Team GB Still Riding for Gold

Team GB picked up another two gold medals yesterday thanks to their riding prowess in saddles of two kinds. On horseback, Great Britain won gold in the Team Jumping equestrian event after it proceeded all the way to a Jump-Off. The Jump-Off, for the benefit of readers who don’t usually follow equestrian events, is a tie-break stage, so well done to Team GB riders Nick Skelton, Ben Maher, Scott Brash and Peter Charles for sealing the deal and getting the first Showjumping gold medal for Britain in sixty years. The silver in the Team Jumping event went to the Netherlands, with Saudi Arabia taking the bronze.

The other kind of saddle that helped Team GB to win a gold medal was the kind found on a bicycle. To be more specific (and probably a tad less annoying) the saddle was on the bicycle of Jason Kenny, who saw off the imposing threat of France’s Gregory Bauge in the Men’s Sprint to win gold (his second of the Games) and leave his rival with silver. Third place – and the bronze medal – went to Shane Perkins for Australia.

Jason Kenny had famously been selected to represent Team GB in this event instead of Sir Chris Hoy, and so it was good to see him step into such massive shoes and replicate the success of his more experienced teammate. Of course, back in 2008 Hoy had predicted that Kenny would be the one winning gold in the 2012 games, so he will be pleased that his foresight proved to be as accurate as we had all hoped.

Whilst we’re on the subject of cycling success, Hoy himself will also be representing Team GB today in the Men’s Keirin, and Laura Trott is in an excellent position (joint lead) to land a medal in the Women’s Omnium, so do watch out for those events if you get the chance.

In addition to the gold medals that were won yesterday, Elizabeth Tweddle earned the accolade of being the first woman to win a gymnastics medal for Great Britain since 1927. Tweddle had come excruciatingly close to winning a medal in Beijing, so when she received a bronze medal yesterday for her superb performance on the uneven bars she will have been especially delighted with the achievement. Silver in this event went to Kexin He for china and the gold went to Aliya Mustafina for Russia.

All of this means that Team GB now starts Day 11 of the Olympic Games with a total of 40 medals (18 gold, 11 silver and 11 bronze). China is at the top of the table with 64 medals (31 gold, 19 silver and 14 bronze) and the USA is in second place with 63 medals (29 gold, 15 silver and 19 bronze).

Will today be the day that Team GB surpasses the number of gold medals won by Great Britain at Beijing in 2008 (we won a total of 47 medals, comprising 19 gold, 13 silver and 15 bronze)? Only time will tell, but I certainly wouldn’t like to bet against it!