London 2012: Success for GB?

[WooWoo]

There is now only 15 months to go until the Opening Ceremony, which means we are now starting to see events and championships to help qualify, or qualify, for the 2012 Games.

The success (for us) of the games will not only be measured on the Venues, Atmosphere, Security etc..., but mainly on the performance of Team GB. The pressure is already on our athletes to perform well, with the second biggest medal haul for GB since the 1908 Games, also held in London, being achieved at the 2008 Beijing Games. The 19 Gold medals achieved were higher than any expected, even UK Sport were surprised with the eventual tally.

So now the question is will Britain be able to preform better in 2012 than in 2008? Most people believe, and expect, us to do so. Look at previous Olympic Games. Spain normally come in the mid-low 20's in the medal table, maybe coming out with a few golds. However, if you look at Barcelona '92, Spain were 6th in the medal table, with 13 Golds. Its the same for Greece. Compare the 2008 tally (4 medals, no golds) with the 2004 tally (16 medals, 6 golds.) Will Great Britain be able to replicate Home Olympic success?

In 2008, there were 4 sports in which Britain dominated, or excelled at. These were;

Cycling- 14 Medals

Rowing- 6 Medals

Sailing- 6 Medals

Swimming- 6 Medals

British Athletes are going to need to replicate these performances, and add to them, if we are to see Britain near the top of the Medal Table. However, recent performances at World Championships, or European Championships cast doubt onto whether Team GB will be as successful.

Cycling
In 2008, GB dominated mostly every event in Cycling, with half of their total Gold Medals coming from it (8.) But in recent years, Great Britain has slipped down the medal table in World Championships, and it is now Australia that are the big hitters in the event. The most recent 2011 World Track Cycling Championships demonstrated this well, with Australia coming top with 8 Gold Medals, and GB coming further down the board, with just 1 Gold Medal. Countries like France and Belarus had a more successful championships. So is it crisis for British Cyclists?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/othe...ng/9438021.stm

GB Director, Dave Brailsford, doesn't seem to think so. He calls this a "satisfactory" World Championships, but does admit to being rather disappointed with some events. One of the big shocks came in the Women's Keirin, with World Champion Victoria Pendleton not even making it to the Finals. However her story, like many other under preforming Athletes, is the same. With different races and different qualification standards, means a new out look and approach of the games. Many athletes are working on a 2 year training program, meaning we will only start to see the absolute best of them in mid 2012 (hopefully for the Olympics.) This could be the difference between wining 0 Golds in London, or winning 8. Of course, there were some big names missing out on these championships, like Bradley Wiggins and Ed Clancy. So in 2012, everything should be OK. Also, World Champion's Emma Pooley (Time Trial) and Shanaze Reade (BMX) will also be joined by curred Olympic Champion Nicole Cooke and Tour De France multiple stage winner Mark Cavendish.

Rowing
It's a very different affair in rowing, however, with the British Team achieving more success now, that before 2008. Look at the most recent World Championships, for example, Britain were just squeezed out of being top by 1 Gold to Germany, but GB won the most medals. However, if you just look at who the Gold's went to in Olympic events, Team GB would have been by far and away the run away dominant team. So, if they carry this on, we could be seeing some excellent performances in 2012.

Sailing
Sailing is hopefully heading in the right direction as well. Take a look at the 2010 ISAF Sailing World Cup, where team GB took 3 Gold medal's. A rather good performance there. It is Ben Ainslie who the eyes of Britons will look to, to provide the medals when he takes to competition at Portland Harbour, in 2012, and he isn't disappointing, looking to be back at the top after 2 years out from the Finn class, which does look very promising.

Aquatics
It is looking promising in 2012, with British swimmers rising to the top of the World at a rapid pace. Of course, eyes will still be on Britain's golden girl, Rebecca Addlington to provide the distance double in London: Something, which she is very much on track for. At the recent British Championships, she posted the fastest time in the world for the 400m and 800m freestyle. Still early in 2011, but looking promising. And what to we expect from GB's World champion back-stroker, Gemma Spofforth? She showed class in 2009, but has been just off the pace in 2010-2011 (the Commonwealth Games showing this) along with team mate, and European Champion Lizzie Simmonds. And of course, no-one can rule out 100m freestyle World Silver Medalist, Fran Halsall, who managed to make a stunning comeback to win at the British Championships, with an extremely quick time, after being out for months after an ankle operation. Hannah Miley, James Goddard and Liam Tancock are also big hopes for London. Another great factor for the swimmers is the advantage of a Home Olympics. Swimming, Athletics Rowing and Cycling are probably the 4 sports most affected by a home crowd, and anything can happen on the day, with 17,000 British fans roaring them on. Not to forget 2009 World Diving Champion, Tom Daley, who, although is still very young, has a mature head, and could sneak into the medals in London

What about other sports?
Its looking good there too, especially in Athletics. World Triple Jump champion, Phillips Idowu is looking to achieve a Gold medal in London, along with another big hope, Jess Ennis. Ennis, who is now officially the face on the London 2012 Games says she is "excited" to, hopefully, be going to London. Not to mention she is the current World Outdoor Heptathlon champion, and Indoor Pentathlon champion. Britain's Archers, Shooters and equestrian team are looking good and heading in the right direction, too.

GB Football?
Team GB is sending a football team for the first time in decades to the Olympics. However, it is not all good news though. Only the English FA have agreed to the idea, meaning only English players will appear on the GB team, with the other Home Countries FA's withdrawing, due to worries about there status as Independent Footballing Nations.

Despite certain worries, the BOA and UK sport say that they are on track and on course to secure a top 4 Medal Tally place. Looking good for London, however the Australian's and German's are right on our heels, so much hard work is still needed, for Team GB, and Britain, to be able to smile with pride at the 2012 London Olympic Games

[madjackmcmad]

I think it'll be very difficult to get close to the last total because the Cycling distorted the gold total a bit. I'd have a bet on 2008 being the most succesful medal haul in my lifetime.

[WooWoo]

Originally Posted by madjackmcmad

I think it'll be very difficult to get close to the last total because the Cycling distorted the gold total a bit. I'd have a bet on 2008 being the most succesful medal haul in my lifetime.

Hopefully the recent worlds have been a wake up call for them, and maybe now we will start to see some more progress

[Ecological]

I think you'll find leading up to 2008 Britains cyclists were at the same stage they are going through now.

Their intensity of training will go up, the bigger hitters will start pushing to hit their peak strength and our youngsters will have another 15 months of improvement.

I wouldn't worry about them lot not to mention having the crowd behind your back.

The one i'm most looking forward too seeing is Jodie Williams.

Wonder what the odds are for her to medal in the 100m.

Be 18 next year. Finished 4th in her first major European championships at just 16 last month with a new PB. and hit 11.24 last year over 100m after turning just 16 years old.

149 races unbeaten over 100m at youth level.

Regarding other sports. Fancy our chances alot in Judo, Boxing and also the Hockey this time round. GB football team should there be one will be interesting. Plus Mo Farah should hit top form next year.

Think we will outstrip our medals by about 5-10.

[flare]

My very brief assessment as to how we will do in 2012 compared to 2008, only listed events where I think we have a decent chance (figures in bracket equate to the number of 2008 medals):

Archery (0): better
Athletics (5): similar, possibly slightly worse in medals but much more finalists
Badminton (1): worse, can't see us getting any medals
Boxing (3): a lot better, several golds likely especially in women's boxing, home support massive
Canoeing (3): about the same, maybe a little better
Cycling (14): worse, maybe half the medals
Diving (0): better, Daley should medal at least once
Equestrian (2): better, possibly quite a bit better, expect us to challenge in dressage for a first time
Gymnastics (1): better, good chances in several disciplines, could even get a team medal
Judo (0): a bit better, our Judo team do seem to underperform, hopefully they can step up
Penthalon (1): similar
Rowing (6): at least similar, probably better
Sailing (6): similar
Swimming (6): similar, maybe more golds, Adlington/Spofforth/Halsall look good
Taekwondo (1): expecting big things from ths, two world number ones and other well placed challengers
Triathlon (0): may do better and just sneak a medal

I too ma excited by Jodie Williams, I think she will get into the final.

[MasterOfHisOwnDomain]

Originally Posted by WooWoo

[...] to provide the medals in Weymouth [...]

The sailing events are happening in Portland Harbour, not Weymouth. That is the town north of the harbour and which for some reason shares the name with Portland of the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, despite the site being based entirely on Portland. If this geographic misnomer continues during the press coverage I will despair...

[WooWoo]

Originally Posted by MasterOfHisOwnDomain

The sailing events are happening in Portland Harbour, not Weymouth. That is the town north of the harbour and which for some reason shares the name with Portland of the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, despite the site being based entirely on Portland. If this geographic misnomer continues during the press coverage I will despair...

Thanks, I'll change it now

[flare]

Originally Posted by MasterOfHisOwnDomain

The sailing events are happening in Portland Harbour, not Weymouth. That is the town north of the harbour and which for some reason shares the name with Portland of the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, despite the site being based entirely on Portland. If this geographic misnomer continues during the press coverage I will despair...

The course isn't in Portland Harbour though, it's in Weymouth Bay.

[MasterOfHisOwnDomain]

I'm looking at the location for the venue and it is clearly in Portland Harbour. I severely doubt they would need to run the course in Weymouth Bay, since the Harbour is one of the largest artificial deep-water harbours in Europe and has excellent vantage points. By contrast, Weymouth Bay doesn't:

http://www.london2012.com/map.php?q=...webcam%2Cvenue

Don't want to be pedantic, it's just me striving for proper credit hah.

[flare]

Originally Posted by MasterOfHisOwnDomain

I'm looking at the location for the venue and it is clearly in Portland Harbour. I severely doubt they would need to run the course in Weymouth Bay, since the Harbour is one of the largest artificial deep-water harbours in Europe and has excellent vantage points. By contrast, Weymouth Bay doesn't:

http://www.london2012.com/map.php?q=...webcam%2Cvenue

Don't want to be pedantic, it's just me striving for proper credit hah.

Indeed it is a very large harbour but the Olympics will have several hundered boats racing at any point across up to 10 race. No where near enough space. Weymouth Bay has fantastic vantage point from Osmington, Ringstead and even towards Lulworth.

[alistairmoore]

It will be hard to get close to the last total because the Jogging distorted the gold total a bit. I'd have a bet on, being the most succesful medal haul in my lifetime.