Gold medallist Murray helped inspire GB to record Olympic medal haul

Scots tennis star hailed by team chief

Andy Murray was credited with inspiring Team GB’s greatest overseas Olympic Games as a squad of triumphant athletes arrived home from Rio on a gold-nosed Boeing 747.

Flying home on a chartered British Airways flight – BA2016 – the team were shown singing God Save The Queen ahead of take-off – with BA providing 77 extra bottles of Champagne on a special plane, emblazoned with ‘Victorious’ – and also took the opportunity to post selfies from the cockpit and gathered with their team-mates in the cabin.

Having exceeded their haul from the London Games, Great Britain brought back 67 medals from Brazil as a large number of athletes arrived at Heathrow yesterday morning to be greeted by friends, family and hoards of supporters.

Although both were absent yesterday, Team GB chef de mission Mark England was full of praise for Murray – confirmed yesterday as second seed at the US Open behind Novak Djokovic – and golfer Justin Rose, revealing how a rousing speech from Murray on the eve of the Games had spurred the team to go on to glory.

England said: “We had some very, very high-profile athletes in the team in a way that we hadn’t necessarily had before.

“Justin Rose is a good example of that and Andy Murray was defending his title from London.

“Andy was the flag-bearer and spoke to all of the team before the opening ceremony, spoke really eloquently about being part of Team GB and the importance of everybody doing everything they could to replicate London.

“Justin has been absolutely outstanding, not only in the support of the Great Britain Olympic team but of golf in the Olympics as well, and to have athletes of that stature in addition to athletes who have medalled in five consecutive games and others defending titles, which they did absolutely successfully, was a very powerful thing.”

Adam Peaty began Great Britain’s record medal rush and is now hoping his achievements can continue to build Team GB’s growing legacy.

Peaty, who broke the 100m breaststroke world-record twice on his way to securing Team GB’s first medal in Rio as he sealed the gold, is hoping for a chance to replicate the achievements of a host of medal winners who became instant household names following 2012.

“Sport is a massively powerful thing,” he said.

“There is no language barrier and I can shake the hand with China and Russia, athletes that don’t speak any English, but it doesn’t matter. I hope people look at how I’ve got into the Games and want to get involved.”

Meanwhile Laura Trott admits to being ‘annoyed and frustrated’ at seeing GB’s cycling success at the Olympics questioned by rivals.

GB cyclists claimed six golds, four silvers and one bronze at the velodrome in Rio to follow up a similarly impressive haul on home soil four years ago.

With Britain’s overwhelming dominance at the Olympics being in contrast to some of their performances at other major events, several rival teams publicly wondered just what was going on.

The veiled accusations that something amiss might be taking place has offended the likes of British Cycling head coach Iain Dyer, and Trott admits she is also frustrated.

The 24-year-old, who won two golds in Rio to match her haul from London 2012, told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It is a little bit annoying and frustrating.

“British Cycling has always been an Olympics-based programme, so for us it wasn’t about clearing up at the World Championships (in March of this year).

“Don’t get me wrong, it would have been nice because they were in London, but it’s always been around the Olympics.”

Golfer Justin Rose, who has been credited with also inspiring Team GB, with his gold medal at Heathrow.

PA/Getty. Pictures: Above: Swimmer Adam Peaty, with his gold and silver medals, described sport as “a massively powerful thing”. Top: Team GB athletes arrive back at Heathrow.

Scots rower Katherine Grainger shows off her silver medal.