11 replies to this topic

[gotosy]

GB set to pick record team for London 2012 Olympics


Great Britain is set to be represented by at least 500 athletes at the London 2012 Olympics, an increase on the 311 sent to the Beijing games in 2008.

The expansion, which is subject to funding, was agreed at a meeting of the National Olympic Committee which also sets the qualifying criteria.

"We will not be taking any passengers," warned British Olympic Association chairman Colin Moynihan.

"Exacting standards will ensure Team GB are truly the Best of British."

The increased number of athletes representing Britain is dependent on the BOA finding money to support them.

BOA chief executive Andy Hunt revealed in October that the organisation had only half the £8m needed to fund a team of 550 athletes.

As host nation Great Britain has the option of taking up automatic places in the majority of sports, although athletics, swimming and tennis are among the events in which all participants must qualify by right.

The BOA will set the selection criteria for Team GB after the International Olympic Committee and the individual sports' international federations release international qualification standards in the summer.

http://news.bbc.co.u...mes/8596885.stm

[Texas]

Well, if Great Britain decides to play basketball in the 2012 Olympics, there's 24 athletes right there (12 for men, 12 for women).

[gotosy]

BOA to use Loughborough University as base ahead of London Olympics

The British Olympic Association has revealed that Loughborough University will act as Team GB's headquarters, while a series of satellite camps across the UK and overseas will help facilitate preparation for the 26 Olympic sports prior to the home Games.

The individual sports' governing bodies are in the process of finalising plans for their own preparations and it is anticipated that a number will use Loughborough, while it is intended that all members of Team GB will pass through the university for the official kitting out process.

Loughborough was chosen ahead of other potential partners in Aldershot and the University of Bath, which are expected to play a key role as satellite partners.

"Our No1 priority is to ensure that Team GB athletes have the best possible preparation environment immediately before the Games in 2012," said the BOA chief executive Andy Hunt. "As host nation, we face unique opportunities and challenges.

"We've worked with our sports to review the best way to help them prepare for the Games, and it's clear that different sports need different facilities provided at a variety of different locations. So that is what we are focused on delivering."

http://www.guardian....n-2012-olympics

[faster]

Well, if Great Britain decides to play basketball in the 2012 Olympics, there's 24 athletes right there (12 for men, 12 for women).

Not to mention water polo, handball and footbal

[NYCD 2012]

Aren't GB Athletes allocated spots in all olympic events as hosts even if they don't qualify ?

[baron-pierreIV]

Aren't GB Athletes allocated spots in all olympic events as hosts even if they don't qualify ?

In all the team sports, the host nation is accorded an automatic 'bye.'

So, let's see the summer team sports are: basketball, field hockey, team handball, football, volleyball (indoor & beach), rowing, water polo, synchro swimming. But its athletes must earn their spots in the sports of individual excellence.

[Brekkie Boy]

Team GB might be dominating the games if nobody can get into Britain to compete come 2012. They say the bigger Volcano in Iceland tends to erupt a couple of years after the one causing pretty much total lockdown across Europe now.

[gotosy]

London 2012 Olympics: Ben Ainslie and fellow sailors become first Team GB athletes to be selected for Games

Ainslie was named in the Finn class, with Paul Goodison the Laser sailor, Bryony Shaw and Nick Dempsey the sailboarders, Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson the star class and Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark the 470 class.

The first siblings for the Games were also selected: sisters Kate and Lucy MacGregor, who along with Annie Lush form the women's match racing team in the Elliot 6m.

Selection events for the men's 470, the 49'er and the Laser are still continuing and those crews will be announced later
...



http://t.co/ix2WmNoz

[gotosy]

Team GB numbers go up

The total number of athletes selected to represent Team GB at the London 2012 Olympic Games looks likely to increase to more than 560.



Team GB chef de mission Andy Hunt said the numbers had crept up from 550 after nearly every sport had satisfied the British Olympic Association requirement that it was able to return a credible performance and show growth in their sport for the automatic host nation spots.

Of the 26 Olympic sports, only the rhythmic gymnastics team, which has to finish in the top 16 at the world championships, has yet to earn an Olympic berth.

The BOA is spending £13 million on the Olympic team, which will include 730 accredited and non-accredited team support personnel.

The total headcount of Team GB including athletes and support personnel will be around 1,300.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/8776907/London-2012-Olympics-Team-GB-will-be-made-up-of-more-than-560-athletes-at-Games.html

[gotosy]

UK Sport confident in Team GB fourth place finish at London 2012


Great Britain are on target for a fourth place finish in the medal table at London 2012 and are expected to break their overall medal haul from Beijing 2008, according to UK Sport's latest Mission 2012 update.

UK Sport has rated 13 Olympic Sports in their 'green' category, showing that progress is going well, and 15 amber, indicating a sport with challenges being addressed, while none were rated red – a sport where help was needed.

Rowing and cycling are likely to provide the highest medal hauls according to this year's World Championships results.
...

A number of sports have made progress in recent months, with athletics, basketball and synchronised swimming moving from amber to green, and just one sport going backwards – handball.

The Mission 2012 tracker says that athletics is on track to achieve its London medal target after picking up seven medals in Daegu at the World Athletics Championships earlier this year, whilst the basketball teams performed well at this year's European Championships, indicating that good progress was being made in the sport.
...

Swimming was also praised, with the "depth of talent reflecting at the World Aquatics Championships with 21 semi-finalists, though five medals, such as the 50m backstroke gold won by Liam Tancock (pictured) overall was at the lower end of their target".

Equestrian was also praised, and UK Sport chief executive Liz Nicholl emphasised the positives overall with eight months to go until the Olympic Games.

"The record level of funding into elite sport through the National Lottery, Exchequer and Team 2012 has contributed to the success of British athletes over recent years," she said.

"I am confident that we are in a fantastic position to deliver success not only in London, but also at the Winter Games in Sochi in 2014 and subsequent summer Games in Rio in 2016 and beyond."

http://www.insidethegames.biz/olympics/summer-olympics/2012/15120-uk-sport-confident-in-team-gb-fourth-place-finish-at-london-2012