Doug Gillon and Alison Campsie

His achievement in the Laoshan Velodrome was universally lauded by athletics leaders, family and friends, politicians, and supporters in Beijing and across the UK.

The 32-year-old, who also has a gold medal from the Athens Olympics four years ago, completed his Chinese hat-trick and took the British haul of golds to 15, equalling the total from the Antwerp games in 1920.

The team's golden tally later climbed to 16 medals when Christine Ohuruogu secured first place in the 400 metres, having battled through drug controversy and injury, adding to earlier successes for cyclist Victoria Pendleton and sailor Paul Goodison.

That meant the historic reference point for both Hoy and his colleagues was the 1908 London games, where Britain achieved 56 golds in a tournament where there were only British entries in some events, including figure skating, polo, rackets and tug-of-war.

His family and girlfriend watched as a clutch of British public figures including Princess Anne and Tony Blair and family rose to acclaim Hoy yesterday.

The Edinburgh rider choked back tears during the national anthem. "It was just relief," he said. "It was all over and we have kept a lid on all this emotion for so long. Then it just comes out. Everything they teach us is to try to keep the emotion and thinking apart.

"We try and operate like a robot, but you have to be human sometimes, and it's hard, because I'm quite an emotional person at times. I have to learn when to turn it off and on."

He struggled to take in what he had achieved. "This is pretty special. It's just bizarre, because you think multiple Olympic medals are for somebody like Steve Redgrave or Matthew Pinsent or Michael Phelps. And while I have not achieved what they've achieved, to have more than one gold medal hanging round my neck is a pretty special feeling."

The haul of seven gold medals, three silver and two bronze won by the track cyclists has brought the sport to mainstream attention and Hoy used it to make an overtly political point against Edinburgh City Council, which is attempting to redevelop Meadowbank and do away with the velodrome.

"I would not be standing here with Olympic medals around my neck if Meadowbank velodrome did not exist in the first place," he said.

Yesterday it was announced that Hoy will now be honoured by having a new national cycling stadium named after him.

Glasgow City Council said the 4000-seat velodrome to be built in the city for the 2014 Commonwealth Games would carry the Hoy name.

Council leader Steven Purcell said: "Chris's performances were simply outstanding and he deserves every recognition. I can think of no better way of marking his historic success than by naming Scotland's only world-class track cycling facility after him."

First Minister Alex Salmond also paid tribute to Hoy's achievement.

He said: "Chris Hoy is an outstanding athlete and I am absolutely delighted that he has succeeded in securing a hat-trick of gold medals in Beijing.

"At this Olympics Chris has truly earned the title of Scotland's greatest Olympian of all time."