Team GB

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The Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic Team is known as Team GB; a brand name used since 1999 by the British Olympic Association and British Paralympic Association for the Olympic team.

The United Kingdom has competed at every Olympiad since the modern games were founded in 1896 with the Athens Games of that year, although in 1980 the British Government boycotted the Moscow Games and a reduced team took part, marching in the opening ceremony as "BOA" rather than "United Kingdom". At the 2012 London Olympic Games, Team GB fielded 541 athletes.

Athletes may be eligible for the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic Team if from the United Kingdom, the Crown dependencies and all but three of the British overseas territories; each of the Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands and Bermuda has its own national Olympic Committee.

The team at the 2012 Olympics

The athletes entering the Olympic Stadium, July 2012

The 2012 Summer Olympics where hosted by London from 27 July to 12 August 2012 and the Paralympics from 27 August. London is the only city to have hosted the Summer Olympics on three occasions, having previously done so in 1908 and 1948. As the host nation, the United Kingdom gained automatic qualification places in a number of events. It was the only nation to compete in all 26 sports at the Games,[1] sending a total of 554 athletes.

On the 11th day of the Games, the team achieved their target of 48 medals and surpassed the tally of 19 gold medals achieved at Peking four years before, to make it the most successful Olympic Games for the British team since the London Games of 1908.

Medal winners

The medal winners listed below are those who, individually or as part of a team, won a Gold, Silver or Bronze medal amongst Team GB in the 2012 Olympic Games. The details are provided by the British Olympic Association, and it gives a link to each athlete's details on the Team GB website. Since the medallists include all those who were members of a medal-winning team, so the number of medals exceeds the number won by Team GB overall.

Name Sport(s) Medal(s) Birthplace County of birth Current home County of residence
Luke Patience Sailing, men's 470 Silver medal Aberdeen Aberdeenshire Portland Dorset
Tim Baillie Men's canoe double Gold medal Aberdeen Aberdeenshire Nottingham Nottinghamshire
Peter Chambers Rowing, men's lightweight four Silver medal Ballymoney Antrim Henley-on-Thames Oxfordshire
Richard Chambers Rowing, men's lightweight four Silver medal Belfast Antrim Maidenhead Berkshire
Phelan Hill Rowing, men's eight Bronze medal Bedford Bedfordshire Putney Surrey
Beth Storry Women's hockey Bronze medal Reading Berkshire Reading Berkshire
Andrew Triggs Hodge Rowing, men's four Gold medal Aylesbury Buckinghamshire Oxford Oxfordshire
Greg Rutherford Athletics, men's long jump Gold medal Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire
Rob Williams Rowing, men's lightweight four Silver medal Taplow Buckinghamshire London Middlesex
Ben Ainslie Sailing, men's finn Gold medal Macclesfield Cheshire Lymington Hampshire
Matthew Langridge Rowing, men's eight Bronze medal Crewe Cheshire Henley-on-Thames Oxfordshire
Helen Glover Rowing, women's pair Gold medal Truro Cornwall Reading Berkshire
Chris Bartley Rowing, men's lightweight four Silver medal Wrexham Denbighshire Henley-on-Thames Oxfordshire
Tom Daley Diving, men's 10m platform Bronze medal Plymouth Devon Plymouth Devon
Peter Wilson Shooting, men's double trap Gold medal Dorchester Dorset Sherborne Dorset
Nicola Wilson Equestrian eventing Silver medal Darlington Durham Northallerton Yorkshire
Chloe Rogers Women's hockey Bronze medal Harlow Essex Maidenhead Berkshire
Laura Trott Track cycling, women's omnium, team pursuit Gold medal Gold medal Harlow Essex Manchester Lancashire
Lutalo Muhammad Taekwondo, men's 80kg Bronze medal Walthamstow Essex Manchester Lancashire
Saskia Clarke Sailing, women's 470 Silver medal Colchester Essex Weymouth Dorset
Christine Ohuruogu Athletics, women's 400m Silver medal Essex Essex
Jade Jones Taekwondo - women's 57kg Gold medal Bodelwyddan Flintshire Manchester Lancashire
Fred Evans Boxing, men's welterweight Silver medal Cardiff Glamorgan Cardiff Glamorgan
Geraint Thomas Track cycling, men's team pursuit Gold medal Cardiff Glamorgan Manchester Lancashire
Hannah Mills Sailing, women's 470 Silver medal Cardiff Glamorgan Weymouth Dorset
Sarah Thomas Women's hockey Bronze medal Aberdare Glamorgan Henley-on-Thames Oxfordshire
Tom James Rowing, men's four Gold medal Cardiff Glamorgan Henley-on-Thames Oxfordshire
Alex Gregory Rowing, men's four Gold medal Cheltenham Gloucestershire Henley-on-Thames Oxfordshire
Charlotte Dujardin Equestrian, dressage Gold medal Gold medal Enfield Middlesex Newent Gloucestershire
Zac Purchase Rowing, men's lightweight double sculls Silver medal Cheltenham Gloucestershire Wallingford Berkshire
Carl Hester Equestrian, dressage Gold medal Sark Guernsey, Bailiwick of Newent Gloucestershire
Alexandra Danson Women's hockey Bronze medal Southampton Hampshire High Wycombe Buckinghamshire
Danielle King Track cycling, women's team pursuit Gold medal Southampton Hampshire Southampton Hampshire
Iain Percy Sailing, men's star Silver medal Southampton Hampshire Emsworth Hampshire
James Foad Rowing, men's eight Bronze medal Southampton Hampshire Hampton Middlesex
Jon Schofield Men's kayak double 200m Bronze medal Petersfield Hampshire Maidenhead Berkshire
Anthony Joshua Boxing, super heavyweight Gold medal Watford Hertfordshire London Middlesex
Helen Richardson Women's hockey Bronze medal Hitchin Hertfordshire Reading Berkshire
Max Whitlock Gymnastics, men's pommel horse Bronze medal Bronze medal Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire
Victoria Pendleton Track cycling, women's keirin & individual sprint Gold medal Silver medal Hitchin Hertfordshire Wilmslow Cheshire
Peter Kennaugh Track cycling, men's team pursuit Gold medal Douglas Isle of Man Onchan Isle of Man
Gemma Gibbons Judo, women's 78kg Silver medal Greenwich Kent Greenwich Kent
Tom Ransley Rowing, men's eight Bronze medal Ashford Kent Cambridge Cambridgeshire
William Fox-Pitt Equestrian eventing Silver medal Canterbury Kent Sturminster Newton Dorset
Andy Murray Tennis, men's singles & mixed doubles Gold medal Silver medal Glasgow Lanarkshire Surrey
Emily Maguire Women's hockey Bronze medal Glasgow Lanarkshire Maidenhead Berkshire
Katherine Grainger Rowing, women's double sculls Gold medal Glasgow Lanarkshire Maidenhead Berkshire
Laura Bartlett Women's hockey Bronze medal Glasgow Lanarkshire London Middlesex
Michael Jamieson Swimming, men's 200m breaststroke Silver medal Glasgow Lanarkshire Bath Somerset
Daniel Purvis Gymnastics, men's artistic Bronze medal Liverpool Lancashire Southport Lancashire
Etienne Stott Canoeing, men's double Gold medal Manchester Lancashire Nottingham Nottinghamshire
Jason Kenny Track cycling, men's individual sprint & team sprint Gold medal Gold medal Bolton Lancashire Bolton Lancashire
Kate Walsh Women's hockey Bronze medal Manchester Lancashire Reading Berkshire
Nicola White Women's hockey Bronze medal Oldham Lancashire Littleborough Lancashire
Peter Charles Equestrian jumping Gold medal Liverpool Lancashire Alton Hampshire
Richard Egington Rowing, men's eight Bronze medal Warrington Lancashire Henley-on-Thames Oxfordshire
Sally Walton Women's hockey Bronze medal Southport Lancashire Solihull Warwickshire
Samantha Murray Women's modern pentathlon Silver medal Preston Lancashire Bath Somerset
Steven Burke Track cycling, men's team pursuit Gold medal Burnley Lancashire Colne Lancashire
Stuart Bithell Sailing, men's 470 Silver medal Rochdale Lancashire Portland Dorset
Crista Cullen Women's hockey Bronze medal Boston Lincolnshire Roehampton Surrey
Georgie Twigg Women's hockey Bronze medal Lincoln Lincolnshire Lincoln Lincolnshire
Hannah Macleod Women's hockey Bronze medal Boston Lincolnshire Maidenhead Berkshire
Alan Campbell Rowing, men's single sculls Bronze medal Coleraine Londonderry Richmond Surrey
Ben Maher Equestrian jumping Gold medal Enfield Middlesex Bishop's Stortford Hertfordshire
Constantine Louloudis Rowing, men's eight Bronze medal London Middlesex London Middlesex
Greg Searle Rowing, men's eight Bronze medal Ashford Middlesex Marlow Buckinghamshire
Mark Hunter Rowing, men's lightweight double sculls Silver medal London Middlesex High Wycombe Buckinghamshire
Richard Hounslow Canoeing, men's double Silver medal Harrow Middlesex Loughton Essex
Zara Phillips Equestrian eventing Silver medal London Middlesex Stroud Gloucestershire
David Florence Canoeing, men's double Silver medal Edinburgh Midlothian Loughton Essex
Scott Brash Equestrian jumping Gold medal Edinburgh Midlothian Peebles Peeblesshire
Sir Chris Hoy Track cycling, men's keirin & team sprint Gold medal Gold medal Edinburgh Midlothian Manchester Lancashire
Sophie Hosking Rowing, women's lightweight double sculls Gold medal Edinburgh Midlothian Wimbledon Surrey
Anthony Ogogo Boxing, men's middleweight Bronze medal Great Yarmouth Norfolk Lowestoft Suffolk
Nick Dempsey Sailing, men's RS-X Silver medal Norwich Norfolk Weymouth Dorset
Anne Panter Women's hockey Bronze medal Kettering Northamptonshire Maidenhead Berkshire
Louis Smith Gymnastics, men's pommel horse Silver medal Bronze medal Peterborough Northamptonshire Peterborough Northamptonshire
Katherine Copeland Rowing, women's lightweight double sculls Gold medal Ashington Northumberland Stokesley Yorkshire
Mary King Equestrian eventing Silver medal Newark on Trent Nottinghamshire Sidmouth Devon
Rebecca Adlington Swimming, women's 400m & 800m freestyle Bronze medal Bronze medal Mansfield Nottinghamshire Nottingham Nottinghamshire
Sam Oldham Gymnastics, men's artistic Bronze medal Nottingham Nottinghamshire Nottingham Nottinghamshire
Will Satch Rowing, men's pair Bronze medal Oxford Oxfordshire Maidenhead Berkshire
Ed Mckeever Men's kayak single 200m Gold medal Bath Somerset Wooburn Green Buckinghamshire
Heather Stanning Rowing, women's pair Gold medal Yeovil Somerset Reading Berkshire
Anna Watkins Rowing, women's double sculls Gold medal Leek Staffordshire Wokingham Berkshire
Kristian Thomas Gymnastics, men's artistic Bronze medal Wolverhampton Staffordshire Wolverhampton Staffordshire
Andrew Simpson Sailing, men's Star Silver medal Chertsey Surrey Sherborne Dorset
George Nash Rowing, men's pair Bronze medal Guildford Surrey Guildford Surrey
Joanna Rowsell Track cycling, women's team pursuit Gold medal Carshalton Surrey Middleton Lancashire
Karina Bryant Judo, women's +78kg Bronze medal Kingston upon Thames Surrey Camberley Surrey
Liam Heath Men's kayak double, 200m Bronze medal Guildford Surrey Maidenhead Berkshire
Mohamed Sbihi Rowing, men's eight Bronze medal Kingston upon Thames Surrey Surbiton Surrey
Ashleigh Ball Women's hockey Bronze medal Brighton Sussex Teddington Middlesex
Kristina Cook Equestrian eventing Silver medal Findon Sussex Findon Sussex
Laura Unsworth Women's hockey Bronze medal Sutton Coldfield Warwickshire Sutton Coldfield Warwickshire
Nick Skelton Equestrian jumping Gold medal Bedworth Warwickshire Warwickshire
Robert Grabarz Athletics, men's high jump Bronze medal Birmingham Warwickshire Birmingham Warwickshire
Alistair Brownlee Men's triathlon Gold medal Dewsbury Yorkshire Leeds Yorkshire
Ed Clancy Track cycling, men's omnium & team pursuit Gold medal Bronze medal Barnsley Yorkshire Newton-le-Willows Lancashire
Jessica Ennis Athletics, heptathlon Gold medal Sheffield Yorkshire Sheffield Yorkshire
Jonathan Brownlee Triathlon Bronze medal Leeds Yorkshire Leeds Yorkshire
Lizzie Armitstead Road cycling, women's road race Silver medal Leeds Yorkshire Otley Yorkshire
Luke Campbell Boxing, men's bantamweight Gold medal Kingston upon Hull Yorkshire Kingston upon Hull Yorkshire
Nicola Adams Boxing, women's flyweight Gold medal Leeds Yorkshire Leeds Yorkshire
Alex Partridge Rowing, men's eight Bronze medal San Francisco, USA ° Henley-on-Thames Oxfordshire
Beth Tweddle Gymnastics, women's uneven bars Bronze medal Johannesburg, South Africa ° Bunbury Cheshire
Bradley Wiggins Road cycling, men's time trials Gold medal Ghent, Belgium ° Chorley Lancashire
Christopher Froome Road cycling, men's time trials Bronze medal Nairobi, Kenya ° Monte Carlo, Monaco °
Laura Bechtolsheimer Equestrian dressage Gold medal Bronze medal Mienz, Germany ° Ampney St Peter Gloucestershire
Laura Robson Tennis, mixed doubles Silver medal Melbourne, Australia ° London Middlesex
Mo Farah Athletics, men's 5,000m, 10,000m Gold medal Gold medal Mogadishu, Somalia ° Portland, USA °
Peter Reed Rowing, men's four Gold medal Seattle, USA ° Chiswick Middlesex
Philip Hindes Track cycling, men's team sprint Gold medal Krefeld, Germany ° Manchester Lancashire

Team name

The brand-name "Team GB" was developed after the 1996 Summer Olympics. It is meant to unify the team as one body, irrespective of each member athlete's particular sport. It forms part of a marketing strategy, where its brevity is seen as beneficial. "Team GB" is now a trademark of the British Olympic Association. The brand is seen as controversial by some for focussing on Great Britain, at the expense of Northern Ireland, the Crown dependencies and the eligible British overseas territories, all of which are represented by the Association, with critics suggesting that it be changed to "Team UK", something the BOA has so far rejected.

The British Olympic Association state that there "is only one Olympic team from Great Britain and Northern Ireland; Team GB. There is not an Olympic swimming team or Olympic rowing team. The individual sports join to become Team GB, the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic Team."[2]

The British Olympic Association's director of marketing, Marzena Bogdanowicz said: "I went to the games in 1996 and the logo at the time was just the lion and the rings, but we weren't strong enough as a brand to just be a lion and the rings. So coming back I wanted to find something that was less of a mouthful, and also had that team feel. We looked at the options and came up with Team GB."[3] The name was registered as a trademark in September 1999.

Renaming

While the team is officially known as the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic Team,[2] the use of Team GB as the BOA's branding is seen as inadequate by some, as it suggests the team is drawn from Great Britain alone, to the implied exclusion of Northern Ireland, the Crown dependencies and the eligible British Overseas Territories. In June 2009, Northern Ireland's Sports Minister, Gregory Campbell, suggested that the name be changed as it "excludes, and indeed alienates, the people of Northern Ireland".[4] Campbell's successor too, Nelson McCausland, suggested that an alternative name be found.[5] Twenty Northern Ireland athletes took part in the 2012 Olympic Games, though thirteen of them competed for "Team Ireland"; the team sent by the Republic of Ireland. [6]

Despite protestations from the British Olympic Association that the name "Team GB" should not be seen as rejecting Ulstermen, at the opening ceremony the team entered under a banner reading "Great Britain".

See also

Outside links

References