UK Sport announces medal targets for Rio 2016
UK Sport has announced the medal targets for the British teams heading to the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with hopes for the 'best away Olympics' and 'better than London Paralympics' in terms of places on the podium.
Athletics-specific targets of seven to nine medals at the Olympic Games and between 28 and 34 medals at the Paralympic Games have been set for the GB teams in Brazil as UK Sport targets at least 48 Olympic and 121 Paralympic medals overall.
The British Olympic athletics team won six medals at London 2012, with Mo Farah (5000m and 10,000m), Jessica Ennis-Hill (heptathlon) and Greg Rutherford (long jump) winning gold, Christine Ohuruogu (400m) securing silver and Robbie Grabarz (high jump) bagging bronze.
A total of 29 medals were claimed by the British team at the London Paralympics, with David Weir, Hannah Cockroft and Richard Whitehead among the gold medallists.
A record £350 million from Government and The National Lottery has been invested into Olympic and Paralympic sports and athletes over the past four years.
Our sports, backed by @TNLUK, will target AT LEAST 48 Olympic & 121 Paralympic medals at #Rio2016 #EveryRoadtoRio pic.twitter.com/c7YhvO9heP
— UK Sport (@uk_sport) July 14, 2016
"Targeting a record breaking away Olympic Games and a Paralympic medal haul that surpasses that of London 2012 shows the ambition and talent within our high performance system," said Liz Nicholl, CEO of UK Sport.
"Our aspirational goal to become the first host nation to eclipse our London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic medal haul has proved hugely motivational and we are delighted that these incredibly challenging goals sit within both Olympic and Paralympic medal ranges. This shows that our aspirational goal has kept British sport united, motivated and determined to build on those incredible successes in London.
"We have a greater number of sports targeting medals that we did in Beijing in 2008, which shows a high performance system that is growing stronger and more sustainable Games after Games."
Simon Timson, director of performance at UK Sport, commented: "Beijing 2008 was a record breaking Olympics for Team GB, but I’m confident we can top it in Rio and make this our best ever away Games, while ParalympicsGB can eclipse their haul from London.
"With the backing of National Lottery players and through our partnership with the British Olympic Association and the British Paralympic Association, ours will be the best supported and prepared athletes in Rio bar none, primed and ready to once again make the nation proud."
