Kenny targets Tokyo gold after reversing retirement

[September 27, 2017]    (Reuters) - Multiple Olympic track cycling champion Jason Kenny has reversed a decision to retire after the 2016 Rio Games and is back on his bike in search of a seventh gold medal at Tokyo in 2020.

Jason Kenny (GBR) of Britain poses with the gold medal. REUTERS/Matthew Childs

Kenny won three golds in Rio to move level with Chris Hoy's record for the most golds won by a Briton and the 29-year-old, who also won a silver at Beijing in 2008, is one short of Bradley Wiggins' British record of eight medals of any color.

All three men won their medals in cycling events.

Kenny, who never made his retirement public, said he was "refreshed" after a year away and would return to competition at a Manchester event in January.

"I'd pretty much made the decision that I wasn't going to come back," Kenny told British media. "I didn't want to announce anything... I was happy to walk away.

"But, when I did refresh, I started enjoying it again, out on the mountain bike and in the gym," he added.

"My short-term goal is to get some points, get back in the team and get competitive, with the goal of making another Olympics... It's going to be really challenging but I'm hoping I'll get something out of it."

(Reporting by Aditi Prakash in Bengaluru)

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