Get ready to cheer on our Olympic hopefuls

SIR Steve Redgrave today urges us to get behind the stars of Team GB as they prepare for the Olympic Games in Rio, which open on Friday. It is apposite that the call should come from one of Britain’s greatest Olympians, a man who knows not only about the excitement of international competition but also the sacrifices that top sportsmen and women make in the pursuit of excellence.

This time around, Team GB has been set stiff medal targets by Sport England: to achieve the mark of 48 would make the 2016 Olympics our most successful overseas Games ever. And there are plenty of reasons for optimism. Mo Farah, who so memorably won double gold in London four years ago, is in prime form and expectations are high that he can defend his titles — even without the benefit of a partisan crowd roaring him on this time. Jessica Ennis-Hill is also out to repeat her glorious performance of 2012, while rising stars such as sprinter Dina Asher-Smith will enthral a new generation of Olympic-watchers. And that’s just on the running track — Chris Froome, Andy Murray and Charlotte Dujardin are among others going for gold.

For the organisers, the opening ceremony will come as a relief. The months leading up to this year’s Games have been dogged by controversy, with concerns over the Zika virus and delays to infrastructure. Meanwhile, the Russian doping scandal has left the International Olympic Committee reeling. Thank goodness, then, that sport is about to take centre stage. And for anybody wondering whether the Olympic spirit remains intact, the appearance of a 10-strong refugee team under the IOC flag is proof to the positive.