Mahama Cho looks to seal fourth taekwondo quota place for Rio while Joanna Rowsell Shand says it's all about the team in the build up to the Olympic Games. Here's our review of the last 24 hours.
Mahama Cho intends to repay the faith shown in him when he flies the flag for Great Britain in this weekend’s European Olympic qualification tournament in Istanbul.
Team GB have already secured three quota places in three weight categories for this year’s Olympic Games in Rio through Jade Jones, Bianca Walkden and Lutalo Muhammad – the latter having won last month’s World Taekwondo Grand Prix final series in Mexico.
A fourth spot could be attained on Sunday if heavyweight Cho reaches the final of the +80kg weight division.
“The selectors chose me and I am really grateful for this opportunity. I have never been better prepared for a tournament in my life.
“I have given so much for this and I really hope I can do what needs to be done when I get out there and try to qualify for my country.”
Excitement is building for Joanna Rowsell Shand following the start of an Olympic year although she insists her main priority will be on her and her British teammates rather than what her rivals are up to.
She will be looking to add to that in August of this year when Rio hosts the first ever Olympic Games to take place in South America.
Before then, however, is the matter of qualification with the third and final round of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup taking place in Hong Kong this weekend. "Now 2016 has arrived it feels like it is actually the year of an Olympics, rather than saying next year, it’s this year. “The clock is ticking but I quite like the added pressure, especially as I’ve been to previous Olympics and big Championships. “In terms of my selection all I can do is focus on myself but I know I’m in form and my training is paying off; in my point of view I just want the whole team to be on their best form because we want to be the best.”
Gabby Adcock wants to kick her Olympic year off with a bang as she looks to hunt down Anthony Clark's National Championships record.
Adcock finished 2015 on a high after she and husband Chris claimed victory in the World Superseries Finals in Dubai.
Now she has turned her attentions to next month's National Championships where she will look to add to the eight domestic crowns she has already claimed.
The current record of titles is held by Clark who has 12 and Adcock says she wants to get as close as she can to beating that tally.
“I want to go for the record of national titles. It could be difficult with the Olympics in mind but I hope to get 10 in the bag at some point.”
British number two Heather Watson's defence of the Hobart International title came to an end after being beaten by Johanna Larsson of Sweden.
Watson had reached the quarter finals of the tournament but that was as far as she would get after being edged out 3-6 6-4 6-4 to the Swede.
Watson had already been on court earlier in the day when she beat Romania's Monica Niculescu in a match that had taken two days to complete.
Dan Evans is within a whisker of the main draw of the Australian Open after seeing off Israel's Amir Weintraub in three sets.
The Briton could have wrapped things up earlier when serving for the match in the second set but hit four double faults leading to a decider.
In the end he came through 7-5 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 to set up a clash with America's Bjorn Fratangelo for a place in the first round proper.
Elsewhere James Ward's hopes were ended in straight sets by Dennis Novikov while Naomi Broady was also beaten by France's Alize Lim and Andy Murray was handed a first-round draw with Alexander Zverev. The Team GB Club has now officially launched! Be rewarded for your support and join Team GB on the road to Rio 2016 with our Club – check it out here
Sportsbeat 2016