18.8.08

Victory for the men's cycling pursuit team on Monday propelled Great Britain to its biggest haul of Olympic gold medals since Antwerp in 1920.

GB Olympians pass gold landmark

Victory for the men's cycling pursuit team on Monday propelled Great Britain to its biggest haul of Olympic gold medals since Antwerp in 1920.

Team GB have now won 12 golds, one more than Sydney in 2000, and three more than Athens four years ago.

The team have at least four more strong gold medal prospects on Tuesday, which if converted would see them pass the 14 golds achieved in Antwerp.

Britain's all-time record is 56 gold medals, at the 1908 Olympics in London.

That tally came amid a haul of 146 medals in total, but will almost certainly never be surpassed, given that there were only British entries in some events, which included figure skating, polo, rackets and tug of war.

The men's pursuit team of Bradley Wiggins, Paul Manning, Geraint Thomas and Ed Clancy destroyed Denmark to bring up the twelfth gold.

It was the team's sixth gold in cycling, five of those coming on the track, and 11th cycling medal in all, with prospects of several more on Tuesday

After sailing duo Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield took silver in the men's 470 medal race on Monday, Britain's overall medal tally now stands at 27, including seven silver and eight bronze.

Aside from cycling, the other gold medals have come in rowing (two), sailing (two) and swimming (two).

British super-heavyweight boxer David Price is guaranteed to add a ninth bronze to the total having made it through to a semi-final bout on Friday.

Team GB, who will hold a victory parade in London upon their return from Beijing, will hope to surpass the Antwerp mark of 14 gold medals on Tuesday, where Britons have strong hopes of gold in sailing, cycling and athletics.


BRITAIN'S MEDAL TALLY
2008: 27* 12 gold, 7 silver, 8 bronze
2004: 30 9 gold, 9 silver, 12 bronze
2000: 28 11 gold, 10 silver, 7 bronze
1996: 15 1 gold, 8 silver, 6 bronze
1920: 43 15 gold, 15 silver, 13 bronze
*As at 1600 BST on 18 August

Paul Goodison is all but guaranteed a gold medal in the Laser sailing class - he can only be denied gold if he finishes last or is disqualified, and even then his Swedish rival must win the medal race.

At the Laoshan cycling velodrome, Wiggins will aim to secure his third gold of the Games alongside Mark Cavendish in the men's madison, while Chris Hoy also targets his third Beijing gold medal in the men's sprint, in which Jason Kenny is also a medal contender.

Victoria Pendleton also goes in the women's sprint on Tuesday.

Elsewhere, world champion Christine Ohuruogu is a strong contender in the final of the women's 400m in athletics.

Looking further ahead, Britain can expect to challenge for gold in three more sailing events, women's BMX cycling, the men's triple jump, men's flatwater canoeing and super-heavyweight boxing.

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