebrate winning gold in the women's Madison final
Kenny and Katie Archibald celebrate winning gold in the women's Madison final (Danny Lawson/PA)

Kenny, paired with Archibald, surpassed Dutchwoman Leontien Zijlaard-Van Moorsel to become the most successful female cyclist in Olympic history as she took gold at a third consecutive Games. The British pair looked in control from the off, winning the first three sprints on the track and then further extending their advantage after the Dutch pair of Kirsten Wild and Amy Pieters, reigning world champions, were caught in a crash with a little over 70 laps remaining.

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Laura Kenny of Britain and Katie Archibald of Britain celebrate winning gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on August 6, 2021
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Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald win 'unbelievable' gold in historic Madison race
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Olympic medal table header
CountryGold medalSilver MedalBronze MedalT
United StatesUnited States394133113
ChinaChina38321888
JapanJapan27141758
Great BritainGreat Britain22212265
Olympics flagRussian Olympic Committee20282371
Today's Olympic highlights header

Sunday's key events


ATHLETICS
· With the track and field action now finished, the final athletics event of the Games is the men's marathon, which includes three British representatives and world record holder Eliud Kipchoge (11pm)

CYCLING
· Laura Kenny goes for a sixth Olympic gold medal, and a second of the Tokyo Games, in the women's omnium (2am-4.25am)
· Jason Kenny also has another shot at gold on the final day of action, taking part in the men's keirin alongside compatriot Jack Carlin (2.24am-4am)

BASKETBALL
· After the men once again picked up Olympic gold, the USA women will attempt to replicate their success in the gold medal match against hosts Japan (3.30am)

VOLLEYBALL
· USA also have a chance for gold in the women's volleyball final against Brazil (5.30am)

BOXING
· Lauren Price bids to bring a successful Games to a golden close for Britain in the ring as she takes on Li Qian in the women's middleweight final (6.45am)

HANDBALL
· The women's gold medal match sees the Russian Olympic Committee take on France (7am)

WATER POLO
· The final gold medal of the Games is likely to be handed out in water polo, when Greece face Serbia in the men's gold medal match (8.30am)

CLOSING CEREMONY
· A unique and memorable Olympic Games officially comes to a close (12pm)

> Today's schedule in full
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