Home
Guest Contributors

Team GB’s most successful away Olympic Games

Britwatch Team
Olympics

Embed from Getty Images

By Maria Hopwood

  • Jason Kenny and Laura Trott win record gold medals
  • Sophie Hitchon makes hammer history
  • Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro retain gold medal
 RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Team GB have recorded their most successful away games in history, holding 50 medals, 19 of which are gold, with more medals expected in the last few days.

 

CLICK TO BUILD your own trip to destinations worldwide


 

At the end of the exciting track cycling events each person in the team had won a medal, ending in style with Jason Kenny and Laura Trott making history. Trott’s entry in to the history books came as she won the Omnium, becoming the first British woman to win four Olympic gold medals.

Trott’s success was followed by Kenny winning the Keirin, which ended the track cycling in controversial circumstances. Twice the race had to be restarted as first Kenny was involved in overtaking the derny bike (the motorised pace setter), with the same thing happening again with other riders. With the tension and excitement mounting the race finally resumed with Kenny claiming gold and making history by overtaking Sir Chris Hoy. Trott and Kenny have another huge event to look forward as they will soon be getting married.

GB’s gymnasts are continuing to maker a name for themselves, with Amy Tinkler and Nile Wilson claiming well deserved medals. Tinkler is Team GB’s youngest competitor at 16, having revised and taken her GCSEs whilst training hard for Rio. Her dedication paid off as she performed her way to a bronze medal in the women’s floor exercises, making her the first British woman to win a medal of any kind in floor exercise. Fellow gymnast Wilson also won bronze, with his high bars performance.

Sailing is again proving to be successful for Team GB, with Giles Scott winning GB’s fifth successive Finn class gold, succeeding Sir Ben Ainslie. Gold will also come from Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark, who should have already claimed it but have to wait another day due to a lack of wind affecting sailing conditions.

Following on from his synchronised diving success, Jack Laugher claimed a silver in the 3m springboard, made even more impressive as he was not at his best during his preliminary and semi final dives. The diving team are hopeful of more success as Tom Daley begins his quest to improve on his 2012 bronze medal in the 10m platform, having already won bronze in the synchronised event.

Charlotte Dujardin successfully steered Valegro to gold medal position, retaining the Olympic dressage title they won in London four years ago. Until Trott’s heroics in her last track cycling race, Dujardin matched her medal tally of three Olympic golds. Their gold medal performance was an Olympic record and enters the record books as the third highest in dressage history. It is likely Valegro will now go in to well deserved retirement, leaving behind a fantastic internationally renowned and successful partnership.

On the athletics field Sophie Hitchon set a British record with her final hammer throw, which saw her claim the bronze medal. Hitchon is also Britain’s first hammer medalist since 1924 and first ever female hammer medalist.

The Rio 2016 Olympics will draw to its conclusion at the weekend.