‘Lay down a marker’: Sir Jason Kenny urges England’s prime cyclists to grab Commonwealth Games alternative
This year marks a crucial step in the team’s journey towards LA 2028, with Olympic qualification kicking in at the October World Championships in Shanghai.
Laura and Jason Kenny have been married since 2016
Sir Jason Kenny is urging Team England’s sprint cyclists to step up and make an impression at this summer’s Commonwealth Games.
Britain’s most decorated Olympian took up the role as men’s podium sprint coach with British Cycling following his retirement in 2022, passing his experience down to the next legends of track cycling.
This year marks a crucial step in the team’s journey towards LA 2028, with Olympic qualification kicking in at the October World Championships in Shanghai.
It means that the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games provide a vital opportunity for home nations athletes to showcase their skill on the world stage and cement their spot on the team, with Kenny hoping put Team England in good stead with a golden showcase in Scotland.
“Most of the main team are English but it’s certainly an opportunity for people to break in,” he said. “It’s 10 weeks out from the World Championships, which will be the main focus for us as an organisation.
“If we want to be absolutely our best for the worlds, we’re going to have to be really good at the Commonwealth Games, basically. It Is a really good opportunity for those guys to lay a marker down for future selection. Olympic qualification starts at that World Championships as well for us so it starts getting quite serious.”
With a medal record like Kenny’s, it comes as a surprise that his Commonwealth Games tally is not quite up to his usual sky-high standards. The seven-time Olympic champion pulled on the Team England vest just once at Glasgow 2014, winning two silver medals, as New Zealand’s Sam Webster pipped him to the post in both the individual and team sprint.
His wife, Dame Laura Kenny, has two Commonwealth golds of her own, as well as now holding the title of Commonwealth Games England President. And it is something that she will never let him forget.
“Laura likes to remind me of the fact that she won gold at the Commonwealth Games and I didn’t,” he said.
“It is funny because the further away I get from it, the more I wish I had won, because I only went to one Commonwealth Games and those silvers are now my whole medal count. We had the multi-sport experience and everything that goes with that, but at the same time, everything is really relaxed, and just a really nice atmosphere.”
Leading on from his British Cycling role, Kenny was part of the Team England track cycling coaching set up at Birmingham 2022. He will reprise the role this summer at Glasgow 2026, meaning that both Kenny’s will be on the Team England staff once more.
He added: “I wasn’t due to be working on this one, but I’ve been substituted in so I’m really happy because it is such a nice event to do.”
Team England’s official automotive partner Geely are playing a central role in England’s leg of the King’s Baton Relay, which takes place from May 26-31.
Kenny was part of Team England’s content across the week and noted just how thrilled he is to be back in a Commonwealth Games environment, especially with it being so close to home.
“The Commonwealth Games is all about sort of accessibility for me,” he said. “It’s a little bit more accessible to young people, and it’s a little bit more relaxed which make it a really good stepping stone for people at the start of their careers.
“Then the fact that the Olympics has only been in our country once during my lifetime, but the Commonwealth Games have are now on our third time around in the home nations, it is just that little bit closer to home.”
Team England are Ready to Win at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Keep up to date on https://teamengland.org/
