I can't wait to see Chris..I'll give him the biggest hug

Athletics hero Colin hails courage of Scots Olympian following cancer bombshell

- MARK MCGIVERN

ATHLETICS legend Colin Jackson has paid tribute to the courage of Sir Chris Hoy in the face of his friend's terminal cancer bombshell.

The Welsh superstar worked with Olympic hero Chris just three weeks ago, when the track cyclist gave no clue he was dealing with a death sentence.

Colin was a veteran in the Sydney Olympic team in 2000 while the young cyclist was just emerging as a major talent, in his first Olympics.

And the hurdler said the modesty and humility of Hoy has remained with him over the years, enduring after he became a record-breaking, six gold medal Olympian and a national treasure.

Colin said: "When I heard the news about Chris's terminal cancer, it was really awful.

"You want somebody like that to be around literally forever because the good a man like Chris Hoy can do is priceless.

"I can't wait to see him again. I'll see him not too far away and I won't say a word. I would just give him the biggest hug that he could possibly imagine."

Colin said when he worked with Sir Chris in London three weeks ago, he had no idea that the cancer lurking in his body was terminal.

No one in the room was remotely aware that Hoy was bravely functioning as normal, despite the inevitable anguish bubbling away over his illness.

Colin said: "He was absolutely fine. He was interviewing athletes as well, using Max Whitlock (the gymnast) on the stage, and they were laughing and joking as always.

"At that point, we knew he'd had the cancer diagnosis but we didn't realise it was terminal. We thought he was on the good side of it, so as you can imagine how shocking it news is for all of us in the sport as well as the as our BBC team as well."

Colin said the relentless down-to-earthness of Sir Chris has made him a very powerful role model and is helping him deal with his huge crisis.