Team GB’s gold medal haul, most successful ever

LONDON, United Kingdom – Great Britain surpassed 20 Olympic gold medals on Tuesday to make London 2012 their most successful Games in history.

The gold for the dressage team at Greenwich pushed Britain’s gold medal haul in their home Olympics beyond the 19 that they won at the 2008 Beijing Games.

Britain is comfortably third in the medals table, behind China and the United States.

The Beijing total had been equalled when Alistair Brownlee won the men’s triathlon earlier on Tuesday.

After the dressage team struck gold, Chris Hoy then won the men’s keirin and Laura Trott won the women’s omnium in the track cycling to take the gold medal haul to 22.

The wins meant Britain equalled their 2008 gold tally of seven from 10 finals in the velodrome as Hoy took a British record sixth career gold in his final Games campaign.

Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins also took the road cycling men’s individual time trial.

Four golds have come from rowing, while a remarkable night in the Olympics Stadium on Saturday produced three golds, for heptathlete Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah in the 10,000m and Greg Rutherford in the long jump.

Sailor Ben Ainslie won the fourth gold of his Olympic career, while Andy Murray beat Roger Federer to take the men’s singles title.

Britain’s other gold medals came in canoe slalom and shooting and from the team show jumping event.

British competitors have been supported by funding underpinned by the national lottery in preparation for the first Olympics held in Britain since London 1948.

Great Britain’s chef de mission Andy Hunt said the medals haul was down to years of “sacrifice and struggle” by athletes, their support teams and organisers.

“What has been achieved is the result of a shared commitment made by 541 athletes, representing 26 sports, to compete as One Team GB, and to do so in a manner that would make our country proud,” he said.

“We congratulate the athletes of Team GB on reaching this remarkable milestone.

“Our focus will remain every bit as sharp during the remaining days of these extraordinary Games in order to support Team GB athletes in achieving continued success.” – Agence France-Presse

For more on the Olympics, visit the Olympics: London 2012 Microsite. 

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