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‘Week 2’: Team GB Tokyo roundup

Posted by Emma Rowell

‘Week 2’: Team GB Tokyo roundup

Day 8 was kicked off to a shining start with Team GB taking yet another gold in the pool. Stars Kathleen Dawson, Adam Peaty, James Guy and Anna Hopkin took the top spot in the first ever mixed medley relay race. The quartet delivered the fourth gold medal in the pool at these games, and when combining this with their two silvers and a bronze, this matched GB’s best haul from London 1908.

And it wasn’t just in the pool where the mixed relay teams shone the brightest as Britain’s mixed triathlon team also took the top spot on the podium. The team consisted of individual medal winners Georgia Taylor-Brown and Alex Yee alongside Jessica Learmonth and Jonny Brownlee. This win topped off the Brownlee brother’s career with his first gold to complete the set making him on par with his brother Alistair.

To start off day 9, Max Whitlock retained his Olympic gold medal spot on the pommel horse, executing the most challenging routine of his career. The 28-year-old most certainly isn’t ready to leave the floor just yet.

BMX history was made when 25-year-old former chef Charlotte Worthington took gold making history in the sport. After failing to land her 360 backflip on her first run, Worthington nailed it on her second run securing her a score of 97.50 from the judges - the highest in both the men's and women’s events. Declan Brooks went on to secure the bronze in the Men’s event securing GB’s fourth BMX medal.

Day 10 saw team GB break a long-standing drought in the equestrian team eventing as Oliver Townend, Laura Collette and Tom McEwen collected gold in this event for the first time in 49 years. What a victory!

Team GB’s Emily Campbell claimed Britain's first weightlifting medal as she took silver in the 87kg category lifting a massive 283kg. This silver victory made her the first ever British female weightlifter to claim an Olympic medal.

On the field, Great Britain’s hockey ladies booked their place in the semi-finals against the Netherlands after securing a solid 2-0 win in a tense shootout. Goalkeeper Maddie Hinch made herself the hero of the match taking the team one step closer to retaining their Olympic title.

Tuesday saw plenty of sailing success for Team GB as a flurry of medals came through in early hours of the morning. Giles Scott successfully defended his Finn title, Dylan Fletcher and Stuart Bithell won the men’s 49er and John Gimson and Anna Burnet took silver in the mixed Nacra 17 class. On the track, there was a trio of GB women setting off in the 800-meter final, with 19-year-old Keeley Hodgkinson taking silver in her Olympic debut. Hodgkinson, still studying at university, demonstrated that even at university you can still be at the top of your sport!

In the velodrome it was a double silver for the Kenny’s as Laura took silver in the women's team pursuit and Jason took his silver in the men’s team sprint.

As the skateboarding commenced on day 12, history was made for Team GB as 13-year-old Skye Brown became Britain’s youngest ever summer Olympian when she took a dramatic bronze in the women's park event.

The medals just kept on coming in the sailing for Team GB as Hannah Mills took gold in the women's 470 class alongside partner Eilidh McIntyre. This medal made her the most successful female Olympic sailor of all time; yet another British Olympian to add to the history books!

As the games progressed rapidly through the second week track cyclist Matt Wallis secured gold in the men’s omnium in convincing fashion. Pole vaulter Holly Bradshaw took Team GB’s second track and field medal in Tokyo, securing a bronze medal this being her first ever medal in a major championship. And on the water, defending Olympic champion Britain’s Liam Heath took bronze in the men’s kayak 200m final. After a rocky start on the water, he finished on a brilliant surge which took him over the line in third place.

The medals certainly didn’t stop coming in on day 14 as the track stars shone brighter than ever before! Laura Muir took a well-deserved silver medal in the women's 1500-meter race and the women's 4x100 meter relay team featuring medal hopeful Dina Asher-Smith, took bronze over the finish line. In the men’s 4x100 meter relay the GB team also took a medal, this time silver, losing out to the Italians by 100th of a second.

In the velodrome history was made yet again as Laura Kenney took her fifth Olympic gold medal alongside teammate Katie Archibald in the women's Madison. And the medals didn’t stop there as Jack Carlin added a silver in the men’s sprint.

The modern pentathlon event saw GB’s Kate French take the top spot and come away with a gold medal, and the next day saw fellow GB competitor Joe Choong also take the gold, making it a golden double for Team GB in this event. Another gold was secured for the Brit’s as boxer Galal Yafai defeated Carlo Paalam in the men’s flyweight final.

On the penultimate day in Tokyo there was more success in the Men’s diving and track cycling. Diving superstar Tom Daley took his second medal of the games securing a well-deserved bronze in the 10m final. And in the velodrome Team GB secured silver in the men’s Madison race as teammates Matt Walls and Ethan Hayter stormed over the finish line behind the Denmark duo.

As the games came to a close on the final day, there was more triumph on the track for Jason Kenny once again as he took his 7th Olympic gold medal in the men’s Keirin race, and the final gold was secured in the ring for Great Britain as Lauren Price took her first Olympic medal in the Women's middleweight final.

These games have been a huge success for Team GB as their performance succeeded their medal predictions despite high profile setbacks from hopefuls early on in the proceedings. But what it has shown is that even under the toughest of circumstances the success can always be achieved when the determination is there. These games may have been like no other before, but they will certainly still be one that goes down in the history books!

And even better news, there is still lots more Olympic action to come as the Paralympic games kick off on the 24th August. So, stay tuned for plenty more action and get ready to cheer on our very own Taka Suzuki as he sets his sights on bringing back some gold medals in the swimming!

 

 

 

 

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