Kenny took on France’s Gregory Baugé in the cycling final, slipping past his rival to power in to a first place finish.

“I was really pleased with that!” Kenny said after the race. “We were really close again. In the worlds he’s been the slightly better than me. But I like racing against Bauge, he’s a fast but fair rider.”

Baugé and Kenny has cycled against each other before, competing in April’s Track Cycling World Championships in Melbourne. The contest was initially won by the French cyclist but Kenny was eventually awarded the 2011 world title after Baugé was stripped of the rainbow jersey for an anti-doping infringement.

The one rider per nation rule introduced this year by the International Cycling Union and International Olympic Committee saw Kenny selected ahead of 2008 winner Sir Chris Hoy but today’s gold medal win will have silenced any critics of the decision.

There will be more excitement for Team GB in the London 2012 velodrome tonight as Victoria Pendleton takes part in the semi-finals of the women’s sprint. 

Britain is now just one gold medal away from equalling its record Beijing 2008 tally of 19.