Meet the OTHER Jason Kenny: Car salesman bombarded with messages after cyclist wins gold
CAR sales manager Jason Kenny has been inundated with messages meant for his Olympic namesake.
Jason Kenny has an Olympic namessake
Mr Kenny has been bombarded with over 50 Twitter messages a day meant for the six-time gold medallist, who is now tied with Sir Chris Hoy for Britain’s most decorated Olympian.
As well as having the same name, the two Mr Kennys both hail from Greater Manchester, with the Olympian coming from Farnsworth and the salesman coming from Bolton.
The 46-year-old is also himself a keen cyclist, but admits he is no match for the man he calls “amazing”.
The mix-up first started happening during the Olympian’s first Games back in 2008.
Mr Kenny is now tied for most decorated British Olympian
GB's Jason Kenny wins gold in dramatic keirin
Mr Kenny said: "It has happened for years and first started when he was at the Beijing games, then obviously London and now Rio.
“I usually just re-tweet them or sometimes I reply and say thank you but I am not in Rio. I find it funny.”
Mr Kenny is a general manager for Perrys Motor Sales – which is just a stones throw from the Jason Kenny Leisure Centre.
Mr Kenny is a car sales manager
Council chiefs named the centre after the athlete following his spectacular performance at London 2012.
Locals were disappointed when the garage held an open day with the promise of a special guest.
“We put on the invites that Jason Kenny would be on site to meet people,” Mr Kenny explained.
“People were turning up asking could they meet him and they were a bit disappointed when I stepped out.
“They must have thought that I had really let myself go since the Olympics.”
Mr Kenny has joined calls for his namesake to be honoured following his performance at Rio 2016, saying: "If he does not become Sir Jason Kenny, then there is something wrong."