I am a true Brit now, vows cyclist Philip Hindes who switched his allegiance from Germany

Adopted country: Philip Hindes says he feels more British than German
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David Churchill11 August 2016

Olympic cycling star Philip Hindes has insisted he is not a “plastic Brit” after switching his allegiance from Germany to Team GB.

The 23-year-old was born and raised in Krefeld, north-west Germany, where his British father was stationed while in the Army, and still speaks with a German accent.

But after competing for his country of birth at junior level, Hindes switched allegiance to Team GB because he was a fan of the British cycling team and was inspired by Sir Chris Hoy.

He went on to star at London 2012 for his adopted nation, winning gold in the team sprint alongside Sir Chris and Jason Kenny.

The cyclist will today be hoping to repeat that success with Kenny and Scot Callum Skinner in the Rio velodrome.

Hindes’s father was stationed in Germany while in the Army, and settled there after meeting Hindes’s mother, who is German. The cyclist moved to Manchester aged 18.

He said: “I feel more British than German, I wouldn’t want to go back to Germany any more, I just love the way the British people live — it’s more relaxing.

“I prefer to be British, I see myself as more British than German, even though I have a German accent. I just feel more myself here.

“I rode for Germany at the Junior World Championships, but I decided to join Great Britain because I think in Germany I would have had to move. I was such a big fan of the British team and I thought I just have to take the chance to ride for the British.”

He added: “Hoy was a big inspiration for me as a track sprinter and I have always been looking up to the British track team.”

He said he is not a “plastic Brit” because his father is British and he has other family members in the UK.

His team-mate Skinner, 23, said he was relaxed despite being dubbed “the next Hoy”. He was given the tag after representing Scotland at the Delhi Commonwealth Games aged 18.

Skinner, who won gold at the 2014 European Championships in the kilo event, said: “There is no pressure as I have to make a name for myself. I know Chris has tipped me for gold, but that does not bring pressure. We have just had the most successful Olympics ever in this country.”

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