THE GOLDEN GANG
DOZENS of Great Britain’s heroic Olympians who got a taste of glory in London 2012 are flocking back for more.
The haul of 65 medals – including 29 gold, 17 silver and 19 bronze – was nearly half as many again as the 47 won at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Team GB finished behind only the US and China in the medals tally.
Now many of those big names are heading to Rio hoping to hit the target of 48 medals set by UK sport. Some predict we’ll get as many as 79.
Here we look at some of those stars who are going for gold again. 1 Greg Rutherford Men’s long jump HIS performance in London was regarded as a one-off by some until he secured world gold in China. That made him just the fifth British athlete to hold all four titles: Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth.
Greg, 29, from Milton Keynes, joined Daley Thompson, Sally Gunnell, Jonathan Edwards and Linford Christie, as a true great.
On Rio, he said: “I know every time I go into a major people look at me as the one to beat and that’s a great place to be. “ 2 Mo Farah 5000m and 10,000m THE 33-year-old Arsenal fan is one of the greatest athletes in British history. His feats on the track at major championships stretch back to 2011, with no one in distance running able to live with his pace.
Looking back on the London 2012 Games, he said: “I remember the roar of the crowd when I was on the last lap. It was a great feeling to have 80,000 people pushing me to win. But this year it’s all about Rio.” 3Sir Bradley Wiggins Cycling THE 36-year-old will not be defending his road title, switching instead to the velodrome in a bid to win his eighth medal.
He topped off becoming the first British Tour de France champion with Olympic gold in 2012, but admitted he struggled with the fame that saw him crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
He said: “I left for the Tour de France that year relatively unknown in the public’s eyes. When I came back, for a week or so I felt like the most famous man in the country.”
Now he is targeting a fifth Olympic gold medal in the team pursuit. 4Ed Clancy Track cycling CLANCY, 31, needed back surgery at the end of last year but will join Wiggins and Mark Cavendish in pursuit of another team gold.
After his selection, he tweeted: “Can’t wait to get out to Rio now. Thanks to everyone who has supported me through a tough winter.” 5Laura Trott Track cycling ESSEX girl Laura, 24, is a favourite to win gold in Rio when she competes in the women’s team pursuit and the omnium.
As well as her Olympic medals from London 2012, she has 17 World and European titles and one Commonwealth gold. And she puts part of her success down to her fiancé, fellow Team GB cyclist Jason Kenny.
She said: “Jason knows the ups and downs, what it’s like when a race goes badly, and he understands that I can’t get drunk on a Saturday night.” 6Jason Kenny Track cycling THE other half of cycling’s golden couple with Laura T Trott, 28-year-old Kenny seems to be timing his run to the Olympics perfectly,p coming into blistering fo form at the recent World Championsh Championships with a sprint gold. There’s a ch chance he will get another gold in th the sprint, while the keirin is mo more of a lottery – but a do double is possible. He said: “Our team is f fairly relaxed. That’s the way we work but at the same time we’re arguing about how to optimise everything. I’m looking forward to racing in Rio. It’s a new place and hopefully it will be a good atmosphere.“ 7Charlotte Dujardin
Dressage THE 31- year- old is another strong candidate for a golden repeat in Rio. Dujardin won two golds at the Europeans and could cement her place as Britain’s most successful dressage rider next year.
She will compete in the individual and team dressage and at least one gold is likely. 8Helen Glover,
Heather Stanning Rowing GB went five days without winning a gold medal at London. Who broke the duck? The women’s coxless pair of Glover, 29, and Stanning, 31. And they have been beating the world ever since. They are undefeated as a pair in 30 races across four years and pulverised everyone else at the last World
Championships. 9 Nicola Adams Boxing THE smiling 33-year-old who won gold at 2012 to become the first female Olympic boxing champ had shoulder surgery two years ago but is back to form. She is trying to become the first Brit boxer to win successive golds since Harry Mallin in 1920 and 1924. She said: “It’s a chance to make history. Almost every time I step in the ring now. I’m doing something that has never been done before. That is what keeps me going.” 10 Jade Jones
Taekwondo THE North Wales star, who won gold in London aged 19, has been missing with a knee injury but was back to winningg form in the German Open last weekend.
Now 23, she said: “I’d say I’m in the best shape possible. My training raining and nutrition programmes are stricter cter than ever.” 11Alistair andnd Jonny
Brownlee Triathlon BOTH Brownlee brothers hers have had a difficult time with injury ury have hit form again, with reigning Olympic champion Alistair winning the he last two World Triathlon Series races s ahead of Jonny.
The men’s race in n Rio takes place at Copacabana abana on August 18. The brothers others have heard their rival l Javier Gomez has withdrawn. wn.
12 Katherine Grainger Rowing GRAINGER and partner Anna Watkins were perhaps the most popular gold medallists of London 2012 wit with their wonderful victory celebra celebrations. Now after a brief retirement, 40-year-old Grain Grainger has returned to the sport, t to compete with Vicky Thornley, 28, having failed in a late attempt to earn a place in the eight. She sa said: “It’s not been the smo smoothest or most direct ro route but it’s a relief that we’re there.” 13Tom Daley 10m dive DALEYD had treatmentmen f or stress disorder after a dive in 2012 went wrong. But now, going into his third Olympics, he is more confident. The 22-year-old said: “I’m really excited now that the Olympics are so close. That final is a scary thought. Nothing you’ve done in the four years matters.” 14J o Pavey 10,000m THE 42-year-old mum makes Olympic history by becoming the first British female track athlete to go to five Games.
And the 42-year-old credits her continuing success to motherhood.
She said: “Making decisions about juggling training around the kids and having fun with them has made me make better decisions regarding my running.
“When I was younger I would get daunted by track sessions and spend all day thinking about hitting targets. Now I’ m not too tense.” 15 Christine Ohuruogu 400m BRITAIN’S all-time most successful female athlete got the nod ahead of Anyika Onuora for the 400m “wild card” spot.
The 32-year-old two-time world champion – bidding for a third straight Olympic 400m medal in Rio – welcomed the prospect of lining up against the hot favourite, South African Caster Semenya.
She said: “I don’t ever go into a championship worrying about people and times and medals. My competitors are all faceless and nameless, I’m just there to get one job done.” 16 Andy Murray Tennis MURRAY’S Olympic final victory over Roger Federer proved to be a watershed moment for the Scot – helping him toward his first Wimbledon win the next year.
He said: “Being a home Olympic Games was such a special occasion andd the atmosphere at Wimbledon was like ike nothing I have ever experienced.d.
“Winning medals for your r country is as good as it gets and I can’t wait for Rio to try for r more.” 17Chris Froome
Cycling THE man who is one of Britain’s n’s greatest-ever cyclists, with Tourur de France wins in 2013 and d 2015, is happy to play the paceeman for his team GB colleagues. s.
In 2012 Froome took Olympic c bronze in the time trial and hass a team bronze in the same event t from the 2013 World Championships. He says he will do it again n in Rio – as he is concentrating g more on the Tour.