Hoy's talent was quick to show

Published on Saturday 23 August 2008 22:07

CHRIS Hoy's rise to Olympic glory began when he was a schoolboy showing gritty determination to achieve, his teachers said last night.

Primary and secondary teachers of the Olympic winner, who was a pupil at George Watson's in Edinburgh from the age of five to 18, said Hoy stood out as a champion from his early days. He was captain of rugby and a keen rower, while outside school he kept up his passion for cycling, beginning on the BMX track before moving on to the velodrome.

His Primary 4 teacher, Ruth Dickerson, remembers Hoy as a bright and popular boy who was obsessed with his bike. She said: "I remember one story he wrote for me about what sort of hat he would wear. He said it would be his BMX helmet and he told me all about his racing. He used to win a lot of medals for it and we used to give them out in assembly. He always looked so pleased and I'm sure it's that feeling of achievement that's kept him going."

Dickerson added: "He was so determined in everything he did. He put huge efforts into everything he did. You could see whatever he put his mind to he would go as far as he could."

Hoy's head of PE in secondary school, Roy Mack, said he gave as much back to sport as he got out of it. "He was a keen rower and a strong member of the team, and he was always out coaching the younger ones. He had a lot of respect from other pupils and you could see the quality of leadership in the guy."

Mack added he expected more from Hoy in the future. He said: "I think he's still challenged by cycling and I would think he would like to be in London in some form. I would hope cycling would use him as a huge ambassador for the sport."