IT was his first appearance back at the Olympic Park in London since winning double gold in the capital last August but Sir Chris Hoy admitted he felt like he was back home.
Hoy, who is an 11-time world champion and six-time Olympic gold medallist, has not returned to the Olympic Park since the closing ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics.
The Scots cyclist won two gold medals at the Games before announcing his retirement in April 2013.
However, he said Glasgow 2014 would have been a step too far.
Hoy, who will start The National Lottery’s five mile anniversary run at the stadium on Sunday, said: “Well its fantastic to be back here in the Olympic Stadium, the last time I was here was for the Olympic closing ceremony almost a year ago and it looks very different when its empty, but it’s just fantastic to be back.
“Do you know I remember more about the closing ceremony more than I do about the opening ceremony, being part of it myself and being the one that carried the flag.
“There was so much excitement and so much happening you didn’t really take it all in at the time, and we were told to walk past the Royal Box and raise the flag and I didn’t know anything I couldn’t see where I was all I could see was the lights confetti and the paper cannons, and just a once in the lifetime opportunity and experience.
“And the closing ceremony that’s when you relax, all the racing is finished and everybody is celebrating and that was just the most incredible evening of my life.”
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Around 15,000 people are expected to take part in the National Lottery anniversary run at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday.
Hoy added: “I think it’s very appropriate that the people who are going to get that chance to run in here will follow in the footsteps of Mo Farah, Usain Bolt, Jessica Ennis, they are going to be the British public the people who essentially made it happen by supporting the National Lottery.”
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