Olympic champion to be honoured by alma mater

The University of St Andrews will pay tribute to former student and Olympic Champion Sir Chris Hoy next month.

Sir Chris, a multiple World Champion and the most successful Olympic male cyclist of all time, will be awarded an honorary degree in June.

An alumnus, Chris studied Mathematics and Physics at the University of St Andrews from 1994-1996 and received University Blues in his first year. He was voted Sportsman of the Year in 1996 and became a member of the Great Britain National Cycling Squad in the same year. Chris transferred to Edinburgh University to pursue his sporting career and graduated in 1999 with a BSc Honours in Applied Sports Science.

Edinburgh-born Chris has been competing in various sports since he was seven years old. He raced BMX until the age of 14 and became Scottish Champion, British No 2, European No 5 and World No 9. As well as continuing to cycle throughout his teenage years, Chris also rowed and played rugby for his school, George Watson’s College. He rowed for Scotland and won a British Championship silver in the Junior Coxless Pairs.

Since turning senior, Chris has concentrated on track sprint cycling and the 33-year-old has been an integral member of the GB squad since 1996. He has represented Great Britain and Scotland throughout his career, winning nine World and two Commonwealth titles to date. Chris won his first Olympic gold medal in Athens 2004, and in Beijing last summer he became Scotland¿s most successful Olympian and the first Briton since 1908 to win three gold medals in a single Olympic Games.

Following his historic hat-trick of gold medals in Beijing, Chris was voted 2008 BBC Sports Personality of the Year. He was also awarded a Knighthood in the 2009 New Year Honours list, capping an extraordinary year for the track cyclist from Edinburgh.

Sir Chris will be made a Doctor of Science (D.Sc) during the University’s traditional summer graduations on Friday 26 June.

He said, “I’m delighted to be awarded with an honorary degree from St Andrews. It’s a real privilege and a huge honour. I’ve got some great memories from my time there as a student and it’ll be good to be back.”

ENDS

NOTE TO PICTURE EDITORS:

OFFICIAL IMAGES OF CHRIS ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE BRITISH CYCLING WEBSITE www.britishcycling.org.uk OR FROM CHRIS’ WEBSITE www.chrishoy.com

Issued by the Press Office, University of St Andrews
Contact Fiona Armstrong, Press Officer on 01334 462530 / 467227, Mobile: 07730 415 015 or Email: [email protected]
Ref:  Chris Hoy 26/05/09
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