UK Sport Predicts 45-70 Olympic Medals
UK Sport, the government agency responsible for investing in Olympic and Paralympic sport, is thinking big. It believes a massive financial investment will see the UK’s athletes net between 45 and 70 medals at Tokyo’s Olympic Games. At the 2016 summer Games in Rio, their tally was 67 of which 26 were gold.
The Tokyo Olympics have faced problems at every turn of preparation since the Games were delayed due to the Coronavirus. ©Jota @ BRAZIL
Extraordinary Potential, Extraordinary Success
Announcing its medal prediction on Friday, UK Sport declared a “new mission to create the greatest decade of extraordinary sporting moments; reaching, inspiring and uniting the nation”.
The British team for the Tokyo Olympic Games will be the biggest ever for an overseas Games. At Rio 2016, the UK was represented by 366 athletes who competed in 25 sports. In 2021, the team will have more debutants than at Rio’s Olympics. Additionally, for the first time ever, the UK’s squad will feature more women than men.
Preparing such a large squad for the Games has been an enormous and costly task. In total, during the five years since the last Olympics, UK Sport has received £342 million from the Government and National Lottery players.
Impressive Figures
The Tokyo Games will mark the sixth Summer Games of support from the UK Government and The National Lottery. The result of this investment has been remarkable.
At the 1996 Atlanta Games, the UK’s summer Olympic team claimed just one gold and 14 silver or bronze medals. At the 2000 Sydney Games, the team returned with a haul of 28 medals, including 11 golds. The number of medals won has continued to rise since.
600-plus athletes from across the UK are set to represent their sports, communities, and country at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. This huge team could see a new record of medals returning to Great Britain.
Declaring it has “utilized the sport intelligence and data analysis available from the limited amount of competition that has taken place”, UK Sport says it has set out collective medal ranges as 45-70 medals for the Olympic Games and 100-140 for the Paralympic Games.
Already Breaking Records
“After five years of hard work our team for Tokyo 2020 is now complete. We have a strong squad of athletes ready to do their country proud. It’s great to welcome our largest travelling British Olympic team ever”, said Team GB’s Chef de Mission, Mark England.
“I am also delighted we will be taking more women than men to a summer Olympic Games. It is a first for Team GB in its 125-year history. 2021 is truly the year of the female Olympian”. If England is a betting man, he would surely be interested in William Hill’s latest Olympic betting odds. The UK’s biggest high-street betting chain is offering 6/5 against Great Britain bringing home over 42 medals from Tokyo.
New Skills, Bravery and Entertainment
The delayed 2020 Games get underway on July 23. While in-person spectators have now been barred from the Games, armchair viewers will be able to watch a host of new sports. Surfing, skateboarding, sport climbing and karate are all making their Olympic debut.
Dame Katherine Grainger, Chair at UK Sport, is clearly bubbling with enthusiasm while reminding people the Olympics is not all about winning: “We know Olympic and Paralympic sport has a unique ability to reach, inspire and unite the nation. Tokyo will be an extraordinary Games where our British athletes will touch the hearts of our nation.
“Their courage and endeavour will make themselves, their families, their communities and the British public proud,” she continued. “We want to create the greatest decade of extraordinary sporting moments, and success at the Games is an integral part of that. But medals are not the only memorable moments from an Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“Every day in Tokyo we will witness moments of stunning skill, heart-warming bravery, inspiring entertainment and see sporting history being made. Tokyo will also showcase a significant number of British athletes making their Games debut and an opportunity to showcase the talent of tomorrow”.
Olympic Success Is Uplifting and Good for National Pride
Recent research conducted by UK Sport suggests British performances at the Tokyo Olympic Games will have an uplifting effect on people. Its studies show 63% of the British public agree the Games will be an important opportunity for athletes to inspire the nation following the Covid-19 pandemic. They also indicate that 73% of the public feel proud when British athletes succeed.
Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston is amongst Team GB’s cheerleaders saying: “As this Government has consistently shown through its levels of financial support, we are right behind our elite athletes.
“Team GB and ParalympicsGB are always the best prepared and best-supported teams. Credit is due to UK Sport, the British Olympic Association, the British Paralympic Association and the sports’ National Governing Bodies. That pride should be shared by National Lottery players.
“Recent Olympic and Paralympic Games have proven that their performances lift our national mood, promote the best of the UK abroad and help to inspire the nation – including a new generation of sporting stars. And as we emerge from the pandemic, this year’s Games are more important than ever before in inspiring millions across the nation to get more active”.
Betting on GB Olympic Medals
As the old adage goes, “it matters more when there is money on it” and an early look at the betting markets make for interesting reading. Bet365 offer 66/1 on Great Britain to win the most medals at the Tokyo Olympics. USA are favorites at 1/12 followed by China at 13/2. ROC – an acronym for Russian Olympic Committee – are third in the list at 40/1
Track and field competitions remain the showpiece events at the Olympics. Team GB has some strong gold medal candidates here. Dina Asher-Smith is set to run in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay. Laura Muir will compete in the 800m and 1500m. If Katrina Johnson-Thompson has returned to full-fitness following injury, she will be a strong favorite in the women’s heptathlon.
Collectively they should contribute to Team GB’s gold medal haul. In that market William Hill offer 13/10 on Team GB winning over 14 golds. 16 or more is rated 2/1 and if you believe the team can earn 17 or more, the bookmakers will give you 3/1.
