Britain hopes to win at least 48 medals at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, below the initial target but still representing a record for a games on foreign soil.
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Nichol stated, that “targeting a record-breaking away Games and a Paralympic medal haul that surpasses that of London 2012” is an attainable goal and “shows the ambition and talent within our high-performance system”.
Team GB won 65 medals – including 29 golds – at the London Games in 2012, but the target, set by UK Sport in London on Thursday, would exceed the 47 medals won in Beijing in 2008, and would rank as the country’s greatest-ever away Games.
Team GB finished London 2012 with 65 medals, a big improvement on the previous best of 47 gained four years previously in Beijing, but the intended tally for this year has again increased on previous events.
UK Sport has raised the medal target for Rio 2016 to between seven and nine.
Timson said that a more evidence-based target was needed after assessing performances over the last two years.
“Let’s not forget that 66 is still within range, and 79 is the top”, he said. “It’s not probable. We don’t see it as a likely outcome”.
“Now we have to resume the tradition of having gold medals in Olympics”, he said in a statement.
He said Brazilian officials remained in close contact with partner countries about any possible threats to the Games, which run from August 5 to August 21. “But we have a great opportunity to have a fantastic Games that will unite the nation”.
British Cycling technical director Shane Sutton resigned in April after being suspended for allegedly making sexist and discriminatory remarks about rider Jess Varnish and, separately, para-cyclists.
Simon Timson, director of performance at UK Sport, added: “Beijing 2008 was a record-breaking Olympics for Team GB, but I’m confident we can top it in Rio and make this our best ever away Games, while Paralympics GB can eclipse their haul from London”.
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Former British athletics head coach Charles van Commenee told SunSport last month he believes medal targets are becoming meaningless in the wake of the doping scandal engulfing London 2012.
