Team GB matches 2012 medal haul after Laura Price’s gold

Lauren Price won Team GB’s final gold of the Tokyo Olympics
PA Wire

Boxer Lauren Price’s Olympic gold medal in the women’s middleweight final on Sunday meant Team GB equaled their London 2012 medal count.

Price secured a gold – the 65th and final British medal in Tokyo – to bring the curtain down on a successful Games for Team GB.

It came just hours after cyclist Jason Kenny became the first Briton to win seven Olympic gold medals as he took a stunning victory in the men’s keirin final in Izu.

The two successes also means Team GB secured 22 gold medals in Tokyo.

Although the overall medal count is two short of the heights achieved in Rio five years ago, it more than matched the target of between 45 and 70 medals set by UK Sport.

It also makes Tokyo the second most successful overseas Games in British Olympic history, with only the United States, China and hosts Japan winning more golds.

Team GB’s chef de mission Mark England hailed it as “the greatest achievement in British Olympic history”.

Press Association Images

He said: “Following Beijing we had no idea that British athletes would deliver 65 medals in London. We knew we were in great shape for Rio but it had never been done before, matching and then surpassing London’s number of medals.

“I just think that finishing this Games with two gold medals, and for this team to deliver 65 medals is absolutely extraordinary.

“Not only has the team made history but it has probably made history on the back of the most complex and most challenging and difficult environment that we will face certainly in my lifetime.

“It has been against all the odds and I think it is the greatest achievement in British Olympic history. It has been the miracle of Tokyo and it has been wonderful to be here.”

Besides a slew of record-breakers including Laura and Jason Kenny and Charlotte Dujardin, England paid particular tribute to those who rose to the occasion to clinch bronze medals, and believes it bodes particularly well for Paris in three years’ time.

“In Rio we had big medal returns on some days and another day we might have just had one or two,” added England.

“But the Bryony Pages of this team, winning another bronze after her silver medal in Rio, and the women’s artistic gymnastics team winning a bronze with two 16-year-old twins – these kept the scoreboard ticking over and gave everybody the confidence that the team is in great shape.

“We’ve had 16 fourth places. This is a very, very young team and a very talented team, and a team I’m absolutely confident that will go to Paris in less than three years and do exceptionally well.”

Additional reporting by the Press Association.

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