Great Britain at the Olympics

, 2012 As the National Olympic Committee (NOC) for the United Kingdom, the British Olympic Association (BOA) membership encompasses the four Home Nations of the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, who notably compete separately in many international sports outside Olympic competition for historic reasons), plus the three Crown Dependencies (Guernsey, Isle of Man and Jersey), and all but three of the British Overseas Territories(Bermuda, British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands have their own NOCs). Representatives of the devolved Northern Ireland government and others in the region, however, have objected to the name "Team GB" as discriminatory, and have called for it to be renamed as "Team UK" to make it clearer that Northern Ireland is included on the team. Under the IOC charter, the Olympic Federation of Ireland is also responsible for the entire island of Ireland. However, athletes from Northern Ireland can elect to represent either Great Britain or Ireland at the Olympics, as people of Northern Ireland. A number of Northern Irish-born athletes, particularly in boxing, have won medals for Ireland at the Games, and a small number of athletes from Northern Ireland have represented both Team GB and Team Ireland, most recently swimming gold-medalist Jack McMillan. Usually most of Northern Ireland's athletes at the Olympics compete for Team Ireland. At the 2024 Summer Olympics, 6 athletes () from Northern Ireland, represented Great Britain, while 31 athletes () represented Ireland. In 2016, eight represented Great Britain, and 21 represented Ireland. All athletes from the whole of Ireland were included in the Great Britain team up until the 1920 Olympics as the entire island was part of the United Kingdom at that time, and the Team GB claim to have won at least one gold at every Summer Games is partially founded on a single Irish athlete, Tom Kiely who won gold in the 1904 St. Louis games. While Kiely himself objected to the designation, considering himself simply Irish, Olympic historians recognise his medal as a medal for Great Britain and Ireland, thus maintaining the unique British record. The existence of a Great Britain team has been criticised by Welsh and Scottish nationalists, advocating for separate Welsh and Scottish Olympic teams instead. Other nations that formed part of the then British Empire, however, were represented separately even before full independence in a variety of ways, either as fledgling nations such as South Africa and India, or occasionally in regional teams such as Australasia and British West Indies. == Hosted games ==

The United Kingdom has hosted the Summer Games on three occasions – 1908, 1948 and 2012, all in London – second only to the United States. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Great Britain became the first team to win more medals at a Summer Olympics immediately after hosting a Summer Olympics; they won 67 medals overall, coming in second place in the medal table ahead of China, two more than in London in 2012. This success came 20 years after finishing 36th in the medal table, after winning just one gold and fourteen other medals at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, which led to significant changes in the management and funding of British sports and facilities. London also won the right to host the 1944 Summer Olympics. However, the 1944 games were cancelled due to the Second World War. Successful bids Unsuccessful bids Potential future bids In February 2019, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced plans to bid for the 2032 or 2036 Olympics, which was backed by UK Sport. However, it has been speculated that either Manchester or Birmingham may be in the frame to host future games, rather than London. In July 2021, the 2032 Games were awarded to Brisbane. In July 2024, Khan revealed he was to attend the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris and would use the opportunity to lobby members of the British Olympic Association and the Prime Minister (a potential bid would need to be both underwritten by the government and backed by the BOA) into hosting the 2040 Olympics. He claimed London could host the "greenest games ever" by reusing venues from the 2012 games including the London Stadium, the London Aquatics Centre, Lee Valley Velopark and Copper Box Arena. The idea was backed by Tom Daley, Team GB diver, commenting that "London is one of the few cities on the planet where you would be able to host the games tomorrow". A 2025 proposal by the Heseltine Institute would see Manchester and Liverpool launch a joint bid for the 2040 Games - this idea was backed by the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, who described the prospect of the two cities hosting the games as an opportunity to 'rebalance the country'. == Medals ==

Medals by Summer Games :Source: • Art competitions (1912–1948) are not included in the medal table above, as they were non-sports events formerly part of the Olympic Games. won a total of nine art competition medals (3 gold, 5 silver, and 1 bronze), across the 1920, 1924, 1928, 1932, and 1948 Summer Olympics. Medals by Winter Games :Source: Medals by summer sport This table excludes seven medals – one gold, two silver, and four bronze – awarded in the 1908 and 1920 figure skating events. Medals by winter sport This table includes seven medals – one gold, two silver, and four bronze – awarded in the 1908 and 1920 figure skating events. Best results in non-medalling sports and disciplines ==List of Winter Olympic medallists==

This list also contains the medals won in winter sports at the 1908 and 1920 Summer Olympics, which are not counted in the overall winter Olympic total. Multiple medallists The following athletes have won more than one medal for Great Britain at the Winter Olympics, or in winter disciplines. Bold denotes athletes that have not yet retired. Stripped medal Great Britain's only stripped medal in Winter Olympic history was an Alpine Skiing bronze at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Alain Baxter tested positive for a banned substance, resulting from Baxter using a branded inhaler product bought in Salt Lake City which, unknown to him, contained different chemicals in the United States than in his native country. While the British version contained no banned substances, the American version did, albeit in small amounts. Baxter was exonerated of deliberate wrong doing, but was forced to return his medal on the basis of strict liability. ==Medals by individual==

According to official data of the International Olympic Committee. This is a list of people who have won at least three Olympic gold medals or four Olympic medals for Great Britain. Medals won in the 1906 Intercalated Games are not included. It includes top-three placings in 1896 and 1900, before medals were awarded for top-three placings. • People in bold are still active competitors Lizzy Yarnold and Matt Weston are the most successful British athletes at the Winter Olympics, with two gold medals each. Duncan Scott is the most prolific athlete at a single Games, winning four medals (1 gold, 3 silver) at the 2020 Olympics. Steve Redgrave is the most consistent British Olympic athlete, winning gold medals at five consecutive Games (1984-2000). The most successful 'individual' British Olympians, that is an athlete who competes in individual events, are Sir Jason Kenny, Sir Chris Hoy, Sir Mo Farah and Sir Ben Ainslie, all with four gold medals apiece in individual events, with Kenny's silver in individual match sprint, and Ainslee's silver in his first games giving them the top position. With four golds and a silver in five individual events in five consecutive games, Ainslie is also the most consistent, and with Kenny, most decorated, individual athlete in British Olympic history. Sir Chris Hoy has the unique distinction of achieving gold medals in four different events; twice in team sprint, twice in kierin, once in individual sprint and once in the kilometre time trial. Fellow cyclists Jason Kenny and Ed Clancey, in contrast have won the same event on three occasions, the team sprint and team pursuit respectively. Ben Ainslee in the sailing Finn class, and Paulo Radmilovic in water polo have also won three gold medals in the same event. Dame Laura Kenny, wife of Sir Jason, has the unique distinction of winning the first ever edition of three different events - the women's team pursuit, women's omnium and women's madison. Most successful British Olympian progression This table shows how the designation of most successful British Olympian has progressed over time. This table ranks athletes by golds, then silvers, then bronzes; the progression would be different if ranked purely by medals. Most successful in their sport As of the 2026 Winter Olympics, the following athletes are the most successful (ordered by golds, then silvers, then bronzes) in their sport: • Jason Kenny (Track cycling) • Ben Ainslie (Sailing) • Alex Yee (Triathlon) • Lizzy Yarnold, Matt Weston (Skeleton) • John Wodehouse (Polo) • John Astor (Rackets) • John Shepherd, Frederick Humphreys and Edwin Mills (Tug of War) • John Field-Richards, Bernard Boverton Redwood and Isaac Thomas Thornycroft (Water Motorsports) • Twelve members of the Devon and Somerset Wanderers team (Cricket) Steve Redgrave and Reginald Doherty are the most successful male athletes in their respective sports, Rowing and Tennis. Five-time gold medalist Laura Kenny is the most successful female cyclist and Hannah Mills with two gold medals and a silver is the most successful woman in sailing. Nicola Adams, with two golds, shares the title of most successful woman in Boxing. ==Medals by sport==

Alpine skiing Archery Medalists Artistic swimming Great Britain appeared in the first synchronised swimming competition in 1984. Medalists Athletics Medalists Badminton Great Britain has competed in all Badminton events held at the Summer Olympics since badminton made its full debut as an Olympic sport in 1992. The figures from 1972 do not count towards the total as badminton was a demonstration sport. Medalists Basketball Biathlon Bobsleigh Boxing Great Britain made its Olympic boxing debut in 1908. Medalists Canoeing Medalists Cricket Great Britain and France were the only two teams to compete in the only Olympic cricket match, in 1900. The British team won, making them the only nation to win an Olympic cricket contest and the only Olympic gold medallists in cricket. Cross-country skiing Curling Cycling Jason Kenny with seven gold and two silver medals is the most successful British Olympian, most successful British cyclist, indeed the most successful cyclist, in Olympic history. His wife, Laura Kenny is the most successful British female Olympian, and most successful Olympic female cyclist in history, with five golds and one silver. As of 2021, of the 100 cycling medals won by Great Britain, half (50) have been won in the four Games since 2008, including 28 gold medals. Great Britain had won ten golds in total between 1896 and 2008. Medalists Diving Great Britain made its Olympic diving debut in 1908. Tom Daley, with one gold, one silver and three bronze medals, is the most decorated and most successful British Olympic diver in history, followed by Jack Laugher with one gold, one silver and two bronze medals Medalists Equestrian Great Britain had one rider compete in the hacks and hunter combined event at the first Olympic equestrian events in 1900. Medalists Fencing Great Britain first competed in fencing in 1900 and won its first fencing medal, a silver, in 1908 at the London Games. Medalists Figure skating Great Britain hosted the first Olympic figure skating contests in 1908. Figure skating, as of the 2026 Winter Olympics, is Great Britain's most successful winter sport, although seven of its medals were won in early editions of Summer Olympic Games. Football Great Britain and Ireland – now represented separately by Team Ireland and Team Great Britain – was one of three teams to play in the inaugural football tournament, winning their only match to take the first Olympic gold medal in football. The men's team competed in the ten Olympics in the table below. The women's team competed in 2012 and 2020. In 1974, the FA abolished the distinction between "amateur" and "professional" footballers in England. This ended the practice of "shamateurism", where players claimed to be amateur but still got irregular payments from their clubs. Also, Great Britain is not a member of FIFA and its athletes participate in international football competitions as members of the national teams of the home nations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), none of which have National Olympic Committees. As a result, Great Britain usually does not participate in Olympic qualifying tournaments. Having qualified as hosts in both tournaments in 2012, pressure arose to find a way for Great Britain, and at least a women's team, to take part in Olympic football competitions. The solution, first instituted in time for the 2020 Games, and following the precedent set out by field hockey and rugby sevens was for the results of the England women's team, as the highest ranked national team within Great Britain, to be treated as qualification results for the purposes of UEFA quota places. When both England and Scotland qualified for the FIFA Women's World Cup, the UEFA designated qualification tournament, England's results were treated as Great Britain results for Olympic qualification purposes, while Scottish results were ignored for the same purposes. England's U23 men's team do not have a similar arrangement. Notwithstanding the arrangement, in the event of qualification, Scottish and Welsh players are eligible. Medalists Freestyle skiing Golf Great Britain was one of four teams to play golf at the first Olympic golf events in 1900, taking silver and bronze in the men's competition. They did not compete in the Olympic golf competition held in 1904. When the sport returned in the 2016 Rio Olympics, after a 112-year absence, Justin Rose won gold. Medalists Gymnastics Great Britain first competed in gymnastics in the inaugural 1896 Olympics, with wrestler Launceston Elliot entering the rope climbing event and finishing last. Great Britain's first gymnastics medal came in 1908 with a silver in the men's individual all-around. Until 2008, Great Britain's last medal for gymnastics was a Bronze in the Women's all-round team event in 1928. At the 2012 Summer Games in London, Great Britain equaled its tally for all previous games combined, winning 4 medals to bring their all-time total to eight. A record seven medals, including first ever gold medals, were won in 2016, while a further three, including one gold, were won at the 2020 Games. Having won only four medals in total between 1896 and 2008, 14 medals, including 3 gold medals were secured between 2012 and 2020. Medalists Handball Great Britain's men's and women's handball teams were allowed to take up host places at the 2012 Olympics. This is the only time that Great Britain has competed in handball at the Olympics. Field hockey Great Britain hosted the first Olympic field hockey tournament in 1908. Medalists Ice hockey Jeu de paume Great Britain hosted the only Olympic jeu de paume tournament in 1908. Judo Great Britain has competed in all judo events held at the Summer Olympics since judo made its full debut as an Olympic sport in 1964. Although Great Britain has won 20 judo medals, none have been gold. Medalists Lacrosse Great Britain's Olympic lacrosse debut was in 1908. Luge Modern pentathlon Great Britain's Olympic modern pentathlon debut was in 1912 when it was first included in the Olympics. Their most successful games were the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where Great Britain won both the available gold medals. Medalists Nordic combined Polo Great Britain was one of four teams to compete in the debut of Olympic polo. Three of the five teams had British players, and those three teams took both the top two places and split the third place with the Mexican team. Great Britain would be the only team to play in all five of the Olympic polo tournaments, with no other nation appearing more than three times. The nation took gold and two silvers in 1908, when only British teams competed. Facing international competition in 1920, the British side won. The 1924 tournament resulted in a bronze medal for Great Britain, while the team took silver in 1936. In international play, the Great Britain team had an overall record of 5–3 (semifinal and final wins in 1920, a 2–2 record the 1924 round-robin, and a first-round win and final loss in 1936). There were 2 games in 1908 pitting teams from Great Britain against each other, necessarily resulting in a 2–2 record that year. The mixed teams in 1900 had records of 3–0, 1–1, and 0–1, though both losses (and, of course, therefore two of the wins) were against each other. Rackets Great Britain hosted the only Olympic rackets tournament, in 1908. Rowing Great Britain took a bronze medal in the first Olympic rowing competition, in 1900. Medalists Rugby Great Britain took a silver medal in the first Olympic rugby competition, in 1900. They repeated as silver medallists by losing the only match in 1908. Great Britain did not compete in 1920 or 1924. When the sport returned in 2016 as rugby sevens, Great Britain earned a third silver medal (in men's) as well as placing 4th in the first women's rugby competition. Sailing Great Britain took four gold medals in the first Olympic sailing events in 1900. In addition, British sailors were part of two mixed teams that won gold. Medalists Shooting Great Britain's first shooting medals came when the United Kingdom hosted the 1908 Games, at which the British shooters dominated the competitions. There were 215 shooters from 14 teams in the shooting events, including 67 from Great Britain. Medalists Short track speed skating Skateboarding Medalists Skeleton Great Britain is the most successful team in Skeleton winning a medal at every Games (except 2022) in which the sport has been included and has won at least one medal in each of the five contests of Women's skeleton since its introduction with five different athletes. Lizzy Yarnold is the only rider to defend their gold medal, winning back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2018. Matt Weston became the first athlete to win multiple medals for Great Britain in a single Winter Olympic Games, winning gold in both the men's individual and mixed team events at the 2026 Games. Ski jumping Snowboarding Speed skating Sport climbing Medalists Swimming Great Britain was the third most successful team in swimming in 2008, with 2 golds, 2 silvers and 2 bronzes, with Rebecca Adlington winning two of these, making her the most successful female British swimmer in 100 years. Medalists Table tennis Taekwondo Great Britain have competed in all six taekwondo competitions that have taken place since 2000. Their best result is a gold, silver and bronze in 2016. Medalists Tennis winning gold, 5 August 2012. John Pius Boland dominated the 1896 tennis tournaments. Tennis in 1896 was a sport that allowed mixed teams, and both Boland and George S. Robertson joined partners from other nations to win their medals. Great Britain again dominated in 1900, taking all four gold medals and adding seven others (three as part of mixed teams). Medalists Triathlon Great Britain have competed in all Six triathlon competitions that have taken place since 2000. Their best finish is 2 1st-place finishes in the men's individual triathlon event, and a 1st-place finish in the mixed triathlon relay event, in 2020(2021). Medalists Tug of war Great Britain's Olympic tug of war debut came when the United Kingdom hosted the Games in 1908. Great Britain was then one of only two teams to compete in 1912 and also won the last Tug of War competition held in the Olympics in 1920. Volleyball Prior to participating, as host nation, in the 2012 volleyball tournaments, Great Britain had never competed in Olympic volleyball with the exception of the women's team participating in the inaugural Beach volleyball tournament in 1996. Water motorsports The United Kingdom hosted the only Olympic water motorsports contests, in 1908. Water polo Medalists Weightlifting Great Britain's only gold medal in weightlifting came at the first Games in 1896, when Launceston Elliot won the one-hand lift. Medalists Wrestling Medalists ==Medals in art competitions==

In addition to its accomplishments in sport, Great Britain has also earned recognition in Olympic art competitions—one of the three non-sports events once included in the Olympic Games. The country won a total of nine art competition medals (3 gold, 5 silver, and 1 bronze), across the 1920, 1924, 1928, 1932, and 1948 Summer Olympics. These events were part of the official Olympic program in seven Summer Games, from 1912 to 1948. In 1952, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) formally discontinued all non-sport events (including art competitions), as well as awards for feats (such as alpinism and aeronautics). These were subsequently removed from official national medal counts. Medalists ==See also==