Sports Personality Of The Year viewers were left ‘in tears’ after Sir Chris Hoy delivered a heart-wrenching speech amid his battle with terminal cancer.
The six-time Olympic gold medallist, 48, took to the stage at the award ceremony in Salford on Tuesday to praise Team GB for their outstanding efforts during Olympic Games in Paris.
In February, Sir Chris revealed that he was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer and in October he was told he has between just two and four years left to live.
The father of two has since been campaigning for more men to be screened for prostate cancer from the age of 45, as the age men are currently encouraged to push for testing is 50.
The retired track cyclist also joined Paddy Power’s World Darts Championship The Bigger 180 campaign, which aims to ‘smash the silence around men’s health’ and motivate them to take action before it’s too late.
During the Sports Personality Of The Year award show, Sir Chris stood before the audience and gave an emotional and heartfelt speech about Team GB and what it takes to be an Olympian representing your country.
Sports Personality Of The Year viewers were left ‘in tears’ after Sir Chris Hoy delivered a heart-wrenching speech amid his battle with terminal cancer
The six-time Olympic gold medallist, 48, took to the stage at the award ceremony in Salford on Tuesday to praise Team GB for their outstanding efforts during Olympic Games in Paris
In February, Sir Chris revealed that he was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer and in October he told he has between just two and four years left to live. (Pictured with his gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games)
He said: ‘The Olympics and Paralympics are special. Every four long years, it’s always the date ringed in the diary.
‘Sometimes as an athlete when you draw back the curtains in the morning and you see the frost on the ground, you might question, is it worth leaving your warm bed to head out into the cold and dark to face the inevitable pain of training?
‘1460 days of pure obsession for a single event. But let me tell you, it’s worth it. Paris this summer showed us all it’s worth it.
‘A sporting party of epic proportions. Thousands of Olympians and Paralympians gave us all at home life’s one remaining, truly unfiltered drama over six glorious weeks.
‘Team GB and Paralympics GB crossed the Channel and in their hearts they carried all your hopes and dreams. And whether they took home the gold medal or fell agonisingly short, we were proud of each and every one of them.
‘It’s what drives us as competitors, the thought that we have something bigger than ourselves to represent. And what showed more than anything this summer is that the spirit of the games is undimmed, the spirit of our team is undimmed.
‘It’s now on you all, athletes, coaches, mums, dads, fans – never let this incredible team fade away.
‘Together we’ve built something truly special. Across the summer games in Paris, we had a team to be proud of so please join me in applauding our Team GB and Paralympics GB heroes!’
During the Sports Personality Of The Year award show, Sir Chris stood before the audience and gave an emotional and heartfelt speech about Team GB and what it takes to be an Olympian representing your country
Teary-eyed fans of the sporting legend poured over his emotional display on social media, calling him a ‘hero’.
‘Chris Hoy. Hero. No nonsense, straightforward hero.’
‘Are we all just crying seeing Chris Hoy?’
‘Sir Chris Hoy. A superb athlete. I wish him the very best, and all the quality time his illness will allow.’
‘Perfect opportunity to give Chris Hoy ALL his flowers tonight.’
‘Well that was an emotional speech from Sir Chris Hoy’
‘Sir Chris Hoy on #SPOTY. I’m not crying, you’re crying’
It comes after the NHS said it will review its guidance on prostate cancer screening in light of Sir Chris’s ‘extremely moving’ call for testing to be offered more widely.
Health Secretary West Streeting said he had ordered officials to ‘look at whether we are in the right place when it comes to screening’.
He added that plans to offer men over the age of 45 a test was ‘something we are actively looking at’, and that Sir Chris’s appeal had been ‘so impactful’.
Mr Streeting’s comments came after cycling icon Sir Chris gave an interview to the BBC about what he called the ‘toughest year of my life’ following his own incurable prostate cancer diagnosis.
Health Secretary West Streeting said he had ordered officials to ‘look at whether we are in the right place when it comes to screening’
Sir Chris Hoy and his wife Sarra Kemp attend BBC Sports Personality Of The Year 2024 at Dock10 Studios on December 17, 2024 in Manchester, England
Sir Chris pictured wearing another one of his gold medals after his win at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
He said offering prostate cancer screening to men from the age of 45 seemed like ‘a no brainer’ and ‘could save millions of lives’.
Recalling how he had suffered ‘no symptoms, no warning, nothing’ before his diagnosis, he said: ‘It’s logical to me – why wouldn’t you get the test a little bit earlier?’
‘Catch it before you need to have any major treatment, to me it seems like a no brainer.
‘Why would you not reduce the age [and] allow more men to just go in and get a blood test.’
The Scotsman lives in Cheshire with wife Sarra Kemp, and their two children Callum, nine, and Chloe, six.
He released a memoir last month called All That Matters which documents his life since the shocking cancer diagnosis.
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