Just 81 days remain until this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio, but there is still plenty keeping our Team GB athletes busy. Whether that be attempting to qualify or fine-tuning preparations for those already selected, no-one is resting on their laurels. Each Monday we will look back at what our athletes have been getting up to during the last week and who to keep an eye on over the coming seven days.
DIVING It seems like 11 is the magic number for Britain’s divers this year – 11 quota places secured for Rio and 11 medals won at the 2016 European Aquatics Championships in London. London Olympic bronze medallist Tom Daley led from the front, picking up 3m mixed synchro gold with Grace Reid and 10m synchro silver with Dan Goodfellow during the week before rounding off matters on Sunday with individual 10m platform gold. There was also gold for 3m synchro duo Jack Laugher and Chris Mears while Georgia Ward walked away with double silver and bronze. It all amounted to a record-breaking competition by the Brits, who were duly awarded the Champions Trophy after finishing top of the points table and medal table. Roll on Rio! Click here to read more
TENNIS Less than a week remains until the start of the 2016 French Open and double Olympic Games medallist Andy Murray could not have asked for a better warm-up after beating Novak Djokovic at the Rome Masters. No set dropped in the entire tournament, a 6-3, 6-3 win over the world No.1, and a first-ever title in Rome – it all added up to a rosy day for birthday boy Murray. Murray has a Wimbledon and US Open win to his name – not to mention singles gold at London 2012 – although success at Roland Garros has so far eluded him. Time to change all that ahead of a busy summer this year? Click here to read more
FENCING Last week saw the final foil World Cup of the season in Russia – although there was no sign of easing off from Rio-bound James Davis as he took an impressive bronze. Davis was part of a four-strong fencing team recently announced for this summer’s Olympic Games – and he fired off a signal of intent in Russia, including beating Italy’s Luca Simoncelli to reach the semi-finals.
CANOEING Fiona Pennie is one of four British slalom canoeists who will make the trip to Rio this summer – and she stepped up preparations a level with the European Championships in Liptovsky, Slovakia. Beijing 2008 Olympian Pennie managed to bag herself a podium finish with gold in the women’s K1 event alongside Lizzie Neave and Kimberley Woods, while she also reached the semi-finals of the individual event. There were a further three medals for Britain too, with Mallory Franklin taking women’s C1 bronze, with gold for the women’s C1 team and bronze for their male counterparts.
SAILING Giles Scott is a man that doesn’t know when he is beaten. While opening your World Championship regatta with a 38th-place finish might be enough to put some off, Scott rallied last week to clinch his fourth Finn world title – with a day’s racing to spare. He is now the second most successful sailor in the Finn Gold Cup’s 60-year history – behind only a certain Sir Ben Ainslie. Scott is the man charged with helping to keep Ainslie’s London 2012 Finn title in British hands this summer – and he seems on track to do just that. Click here to read more
SWIMMING Last week it was the synchro swimmers and divers in London, now it’s Britain’s swimmers’ turn to take centre stage at the European Aquatics Championships. The team has already been announced for Rio so expect the likes of triple world record holder Adam Peaty, double world champion James Guy and double European champion Jazz Carlin to feature heavily.
TAEKWONDO Team GB will have four taekwondo fighters in Rio – although the names of those individuals have not yet been announced. Expect plenty of tough competition at this weekend’s European Championships in Switzerland as Britain’s fighters such as Jade Jones, Lutalo Muhammad and Bianca Walkden battle it out to impress.
RUGBY SEVENS Team GB will be represented in Rio by a mixture of players from across the home nations, with the wider training squad announced last week. This weekend however sees the players compete for their respective countries with England, Scotland and Wales all in action at Twickenham as the curtain comes down on this season’s World Sevens Series. Expect plenty of entertainment on the pitch – and in the crowd!
Fingers crossed our Team GB athletes will not be getting the blues when they compete at the Olympic Stadium in August. The running track was officially unveiled last week with blue the colour of choice in Rio.
Sportsbeat 2016