Team GB are aiming to win a minimum of 48 medals at this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio – but hope to take home as many as 79. UK Sport initially set an even higher target for Rio, but scaled back.
Advertisement
And British cycling, despite former technical director Shane Sutton’s resignation in April amid allegations of sexism and bullying, are expected to be the most successful sport with a target of at least eight medals.
In early July, the Brazilian Minister of Justice, Alexandre Moraes, said a jihadist attack in Rio de Janeiro during the Olympics was a “possibility” but “not a probability”.
“Our aspirational goal to become the first host nation to eclipse our London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic medal haul has proved hugely motivational and we are delighted that these incredibly challenging goals sit within both Olympic and Paralympic medal ranges”. So the medal targets released on Thursday could be viewed as something of a backtrack.
Liz Nicholl, UK Sport’s chief executive said more sports were targeting medals in Rio than in Beijing, with golf and rugby sevens now introduced to the programme and with the potential for top three performances.
Meanwhile, travel to the Olympic Games will account for 0.25 percent of overall travel to countries affected by the disease, which is causing infants of infected mothers to be born with abnormally small heads or other birth defects. “If all the stars are aligned, it’s possible that 66 could happen”.
Advertisement
Some 85,000 members of the security forces – 47,000 policemen and 38,000 soldiers – will be mobilised to ensure the safety of 10,500 athletes as well as officials, journalists and tourists from around the world expected for the Games which run from August 5-21.
