Homepage

We use cookies to track and analyse visitors to our website

These cookies help make the website usable by enabling basic functions like page navigation. They are necessary for our website to function and cannot be switched off.
These cookies gather information to understand how visitors interact with the website, such as how many people are using our website of which pages are popular to help us improve user experience. Switching off these cookies will mean that we cannot gather information to improve the user experience.
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by a third party provider whose services we have added to our website. Switching off these cookies mean that areas of our website cannot work properly.

Cookies are small text files that can be used by websites to make a user's experience more efficient.

The law states that we can store cookies on your device if they are strictly necessary for the operation of this site.

For all other types of cookies we need your permission.

This site uses different types of cookies. Some cookies are placed by third party services that appear on our pages.

You can at any time change or withdraw your consent from the Cookie Declaration on our website.

Learn more about who we are, how you can contact us and how we process personal data in our Privacy Policy.

Skip navigation
  • About us
    • Our Directors team
    • Our Board and panels
    • Strategic plan 2021-31
    • Annual reports
    • Our funders
    • Who we work with
    • Tenders
    • Contact us
  • Our work
    • Investing in sport
    • Investing in events
    • Powering positive change and social impact
    • International relations
    • Learning and development
    • Protecting and Transforming Olympic and Paralympic sport
    • Leadership and governance
    • Coaching
  • Events
  • News
  • Sports
    Olympic sports
    • Archery
    • Aquatics
    • Artistic Swimming
    • Athletics
    • Badminton
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Bobsleigh
    • Boxing (Amateur)
    • View all
    Paralympic sports
    • Boccia
    • Goalball
    • Para-Archery
    • Para-Athletics
    • Para-Badminton
    • Para-Canoe
    • Para-Climbing
    • Para-Cycling
    • Para-Equestrian Dressage
    • View all
  • Resources
    • A Code for Sports Governance
    • Organisational Health
    • Para performance strategic framework
    • Board minutes
    • Complaints and whistleblowing
    • Eligibility
    • Fraud, corruption and bribery
    • Transparency and open data
    • HR policy templates
    • Pregnancy guidance
    • Reports and research
    • The Whyte Review
  • Jobs in sport
    • Working at UK Sport
    • Explore career pathways
    • Find jobs in sport
    • Advertise sport jobs
  • About us
    • Our Directors team
    • Our Board and panels
    • Strategic plan 2021-31
    • Annual reports
    • Our funders
    • Who we work with
    • Tenders
    • Contact us
  • Our work
    • Investing in sport
    • Investing in events
    • Powering positive change and social impact
    • International relations
    • Learning and development
    • Protecting and Transforming Olympic and Paralympic sport
    • Leadership and governance
    • Coaching
  • Events
  • News
  • Sports
    Olympic sports
    • Archery
    • Aquatics
    • Artistic Swimming
    • Athletics
    • Badminton
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Bobsleigh
    • Boxing (Amateur)
    • View all
    Paralympic sports
    • Boccia
    • Goalball
    • Para-Archery
    • Para-Athletics
    • Para-Badminton
    • Para-Canoe
    • Para-Climbing
    • Para-Cycling
    • Para-Equestrian Dressage
    • View all
  • Resources
    • A Code for Sports Governance
    • Organisational Health
    • Para performance strategic framework
    • Board minutes
    • Complaints and whistleblowing
    • Eligibility
    • Fraud, corruption and bribery
    • Transparency and open data
    • HR policy templates
    • Pregnancy guidance
    • Reports and research
    • The Whyte Review
  • Jobs in sport
    • Working at UK Sport
    • Explore career pathways
    • Find jobs in sport
    • Advertise sport jobs
Popular content on our site
Prepare to “Find Your Greatness” as search for UK's future athletes gets underway The National Lottery operator Allwyn launches ChangeMakers fund for athletes as they make a difference back home Breadth of success targeted as British Olympic and Paralympic performance aspirations confirmed for Paris Investing in sport Strategic plan 2021-31
News

Women’s Quad Sculls become the 300th female medallists since advent of National Lottery funding, demonstrating progress for women’s sport

Published 31 July 2024

Following Great Britain’s gold medal in the Women’s Quad Sculls, 300 women have won their first medal at a Summer Games (Olympic & Paralympic) since National Lottery funding was introduced in 1997.

The 96 years prior to the introduction of the National Lottery funded World Class Programme, which is overseen by UK Sport to provide Britain’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes with world class preparation and support, 336 female athletes had won their first Olympic or Paralympic medals.

And while Team GB’s solitary gold medal and 36th place at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games is well documented, it was also the Games where just one woman, Denise Lewis in the heptathlon, won a medal for Team GB.

The 300 since National Lottery funding is made up of women who have won their first medal since the advent of National Lottery Funding in 1997.

The quartet of Lauren Henry, Hannah Scott, Lola Anderson and Georgie Brayshaw won in a nail bitingly close fashion pipping the Netherlands to the gold in a photo finish. The World Champions have made history winning Great Britian's first ever Olympic gold in this event.

With a count of 290 female medallists in the National Lottery era prior to the start of the Paris Games, Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen were first to add to the list, making history by winning bronze in the synchro diving; the first women’s diving medal for GB since 1960. This was followed by silver from Games debutant Anna Henderson on the bike in the women’s road time trial.

Kimberly Woods stunned the crowds with a brilliant bronze in the Canoe Slalom, and Ros Canter secured her first Olympic medal, winning gold alongside teammates Laura Collett and Tom McEwen in the Team Eventing. On the fourth day of the Games World Champion, Beth Potter stormed the Parisian streets to claim bronze in the Triathlon, swiftly followed by a bronze from Andrea Spendolini Sirieix and Lois Toulson in the Synchronised 10m Platform.

Sally Munday, CEO of UK Sport said; “Reaching this milestone of 300 British female medallists in the National Lottery era is a moment to celebrate the impact the World Class Programme, which provides equal talent with equal opportunity, has had for women in sport.

“There is no doubt that National Lottery funding, alongside government funding, has helped British athletes' perform their very best on the world stage, providing them with the right training environment and facilities, and access to the best support staff and coaches.

“I am excited to see how these extraordinary athletes will inspire the next 300 female athletes to go on and achieve their dreams across a broader range of sports than ever before.

“We are only a few days into the Paris Games, and we have already seen incredible women win medals in a wide range of sports. I am looking forward to what is to come!”

Share
  • X
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

News

Participants of the UK Sport Athlete To Coach programme taking part in a fireside conversation
UK Sport launches new programmes to support coaching across the high-performance community
21 May 2025
Headshot of Professor Nick Webborn CBE
Professor Nick Webborn CBE appointed new Chair of UK Sport
19 May 2025
Decoration image with the logos of UK Sport and Weirdo
Transforming fan experience: UK Sport introduces new engagement strategies for Olympic and Paralympic sports
15 May 2025
Looking to work in sport?
Find or advertise sports jobs in the UK
Search now
Our funders
  • Funded by UK Government
  • TNL partners
Who we work with
  • British Olympic Association
  • Paralympics GB
  • Logo of the UK Sports Institute
  • Sport England
  • Sport Northern Ireland
  • Sport Wales
  • Sport Scotland
  • Logo of the British Elite Athletes Association
  • Logo for UK Coaching
  • Logo of Sport Resolutions
Sitelogo
Sitemap
  • Homepage
  • About us
  • Our work
  • Events
  • News
  • Sports
  • Resources
  • Jobs in sport
  • Website terms and privacy policy
  • Editorial policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility
  • Freedom of Information
  • Welsh language scheme
  • FAQs
Contact
UK Sport
6th Floor
10 South Colonnade
London
E14 4PU
E: info@uksport.gov.uk
T: +44 (0) 20 7211 5100
Follow us
Twitter Youtube Instagram LinkedIn

© Copyright UK Sport 2025