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UK Sport targets 35 GB medals in Beijing

02/07/2008

UK Sport has set a target of 35 overall medals at the Beijing Olympic Games next month, of which a third should be gold.

The Great Britain Olympic team should be aiming to finish eighth overall in China, according to the targets, which will set a benchmark from which to achieve fourth place at London 2012.

The actual target for Team GB is 41 medals - 11 more than the total haul from Athens 2004 - although UK Sport admits this is a 'stretch' target and only expects to achieve 85 per cent of the overall total.

Chief executive of UK Sport John Steele claims that with five weeks to go until the 2008 Games begin, Britain's athletes are "on target and where we would want to be in terms of medal prospects".

"After four years' hard work, Beijing has the potential to be a memorable Games for Team GB's athletes," he continued.

"While recent injuries and withdrawals have highlighted just how risky and uncertain top-level sport can be, we believe there is every reason to be confident that medal success will be achieved.

"[Winning 35 medals] would be a great result – the targets are ambitious and reaching them would be the best boycott-free medal performance by Britain for nearly a hundred years.

"Crucially they will also show whether we are on track towards our ultimate goals for London 2012."

UK Sport has highlighted its traditional strength sports to account for the majority of the medals haul in Beijing, with cycling (six medals), athletics (five), sailing (four) and rowing (four) expected to be particular areas of the success.