Jason Kenny began Sunday thinking he might be starting his final race but ended it as Britain’s most successful Olympian and wondering if there is more to come.

The difference came with a stunning keirin victory which gave Kenny his ninth Olympic medal and his seventh gold, both British records, 13 years after he won his first in Beijing.

Many arrived at the velodrome expecting to see Laura Kenny win what would have been her sixth Olympic title, but though a crash scuppered her chances in the omnium, Jason ensured there would be family celebrations – and a 12th gold medal for the clock they have been planning to make.

Four years after becoming a mother, Laura leaves Izu with a fifth career gold plus a silver medal – and a role as flagbearer for the closing ceremony – and has no thoughts of hanging up the bike, though she did wonder aloud if she might want to take a step back from the team pursuit come Paris.

“Is a bunch race specialist going to be a thing? I don’t know,” she said. “I didn’t enjoy the team pursuit as much as I used to but whether now we can rebuild it and start again… The thing is it’s just a different event now. You have to be good at four minutes.

“The reason I’m so good at the Madison is because I’m so good at the on and off, you get a rest. I think I’d have to reinvent myself and train for a pure four-minute event.”