Sir Chris Hoy and wife Lady Sarra receive Freedom of the City of London
They have been recognised for charitable work for cancer awareness and neo-natal care, in addition to Sir Chris' sporting achievements as a British track cyclist.
The couple, who have been married since 2010, attended a joint ceremony at the Lord Mayor's official residence, The Mansion House, on Thursday.
Sir Chris said: 'London will always have a very special place in my heart, being the flag-bearer at the 2012 Olympic Games is an experience that will stay with me forever.
'Every Olympics is special, but nothing quite beats a home Games, and watching the city come together and creating memories in front of such amazing support at what would be my last is something I will never forget.
'It is a great honour to receive the Freedom of the City; thank you.'
Sir Chris, a six-time Olympic cycling champion, 49, revealed in February 2024 he was undergoing cancer treatment, including chemotherapy.
In October 2024, he announced that his diagnosis was terminal and said he had been told by doctors that he had two to four years to live.
As well as six Olympic golds, the Edinburgh-born athlete won 11 world championships and 34 World Cup titles by the time he retired from competitive racing in 2013.
He was knighted in the 2008 New Year Honours List after his success at the Beijing Olympics.
The couple were nominated for the Freedom by Lord Mayor of London Alastair King and Caroline Haines, who is chair of the City of London Corporation's Epping Forest and Commons Committee.
Sir Chris and Lady Sarra's son Callum was born at 29 weeks weighing just 2lbs 2oz in 2014, and Lady Sarra, a solicitor from Edinburgh who qualified in Scots and English law, is an ambassador for Bliss – a UK charity for sick and premature babies.
Lady Sarra, who spoke on ITV's Lorraine earlier this year about being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), said: 'I'm deeply touched and honoured to have my charity work recognised in this way by the City of London.
'I feel very privileged that Chris and I were awarded Freedom of the City at the same time.
'Watching him compete at London 2012 in front of a home crowd that included our family and friends was so momentous, London will always remain a precious place for both of us.'
Mr King said: 'Chris and Sarra are tremendously inspirational figures – Chris, as one of our most highly decorated and popular Olympic sports ambassadors, and Sarra, as a talented lawyer with dual qualifications in Scottish and English law, who has committed herself to campaigning for improved healthcare for children.
'Both of them must be commended for speaking so openly about living with cancer and multiple sclerosis, and it has been my privilege to support their freedom nominations.'
The tradition of the freedom of the city is believed to date back to 1237.
Recent recipients include comedian, actor and writer Sir Lenny Henry; choreographer and director Sir Matthew Bourne; and Lady Mary Peters, who won an Olympic gold medal in the athletics pentathlon in 1972.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
23 minutes ago
- The National
Dodds & Mouat return to Winter Olympics with gold on the mind
Dodds, who will return as Team GB's only defending champion, and Mouat are two of the first batch of 10 athletes whose names have been officially confirmed for the 2026 Winter Games, which will take place in a number of locations centred on Milan next February. The duo are eager to improve on their agonising fourth place finish in the mixed event in Beijing three years ago, while Mouat's men's team, who took silver in the Chinese capital, will go to Italy as defending world champions. Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds will target curling glory in the curling mixed doubles event (Andrew Milligan/PA) 'It's our second time round and we've got a lot more experience than last time, so we're hoping to use that to get a little bit further,' said Mouat, whose team once again comprises Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan, along with alternate Kyle Waddell. 'We've been trying to figure out the extra one or two per cent we need to do better and it came down to sports psychology and nutrition. We really focused on these things to try and get better. 'Even six months after the Olympics we were looking at these things and they helped us win our first world title. Now we've established ourselves as one of the best teams in the world, so we're obviously doing a lot of things right.' Dodds joined a new team led by Olympic debutant Rebecca Morrison following the break-up of Eve Muirhead's team in the wake of their gold medal win. Now retired, Muirhead will be in Milan in a different capacity, as Team GB's Chef de Mission. Bruce Mouat's men's curling team will look to improve on their silver medal in Beijing (Andrew Milligan/PA) Morrison's team – also including Dodds, Sophie Jackson, Sophie Sinclair, and alternate Fay Henderson, qualified by virtue of a sixth-placed finish at this year's World Championship and will go to Milan as a curious blend of underdogs and defending champions. 'Obviously we're going to have a target on our backs as the defending champions, but we've played all these teams before and we're not worried about what they're thinking,' said Dodds. 'Every game at the Olympics is tough, no matter whether you've come out as the last chance qualifiers or you've won the last world title.' For Dodds, who will again team with Mouat in search of that elusive mixed doubles medal before switching her focus to the first women's team not to feature Muirhead since 2006, there has been no loss of focus despite being part of the historic success at the Covid-stricken Beijing Games. Beijing gold medallist Jennifer Dodds is part of a new-look women's curling team (Andrew Milligan/PA) 'Winning that gold medal was me achieving my lifelong dream, something I've dreamed of since I was eight or 10 years old,' Dodds added. 'That was the big thing for me, figuring out what I wanted to do for the next four years, readjusting my goals and getting that purpose. 'I want these girls to experience what I experienced in Beijing. It doesn't matter if you win one gold medal or 100 gold medals, they are all so special because it is such a rare and hard thing to achieve.'
The Herald Scotland
35 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
Dodds & Mouat return to Winter Olympics with gold on the mind
The duo are eager to improve on their agonising fourth place finish in the mixed event in Beijing three years ago, while Mouat's men's team, who took silver in the Chinese capital, will go to Italy as defending world champions. Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds will target curling glory in the curling mixed doubles event (Andrew Milligan/PA) 'It's our second time round and we've got a lot more experience than last time, so we're hoping to use that to get a little bit further,' said Mouat, whose team once again comprises Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan, along with alternate Kyle Waddell. 'We've been trying to figure out the extra one or two per cent we need to do better and it came down to sports psychology and nutrition. We really focused on these things to try and get better. 'Even six months after the Olympics we were looking at these things and they helped us win our first world title. Now we've established ourselves as one of the best teams in the world, so we're obviously doing a lot of things right.' Dodds joined a new team led by Olympic debutant Rebecca Morrison following the break-up of Eve Muirhead's team in the wake of their gold medal win. Now retired, Muirhead will be in Milan in a different capacity, as Team GB's Chef de Mission. Bruce Mouat's men's curling team will look to improve on their silver medal in Beijing (Andrew Milligan/PA) Morrison's team – also including Dodds, Sophie Jackson, Sophie Sinclair, and alternate Fay Henderson, qualified by virtue of a sixth-placed finish at this year's World Championship and will go to Milan as a curious blend of underdogs and defending champions. 'Obviously we're going to have a target on our backs as the defending champions, but we've played all these teams before and we're not worried about what they're thinking,' said Dodds. 'Every game at the Olympics is tough, no matter whether you've come out as the last chance qualifiers or you've won the last world title.' For Dodds, who will again team with Mouat in search of that elusive mixed doubles medal before switching her focus to the first women's team not to feature Muirhead since 2006, there has been no loss of focus despite being part of the historic success at the Covid-stricken Beijing Games. Beijing gold medallist Jennifer Dodds is part of a new-look women's curling team (Andrew Milligan/PA) 'Winning that gold medal was me achieving my lifelong dream, something I've dreamed of since I was eight or 10 years old,' Dodds added. 'That was the big thing for me, figuring out what I wanted to do for the next four years, readjusting my goals and getting that purpose. 'I want these girls to experience what I experienced in Beijing. It doesn't matter if you win one gold medal or 100 gold medals, they are all so special because it is such a rare and hard thing to achieve.'
The Independent
44 minutes ago
- The Independent
Faith Kipyegon believes a woman running a sub-four minute mile is close
Three-time Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon insists it is just a 'matter of time' before a woman runs a sub-four minute mile after finishing her historic attempt in 4:06.42 in Paris. The Kenyan was looking to shave at least 7.65 seconds off her world-record time of 4:07.64, set in 2023, and needed to run each of her four laps an average of nearly two seconds faster. The 31-year-old mother was flanked by a number of pacemakers, including British Olympians Georgia Hunter-Bell, Jemma Reekie and Elliot Giles at the the Stade Charlety, carefully chosen by the Kenyan's team from among 100 potential stadia for optimal conditions. 'I'm exhausted,' said Kipyegon, speaking on Nike's official YouTube channel, which also live-streamed the event. 'I'm tired, but I'm feeling good. I've tried. That is why I came here. I would like to be the first woman to run under four minutes, but I've proven that it's possible. 'It's only a matter of time before I think it comes our way, even if it's not me, it will come one day. 'I will not lose hope. I will still go for it.' Kipyegon's effort was still good enough for the fastest mile run by a woman in history, and 1.22 seconds faster than her own best. Though she did cross the line quicker than her world record, set at the Monaco Diamond League meet, it will not officially count as the 'Breaking4' event was not an official competition, and the Kenyan employed the use of male pacemakers, among other reasons. Her specially-designed equipment included a Nike fly suit, a bespoke bra and a first of its kind Victory 2 Elite FK spike, weighing about 21 grams lighter than the shoes she wore to break the world record. 'This was really special,' added Kipyegon. 'I did not expect to see so many people, but I have proved to the world that everything is possible.' Kipyegon was out of the competitive arena for 21 months after the birth of her daughter, Alyn, in 2018, which required a caesarean section. Asked what message she wanted to send her daughter and girls watching, she said: 'I think I will tell them we are not limited. We can limit ourselves with our thoughts, but I think it is possible to try everything in our lives and prove to the world that we are strong and we keep pushing. 'Thank you (to my team, my pacemakers) for helping me to achieve what many people think is impossible. I think we have proved them wrong. We keep on moving.' British 800 metres Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson, who was part of the broadcast team, said: 'She's got aura. I think that was incredible to watch. She was locked in, she gave it absolutely everything. 'She still believes she is going to go out there and get closer and closer, but it's that important message that she has opened that barrier, she's left a legacy whether it happened today or not. People are going to think, maybe it is (possible) and we're going to work even harder to get close to it.'
