sports
star name: Keely Hodgkinson, women’s 800 meters
Although British Athletics lost £3.7m last year, its high-profile stars and strong relay teams are facing financial difficulties and should ensure it reaches its target of six to eight medals in Paris.
There appear to be three medal bankers. The most certain thing? Keely Hodgkinson beat all her major rivals in Eugene in May and deserved to win the women’s 800m gold – especially in the absence of Tokyo champion Athing Mu.
Breakthrough star? Molly Caudery, a 24-year-old pole vaulter who won the world indoor championships in March, has jumped higher than anyone this year. Her bubbly personality has also helped her attract nearly 300,000 followers on Instagram. But gold will propel her into the mainstream.
Then there’s Josh Kerr in the men’s 1500m. His duel with Norwegian Olympic champion Jakob Ingebritsen will become one of the games of this Olympic Games.
Don’t be surprised if Matt Hudson-Smith equals or surpasses his 400m silver medal win at the 2023 World Championships – Charlie Dobson could also be there Medals were won in this event.
Elsewhere, GB’s relay teams usually win at least two or three medals, with the women’s 4x100m team most likely to win gold. Finally, keep an eye out for the incredible 17-year-old Phoebe Gill, who might make the women’s 800m final and maybe even sneak in a medal. Sean Ingle
swim
star name: Adam Peaty, men’s 100m breaststroke
The British swimming team has come a long way since London 2012, when they won just one silver and two bronze medals. They won eight gold medals, including four at the Tokyo Olympics, their most successful run in more than a century. Adam Peaty has done as much as anyone to achieve this turn of fortunes and will once again be in the spotlight in Paris. But Peaty spent three years finding his best form, and he needed to find something close to beat China’s Qin Haiyang and win his third consecutive Olympic title in the 100-meter breaststroke.
Olympic champion Tom Dean didn’t even qualify for the 200m freestyle. He was beaten in qualifying by Welsh world champion Matt Richards and Duncan Scott, who will also compete in the 200m individual medley. Their depth advantage in that event makes them the clear favorites in the 4x200m relay, and they also have a good chance in the shorter relays. Head coach Bill Furniss admits the women are not on the same level as the men, but Freya Colbert will be a strong contender in the 400m individual medley, where she is the current world champion. Andy Bull
Cycling
star name: Emma Finucane, women’s track and field sprint
British cyclists’ dominance on the world stage may have stalled at the Tour de France, but at Olympic level the medal factory remains indomitable. Team GB have topped the cycling medal table at the past four Olympics and it would be shocking if that changed at Paris 2024.
The six gold medals won at the Tokyo Olympics, including track, BMX and mountain bike, showcased the talent across the disciplines and this will continue in Paris. British Cycling has created a new platform for social change through diversity, inclusion and addressing social inequalities. “Winning in itself is not enough, it’s the impact of winning,” said Team GB Performance Director Stephen Parker.
For example, some big names from past Olympics such as Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald did not compete. However, driven by the development of more new technologies including faster tights, new bikes and 3D printed products, plus Emma Finucane and Josh from Wales With the proliferation of fast-rising young talent like Josh Tarling, Parker has reason to be optimistic.
But the golden boy may well be Tom Pidcock, a gold medalist in his first Olympic appearance, reigning world mountain bike champion and Tour de France stage winner. The Yorkshire terrier has been tightly controlled by Ineos Grenadiers in the 2024 Tour de France so far, but is a gold medal contender in the men’s Olympic road race and mountain bike events. Jeremy Whittle
boxing
star name: Delicious Ori, Men’s Super Heavyweight
Boxing was one of Britain’s huge success stories at the Tokyo Olympics, with the most talented and experienced GB team in history winning six medals. Their successors face an extremely difficult task to reach even one-third of this target. British Boxing Performance Director Rob McCracken said: “The Paris Olympic cycle is very challenging because it is shorter and we have to deal with the legacy of COVID-19 and political issues that have prevented us from participating in certain events. Therefore, six boxers Qualifying is a great achievement.
Winning a medal or two is a respectable goal for a deeply rebuilding program. Three would be a dream. Mum-of-three Charley Davison, 30, the only member of the team with Olympic experience, lost in the second round in Tokyo. She competes in the ultra-competitive bantamweight division but is still a medal contender. Heavyweight Pat Brown and welterweight Rosie Eccles could do well with favorable draws.
The star is undoubtedly Orie, a charismatic super heavyweight. He is the only British seed, but in the semi-finals he is likely to face Bakhodir Jalolov, the formidable Uzbek who won gold in Tokyo, He has since competed as an undefeated professional. Ori is keen to emulate his hero Anthony Joshua, who won the Olympic title in 2012 and became a lucrative pro. But he and the entire team face the toughest test of their boxing career. donal mcrea
boating
star name: Helen Glover, four women
The investigation continued long after the British team’s defeat in Tokyo. At the time, they had only won silver and bronze medals in rowing: while a massive investment of £24.6 million promised to usher in a new golden era saw little return. But insiders insist the situation is far from over and just a few tweaks, plus the benefit of experience, can turn a near-miss into a podium finish.
This has been proven and the energy in the campground is a sign that good times are ready to come again. They were backed by a stellar performance at last year’s World Championships, coupled with a top-notch showing at the European Championships in April. There is real motivation and palpable confidence that the ghosts of three years ago will be exorcised.
The appointment of Louise Kingsley as performance director of British Rowing has been crucial to this promotion: the former Paralympic team master strikes the right balance between a winning mentality and a happy and relaxed environment .
Many of her squad look set to thrill in Paris, with the experienced Glover leading the way in the exciting women’s fours, while the formidable men’s eights will also be one to watch closely One of the people. Tom Ford and his sister Emily were among the team returning to Tokyo for another competition. Lola Anderson, competing in the quadruple sculls, is one of the new breed adding an alluring dynamic ahead of this summer. Nick Ames
Rhythmic gymnastics
star name: Max Whitlock, men’s pommel horse
GB’s women’s rhythmic gymnastics team has gone from strength to strength over the past three years. After winning the Olympic bronze medal, they won the silver medal at the World Championships in Liverpool, their best team performance at the World Championships.
After positioning himself perfectly as one of the gold medal contenders for the 2024 Paris Olympics, a host of injuries have complicated matters. Jessica Gadirova, Jennifer Gadirova and Ondine Achampong were all forced to withdraw from the Olympics due to injuries.
Team GB is still capable of competing for a team medal, but they will be the clear underdogs. Individually, Alice Kinsella could challenge for the women’s all-around medal. Becky Downie’s bar routine is complex enough to compete with the best bar staff, but it’s been a few years since she’s been able to do it.
Britain’s best chance of medals will come in the men’s event. Whitlock will seek an unprecedented three-peat on pommel horse at his final Olympics. World vault champion Jake Jarman topped the vault and floor events. Joe Frazier, meanwhile, will be looking to work his magic all-around after some recent injury struggles. Tumaini Karayol
triathlon
star name: Alex Yee, men’s running and mixed relay
Triathlon has been one of Team GB’s medal-winning sides at the past three Olympics and should feature again in Paris, although without the Brownlee brothers for the first time since Athens in 2004. Supply Chain and Culture was installed by Performance Director Mike Cavendish.
On the men’s side, Yu is hopeful of upgrading the silver medal he won in Tokyo to gold. The 26-year-old was already a talented runner in his late teens and could compete at the 2018 European Athletics Championships in Berlin, and he’s continued to do so since coming so close to Olympic glory in 2021 Improve your swimming and cycling skills.
If anything, the women’s team appears stronger under the leadership of Beth Porter (who won last year’s Test event in Paris), two-time Olympic medalist Georgia Taylor Brown and world championships silver medalist Kate Waugh.
GB are well placed to win gold in the mixed relay, with hopes within the squad to top their performance in Tokyo, with Taylor-Brown and Yi claiming silver in the individual events before team gold followed. Sean Ingle
Other sports
star name: Tom Daley, men’s 10m synchronized diving (diving)
Much of Britain’s success since the 2012 London Olympics has been built on medal winners in 15 to 20 sports, a trend that Team GB officials expect to continue in Paris. After Daley returns, he will naturally make headlines in major media. In the fifth Olympic Games, he will defend the 10-meter synchronized championship. However, sports such as diving, kayaking, equestrian, taekwondo, sailing and shooting are all expected to make a significant contribution to UK Sport’s target of 50-70 medals.
The statistical wizards at Gracenote predict that Team GB will win five diving medals, with Daley and partner Noah Williams taking bronze and Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix Won two more medals. They also predicted four kayaking medals, including gold for Joseph Clark and Kimberly Woods.
Show jumping events for Team GB are usually tight and Paris should be no exception, with Oliver Townend expected to be the favorite for gold and three other medals. Meanwhile, if Charlotte Dujardin wins any medals in team or individual dressage, she will overtake Laura Kenny as Britain’s most decorated female Olympian with seven medals (although Kenny is likely to still lead with a gold medal).
Four medals are expected in sailing, while in modern pentathlon Joe Chung is expected to defend his Tokyo 2020 title. In shooting and taekwondo, Team GB hopes to win three and four medals respectively. Sean Ingle
