Well done Team GB!
- By Richard Branson -
- Aug 10, 2012
Currently sitting in third position on the medals table, with a seemingly unassailable lead, Team GB’s collective performance throughout London 2012 has been nothing short of incredible.
For Britain to comprehensively outperform so many vast nations is tribute to the hard work of our athletes, coaches and national sporting bodies who have all worked towards a common goal.
The meagre medal tallies of Olympics past had left the country feeling as though we were lagging behind our neighbours, whose superior coaching methods and innovative approach to sport was leaving us in the shade. However, the likes of cycling coach Dave Brailsford have proven that the UK is now at the centre of forward thinking coaching standards – the medals table does not lie.
With so many wonderful performances on display over the last two weeks it’s difficult to pick out a highlight, although there have been some victories that will stick in the memory for a long time to come.
Sir Chris Hoy adding a fifth and sixth gold medal to his Olympic collection, Jessica Ennis destroying the rest of the field in her heptathlon victory, Mo Farah’s breath-taking 10,000m win, Ben Ainslie’s fourth consecutive sailing gold and Andy Murray’s biggest win of his career against Roger Federer in the tennis final were all very special.
As well as these established athletes it’s been a pleasure to watch competitors in less high-profile sports take the spotlight. Britain’s 19-year-old taekwondo champion Jade Jones, who last night claimed our country’s first ever gold medal in the sport, is a perfect example of this.
The efforts of the organisers, governing bodies, coaches, athletes and the general public – who have so warmly embraced the Games and supported Team GB – is a source of real pride.
The challenge now though is to harness all this positivity and keep up the momentum. In four years time in Rio there will be a weight of expectation on our athlete’s shoulders and it will be fascinating to see how they perform.
It will also be interesting to see how the Games change during that time, we might even be claiming gold in sports that currently aren't even in the Olympics. I would personally love to see a Team GB kitesurfing medal, a fantastic sport which will be a fine addition to the Olympic programme.
What would you like to see next time around? Let us know!
By Richard Branson. Founder of Virgin Group
