Adam Peaty has today made history by becoming the British Olympian to win the 100th gold medal for Team GB since funding from The National Lottery was introduced.
Sitting on 99 prior to the start of Tokyo, Adam's victory in the 100m breaststroke earned the 100th gold at the summer and winter Olympics for British athletes since support from The National Lottery players sparked the revitalisation of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s Games fortunes.
Jason Queally’s victory in cycling’s kilometre time trial in Sydney in 2000 was the first gold medal won with the assistance of the funding – and there have now been 95 more summer golds and four at the winter Games since.
Thanks to Adam Peaty’s outstanding performance today in Tokyo, Team GB has gone from winning one gold medal at Atlanta in 1996 to a landmark 100 in the space of a quarter of a century.
Dame Katherine Grainger, Chair, UK Sport, said: “Many congratulations to Adam Peaty for winning the first gold for Team GB at these Olympics. After the challenges of the last 18 months, it is an amazingly special achievement for Adam to become an Olympic champion again and make sports fans across the UK so proud.
“This gold medal is even more special because it is the 100th won by British athletes at the summer and winter Olympics since the creation of the World Class Performance system, funded by National Lottery players.”
Sally Munday, CEO, UK Sport, said: “I send my congratulations to Adam Peaty and I’d also like to send my thanks to every single person who has played The National Lottery in the last quarter of a century. Your generosity has helped UK Sport to fund Olympic and Paralympic sport to an unprecedented extent, which in turn has enabled so many of our athletes to achieve their ambitions.
“Adam's performance is another extraordinary sporting moment that will lift the spirits of tens of millions of people in the UK who love to see our athletes excel on the greatest stage. We send our best wishes to all the British athletes and teams competing in Tokyo and hope to see many more such moments in the days ahead.”
Denise Lewis, Sydney Olympic Champion in heptathlon, said: “The transformation that has taken place from Team GB since Atlanta from being 36th in the medal title to becoming one of the superpowers of Olympic and Paralympic sport has been phenomenal. It really has been down to the National Lottery support and those people who buy those tickets every week, which has enabled our athletes to get the best out of themselves and deliver many amazing golden moments.”
No one does more to support our Olympic and Paralympic athletes than National Lottery players, who raise around £36 million each week for good causes including elite and grassroots sport. Discover more about how playing The National Lottery supports Team GB’s athletes by visiting www.national-lottery.co.uk/tokyo2020 and get involved by using the hashtags: #TNLAthletes #MakeAmazingHappen