Can Wimbledon Victories Inspire Our Olympic Stars?

Posted on 12 Jul 2016 by Anna Scott
It’s fair to say that a grey cloud has been hanging over the UK for a few weeks now and the England team’s earlier than expected exit from Euro 2016 didn’t exactly improve moods. But this weekend we got a very welcome boost, not just from the hoped-for Andy Murray victory at Wimbledon but also 3 other British Wimbledon victories (including Heather Watson in the mixed doubles), along with a Lewis Hamilton British Grand Prix win. It’s inevitable that thoughts will now turn to the forthcoming Rio Olympics – can Britain build on this Wimbledon success and even beat the historic London 2012 tally? The sporting hopes of the country rest on many different shoulders, and here are some of the sportsmen and women hoping to stand on that podium…

 

Athletics


AthleticsWho could forget Super Saturday nearly 4 years ago? When an amazing day of British rowing and cycling victories was topped off by 3 athletics gold medals in the evening. Well, those same 3 champions are in with a shot again this year, with Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis-Hill and Greg Rutherford competing in their respective events.

A new crop of athletics hopefuls will be joining them in the Rio stadium including Adam Gemili, Katerina Johnson-Thompson and Zharnel Hughes. And with last weekend seeing British victories in the European Championships for the men’s 4 x 100m relay and the women’s 4 x 400m team, our hopes for more medals has only been fuelled further.

 

Cycling


Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins win the Madison, Track World Championships 2016No, British cycling isn’t on quite the same high as it was 4 years ago, although this is more in regards to its inner-politics and administration rather than the performance of our cyclists. How much Olympic performance will be affected by the suspension of head Shane Sutton remains to be seen, but hopes are still riding high for cycling favourites Laura Trott, Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins, Lizzie Armistead and Chris Froome.

 


Rowing


Helen Glover and Heather Stanning It’s something we’ve been rather good at in the past and with the British rowing team tally coming in at 4 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze in 2012, hopes are riding high for their Rio performance. Team favourite Katherine Grainger will return for another shot at the podium, and one of our best hopes for gold is with Helen Glover and her partner Heather Stanning in the coxless pairs. There is also new kid on the block, 21-year-old Jess Leyden, who one won a gold at the 2013 world junior championships in the women’s single scull.

 

Swimming


Adam PeatyStaying with the water, we return to one of the few sports that was a disappointment for Britain in 2012. The Team GB swimmers had high hopes, but after only bringing home 3 medals in total, they’re now gunning for a much improved 2016 Olympics haul. And with very good reason, because Adam Peaty and James Guy now have 5 world titles between them. But it’s not just the boys that are expected to do well - Siobhan-Marie O’Connor and Jazz Carlin are also in with a shot in the women’s events.

 

After the 2012 Games, the British public’s interest in not only viewing sport but also participating in events spiked dramatically. If this weekend’s Wimbledon success has already sparked your interest, there are plenty of ways to find good online prices for sportswear, equipment and accessories. Cycle Surgery and Westbrook Cycles are great sources of cycling discounts and you can currently save £10 on your order with Sweatband discount codes. There are plenty of other sporting promotions running over the summer and expect even more once the Olympics begin.

Long gone are the days when Britain could hope for just half a dozen appearances on the medal podium. London 2012 changed British sport forever, and the only way is up for this year’s Rio Olympics as well as successive sporting events. So let’s wish all our fabulous British athletes good luck in their medal quest and hopefully we’ll be seeing another sporting victory parade on the streets of London in the very near future.

 

 

 

 

 

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