Reflecting on another successful year for British Olympic and Paralympic sport
Subscribe
Helen Jenkins
Getty images
Related content
Grace Cullen 22 December 2011
The year before the London Olympic and Paralympic Games, British athletes have won 49 world championship medals in Olympic disciplines and 73 world championship medals in Paralympic disciplines, with world and European records, personal bests and sporting firsts across the board.
A total of 17 Olympic sports met or surpassed their targets for the year at milestone events, with the collective Olympic medal target for 2011 comfortably reached. On the Paralympic side, 14 sports met or surpassed their targets at milestone events and surpassed the collective Paralympic medal target for 2011.
While ‘established’ sports such as Rowing, Cycling, Sailing and Athletics have continued to deliver, 2011 has also seen record breaking performances on the world stage from Olympic sports such as Taekwondo and Boxing, where both British squads achieved their best ever medal haul at a World Championships.
Disability Athletics, Para-Cycling and Para-Equestrian Dressage all exceeded their medal targets at milestone events, winning an impressive 31 gold medals between them and breaking five European and six world records along the way.
It has also been a remarkable year of triumph for a number of British individuals.
After becoming world champion for the second time in May, GB Taekwondo’s Sarah Stevenson went on to claim the Sunday Times’ Sportswoman of the Year, recognising her outstanding achievements in a year that she suffered personal tragedy, following the loss of both of her parents. Stevenson was one of six female world champions in Olympic disciplines in 2011, along with Keri-Anne Payne (Swimming), Rebecca Adlington (Swimming), Helen Jenkins (Triathlon), Women’s team pursuit (Cycling) and Kath Grainger and Anna Watkins (Rowing).
Mark Cavendish became Britain’s first winner of the Tour de France sprinters’ Green Jersey. He also became the first British world road race champion in 46 years. Mo Farah’s victory in the 5000m at the World Athletics Championships in Daegu was the first long distance title won by a British male at a global event. Along with 400m hurdles world champion, Dai Greene, Cavendish and Farah earned nominations for the 2011 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Cavendish, Farah and Greene were three of the seven male world champions in Olympic disciplines in 2011, along with Alistair Brownlee (Triathlon), Giles Scott (Sailing), Men’s coxless four (Rowing) and Men’s lightweight double sculls (Rowing).
Double Paralympic champions David Weir and Sarah Storey both had golden years, with Weir completing a golden hat trick at the IPC Athletics World Championships, winning the T54 800m, 1500m and 5000m in style, while Storey found success on both the road and the track, winning two gold medals at the Para-Cycling Road and Track World Championships.
Reflecting on the year, UK Sport Director or Performance, Peter Keen, said: “With just one week to go until we reach the milestone of 2012, looking back at the fantastic results achieved by British Olympic and Paralympic athletes this year gives us every reason to feel confident of success at our Home Games in London.
“The Mission 2012 updates released by UK Sport earlier this month gave further cause for optimism and demonstrated that, thanks to record levels of targeted investment, the high performance sport system is prospering, with a record 23 Olympic and Paralympic sports rated as ‘green’ and achieving overall.”
Most Viewed
- British Olympic & Paralympic Sport in Great Shape Two Years Out From London 2012
- Skeleton innovation project recognised by The Engineer's Technology & Innovation Awards
- ILP welcomes fourth year intake
- Talent graduates join Taekwondo elite academy
- Volunteers needed for 2010 Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series
