Olympics: Britain’s 23 Greatest Olympians

London 2012 saw a record medal haul for Team GB and they’ll be looking to replicate and exceed that in Rio. In no particular order, we look at some of our greatest ever Olympians. It’s clear to see we’re quite good at rowing and cycling!

Sir Steve Redgrave

Sport: Rowing
Number of Olympic Games: 5 (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000)
Gold: 5 (1984 Coxed Four, 1988, 1992 and 1996 Coxless Pair, 2000 Coxless Four)
Silver: 0
Bronze: 1 (1988 Coxed Pair)
Total: 6

A photo posted by Getty Images Sport (@gettysport) on Jul 18, 2016 at 10:53am PDT

Sir Matthew Pinsent

Sport: Rowing
Number of Olympic Games: 4 (1992, 1996, 2000, 2004)
Gold: 4 (1992 and 1996 Coxless Pair, 2000 and 2004 Coxless Four)
Silver: 0
Bronze: 0
Total: 4

Mo Farah

Sport: Athletics
Number of Olympic Games: 2 (2008, 2012)
Gold: 2 (2012 5000m, 2012 10,000m)
Silver: 0
Bronze: 0
Total: 2

A photo posted by Mo Farah🇬🇧 (@gomofarah) on Dec 12, 2015 at 5:45pm PST

Sir Bradley Wiggins

Sport: Track and Road Cycling
Number of Olympic Games: 4 (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012). Will be competing at Rio 2016.
Gold: 4 (2004 and 2008 Individual Pursuit, 2008 Team Pursuit, 2012 Road Time Trial)
Silver: 1 (2004 Team Pursuit)
Bronze: 2 (2000 Team Pursuit, 2004 Madison)
Total: 7

A photo posted by Steph (@inkyotter) on Jul 10, 2016 at 12:30pm PDT

Sir Chris Hoy

Sport: Track Cycling
Number of Olympic Games: 4 (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012)
Gold: 6 (2004 1km time trial, 2008 Sprint, 2008 and 2012 Team Sprint, 2008 and 2012 Keirin)
Silver: 1 (2000 Team Sprint)
Bronze: 0
Total: 7

A photo posted by The Trendy Cyclist (@thetrendycyclist) on Jun 21, 2016 at 8:59pm PDT

Dame Kelly Holmes

Sport: Athletics
Number of Olympic Games: 2 (2000, 2004)
Gold: 2 (2004 800m, 2004 1500m)
Silver: 0
Bronze: 1 (2000 800m)
Total: 3

A photo posted by Jack (@mundybrown) on Apr 20, 2016 at 1:02am PDT

Daley Thompson

Sport: Athletics
Number of Olympic Games: 4 (1976, 1980, 1984, 1988)
Gold: 2 (1980 and 1984 Decathlon)
Silver: 0
Bronze: 0
Total: 2

Jessica Ennis

Sport: Athletics
Number of Olympic Games: 1 (2012). Will be competing at Rio 2016.
Gold: 1 (2012 Heptathlon)
Silver: 0
Bronze: 0
Total: 1

A photo posted by Jessica Ennis-Hill (@jessicaennishill) on Jul 30, 2015 at 5:55am PDT

Linford Christie

Sport: Athletics
Number of Olympic Games: 3 (1988, 1992, 199^)
Gold: 1 (1992 100m)
Silver: 2 (1988 100m, 1988 4x100m relay)
Bronze: 0
Total: 3

Paulo Radmilovic

Sport: Water Polo/Swimming
Number of Olympic Games: 3 (1908, 1912, 1920)
Gold: 4 (1908, 1912 and 1920 Water Polo team, 1908 4x200m freestyle)
Silver: 0
Bronze: 0
Total: 4

Jack Beresford

Sport: Rowing
Number of Olympic Games: 5 (1920, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1936)
Gold: 3 (1924 Single Sculls, 1932 Coxless Fours, 1936 Double Sculls)
Silver: 2 (1920 Single Sculls, 1928 Eights)
Bronze: 0
Total: 5

Sir Ben Ainslie

Sport: Sailing
Number of Olympic Games: 5 (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008. 2012)
Gold: 4 (2000 Laser, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Finn)
Silver: 1 (1996 Laser)
Bronze: 0
Total: 5

A photo posted by Ben Ainslie (@benainslie) on May 5, 2016 at 3:21am PDT

Henry Taylor

Sport: Swimming
Number of Olympic Games: 3 (1908, 1912, 1920)
Gold: 3 (1908 400m freestyle, 1908 1500m freestyle, 1908 4x200m freestyle)
Silver: 0
Bronze: 2 (1912 4x200m freestyle, 1920 4x200m freestyle)
Total: 5

Reginald Doherty

Sport: Tennis
Number of Olympic Games: 2 (1900, 1908)
Gold: 3 (1900 and 1908 Doubles, 1900 Mixed Doubles)
Silver: 0
Bronze: 1 (1900 Singles)
Total: 4

Charles Sydney Smith

Sport: Water Polo
Number of Olympic Games: 4 (1908, 1912, 1920, 1924)
Gold: 3 (1908, 1912, 1920 Team Competition)
Silver: 0
Bronze: 0
Total: 3

Richard Meade

Sport: Equestrian
Number of Olympic Games: 4 (1964, 1968, 1972, 1976)
Gold: 3 (1968 and 1972 Team Eventing, 1972 Individual Eventing)
Silver: 0
Bronze: 0
Total: 3

Jason Kenny

Sport: Track Cycling
Number of Olympic Games: 2 (2008, 2012). Will compete at Rio 2016.
Gold: 3 (2008 and 2012 Team Sprint, 2012 Individual Sprint)
Silver: 1 (2008 Individual Sprint)
Bronze: 0
Total: 4

A photo posted by 🚲🏆Martin Stanley🏆🚴 (@stan1001) on Mar 5, 2016 at 2:02pm PST

George Wilkinson

Sport: Water Polo
Number of Olympic Games: 3 (1900, 1908, 1912)
Gold: 3 (1900, 1908 and 1912 Team Competition)
Silver: 0
Bronze: 0
Total: 3

Rebecca Adlington

Sport: Swimming
Number of Olympic Games: 2 (2008, 2012)
Gold: 2 (2008 400m freestyle, 2008 800m freestyle)
Silver: 0
Bronze: 2 (2012 400m freestyle, 2012 800m freestyle)
Total: 4

A photo posted by Becky Adlington (@beckadlington) on Jan 14, 2016 at 8:37am PST

Victoria Pendleton

Sport: Track Cycling
Number of Olympic Games: 3 (2004, 2008, 2012)
Gold: 2 (2008 Sprint, 2012 Keirin)
Silver: 1 (2012 Sprint)
Bronze: 0
Total: 3

A photo posted by Kenny (@trabke) on Apr 24, 2016 at 3:09am PDT

Katherine Grainger

Sport: Rowing
Number of Olympic Games: 4 (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012)
Gold: 1 (2012 Double Sculls)
Silver: 3 (2000 and 2008 Quadruple Sculls, 2004 Coxless Pair)
Bronze: 0
Total: 4

Mary Rand

Sport: Athletics
Number of Olympic Games: 2 (1960, 1964)
Gold: 1 (1964 Long Jump)
Silver: 1 (1964 Pentathlon)
Bronze: 1 (1964 4x100m relay)
Total: 3

Laura Trott

Sport: Track Cycling
Number of Olympic Games: 1 (2012). Will be competing at Rio 2016.
Gold: 2 (2012 Team Pursuit, 2012 Omnium)
Silver: 0
Bronze: 0
Total: 2

A photo posted by Laura Trott (@laura_trott31) on Jul 15, 2016 at 11:32am PDT

Words by @DominicTrant