Tokyo 2020 - UK Sport hopes for up to 70 medals as Team GB sends largest Olympic squad for overseas Games to Japan
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Updated 09/07/2021 at 08:48 GMT
The funding body has not set an official target for medals in Japan, but expects between 45 and 70 medals at the Games. UK Sport will take a “holistic” approach to measuring success, because of the coronavirus pandemic, as 376 British athletes and 22 reserves head to Tokyo to compete across 26 sports.
Team GB's women's footballers have already landed in Japan
Image credit: Getty Images
UK Sport hopes Team GB can bring home between 45 and 70 medals at the Tokyo Olympics, as 376 first choice athletes head to Japan - Britain’s largest ever squad to travel for an overseas Games.
The funding body has chosen to take a “holistic” approach to measuring success due to the extraordinary circumstances which have surrounded preparations because of the coronavirus pandemic. Discussions have taken place with officials from across the 26 sports Britain will have representation in to set the range - which has not officially been declared as a ‘target’.
Great Britain’s Paralympians will be expected to return between 100 and 140 medals from the Games.
For the first time in the history of the British Olympic Association, more women have been selected than men, with 201 female (53.5%) athletes picked compared to 175 male athletes (46.5). As well as the 376 athletes who have earned their places, 22 reserves will also travel.
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51 of those have already represented Team GB at an Olympics, including Britain’s most successful female Olympian - track cyclist Laura Kenny - and double gymnastics gold medallist Max Whitlock, while skateboarder Sky Brown will become the country’s youngest ever summer Olympian - she will have turned 13 by the time she begins her competition.
All four nations of the United Kingdom will also be represented, with 42 athletes coming from Scotland, 18 from Wales and seven from Northern Ireland.
UK Sport has invested £342m in preparations for Tokyo 2020, based on contributions from the government and the National Lottery. 70 medals would represent Britain's best ever performance at an overseas Games, three more than the previous best set at Rio 2016.
Athletes at the Olympics will be expected to deliver success without backing from crowds, with the majority of events taking place behind closed doors due to a new state of coronavirus emergency in Tokyo.
“Tokyo will be an extraordinary Games where our British athletes will touch the hearts of our nation with their courage and endeavour and will make themselves, their families, their communities and the British public proud,” said former rowing champion Dame Katherine Grainger, Chair at UK Sport.
We want to create the greatest decade of extraordinary sporting moments, and success at the Games is an integral part of that. But medals are not the only memorable moments from an Olympic and Paralympic Games. Every day in Tokyo we will witness moments of stunning skill, heart-warming bravery, inspiring entertainment and see sporting history being made.
“Tokyo will also showcase a significant number of British athletes making their Games debut and an opportunity to showcase the talent of tomorrow as we also build towards Paris in three years’ time.
“We want our teams to truly reflect the diversity of society in the UK and we aim to highlight each and every moment that will capture the imagination of the British public and demonstrate how Olympic and Paralympic sport can be something for everyone.”
The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Tokyo takes place in a fortnight, on July 23.
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