Gold rush goes on for Britain
TEAM GB’ s stunning success at the 2016 Rio Olympics continued yesterday.
Britain’s impressive rowers took the men’s eight title, less than an hour after their compatriots claimed silver in the women’s event and keeping the country on track for its most successful away Olympics.
After the race at the Lagoa rowing venue, Team GB cox Phelan Hill said: “These guys were magnificent today. Absolute gladiators.”
Scots Polly Swan, 28, and Karen Bennett, 27, helped the women’s eight to victory in Rio – keeping athletes north of the Border on track for their own record medal haul.
Their success ensured athletes supported by sportscotland have contributed to eight medals so far.
Scots swimmers Stephen Milne, Duncan Scott and Dan Wallace were the first to claim a medal in Rio with silver in the 4x200m freestyle relay.
Their successes were quickly followed by a bronze for Sally Conway in judo.
Canoeist David Florence, rugby players Mark Bennett and Mark Robertson and rower Katherine Grain ge r–now Britain’s most decorated female Olympian – all took silver.
Young cyclist Callum Skinner helped Team GB to gold in track cycling’s team sprint, while rowers Heather Stanning took gold in the women’s pairs with Helen Glover.
Even more medals could be won by Scottish athletes over the next week, with Andy Murray today aiming to defend his 2012 title after making it to the tennis final by beating Kei Nishikori.
Sportscotland performance director Mike Whittingham said: “It’s testament to all the hard work by the athletes, sports, coaches and the collaboration between UK Sport and the sportscotland institute of sport that Scottish athletes are delivering record-breaking performances on the Olympic stage.”
The incredible victories yesterday put Team GB in third place in the medal table.
The scene was set on Friday night for a weekend of glory, when cycling superstar Sir Bradley Wiggins became the first Briton to win eight Olympic medals.
The impressive haul has been notched up on the medals tally board at Team GB’s HQ in the athletes’ village.
And last night Britain was braced for a repeat of the London 2012 Super Saturday as track and field champions Greg Rutherford, Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis-Hill limbered up to defend their titles.
Laura Trott, 24, was also looking for her third gold in cycling after a stunning debut Olympics in 2012 when she came first in the omnium and team pursuit.
British Olympic Association chief Bill Sweeney said his crop of superstars were well on track to realise their goal of at least 48 medals in Rio.
He said: “We are quite happy where we sit, but it is very much feet on the ground.
“There is a real breadth of talent there now, right across a lot of sports, and that is really satisfying.”