Ben AinslieCompeted at: Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008Events: Finn Class Sailing, Laser Class SailingNumber of Olympic Medals: 4 (Three gold, one silver)Significance: Three in a row Olympic sailing gold medals[{"term_id":"5","name":"Great brit athletes","slug":"great-brit-athletes","term_group":"0","term_taxonomy_id":"6","taxonomy":"media-tags","description":"","parent":"0","count":"11"}]66
Matthew Pinsent & Steve Redgrave Steve competed at: Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000Matthew competed at: Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004Events: Coxless Pair, Coxless Four, Coxed Four, and Coxed Pair RowingSteve’s Number of Olympic Medals: 6 (Five gold, one bronze)Matthew’s Number of Olympic Medals: 4 (all gold)Significance: As a team, Pinsent & Redgrave won 3 straight Olympic gold medals; Redgrave is known as Britain’s greatest Olympian and is one of four athletes to have won five consecutive gold medals[{"term_id":"5","name":"Great brit athletes","slug":"great-brit-athletes","term_group":"0","term_taxonomy_id":"6","taxonomy":"media-tags","description":"","parent":"0","count":"11"}]77
Denise LewisCompeted at: Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000Event: HeptathlonNumber of Olympic Medals: 2 (One gold, one bronze)Significance: First female to win heptathlon for Great Britain; has won medals in the Olympics, World and European Championships and the Commonwealth Games[{"term_id":"5","name":"Great brit athletes","slug":"great-brit-athletes","term_group":"0","term_taxonomy_id":"6","taxonomy":"media-tags","description":"","parent":"0","count":"11"}]74
Mary RandCompeted at: Tokyo 1964 Events: Long Jump, Pentathlon, 4x100m relayNumber of Olympic Medals: 3 (One gold, one silver, one bronze)Significance: World record-breaking long jump; first British female athlete to win Olympic gold in Track & Field[{"term_id":"5","name":"Great brit athletes","slug":"great-brit-athletes","term_group":"0","term_taxonomy_id":"6","taxonomy":"media-tags","description":"","parent":"0","count":"11"}]73
2004 Relay teamCompeted together at: Athens 2004Event: 4x100m relay, Gold medal winnersMembers: Mark Lewis-Francis, Marlon Devonish, Darren Campbell and Jason GardenerSignificance: Technical precision made for a celebratory photo finish; known as a comeback team for Britain’s relay runners; first GB relay winners since 1912[{"term_id":"5","name":"Great brit athletes","slug":"great-brit-athletes","term_group":"0","term_taxonomy_id":"6","taxonomy":"media-tags","description":"","parent":"0","count":"11"}]72
Kelly HolmesCompeted at: Sydney 2000, Athens 2004Events: 1500m, 800mNumber of Olympic Medals: 3 (Two gold, one bronze)Significance: Currently holds British records in four different distances[{"term_id":"5","name":"Great brit athletes","slug":"great-brit-athletes","term_group":"0","term_taxonomy_id":"6","taxonomy":"media-tags","description":"","parent":"0","count":"11"}]71
Daley ThompsonCompeted at: Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984Event: DecathlonNumber of Olympic Medals: 2 (Both gold)Significance: Broke decathlon world record four times; widely considered the greatest decathlete of all time[{"term_id":"5","name":"Great brit athletes","slug":"great-brit-athletes","term_group":"0","term_taxonomy_id":"6","taxonomy":"media-tags","description":"","parent":"0","count":"11"}]70
David WeirCompeted at: Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Events: 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000mNumber of Paralympic Medals: 6 (Two gold, two silver, two bronze)Significance: Most prolific wheelchair racer in British history; Four time winner of the London Marathon[{"term_id":"5","name":"Great brit athletes","slug":"great-brit-athletes","term_group":"0","term_taxonomy_id":"6","taxonomy":"media-tags","description":"","parent":"0","count":"11"}]69
Chris HoyCompeted at: Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008Events: Team sprint, 1km track time trial, Keirin, SprintNumber of Olympic Medals: 5 (Four gold, one silver)Significance: Was the first British Olympian to win 3 gold medals in a single Olympiad in 100 years; Scotland’s most successful Olympian; most successful male Olympic cyclist of all time [{"term_id":"5","name":"Great brit athletes","slug":"great-brit-athletes","term_group":"0","term_taxonomy_id":"6","taxonomy":"media-tags","description":"","parent":"0","count":"11"}]68
Seb CoeCompeted at: Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984Events: 1500m, 800m Number of Olympic Medals: 4 (Two gold, two silver)Significance: Broke 8 world records in his career; now serves as a British life peer and is head of the London 2012 Olympic Organising Committee[{"term_id":"5","name":"Great brit athletes","slug":"great-brit-athletes","term_group":"0","term_taxonomy_id":"6","taxonomy":"media-tags","description":"","parent":"0","count":"11"}]67
[{"term_id":"5","name":"Great brit athletes","slug":"great-brit-athletes","term_group":"0","term_taxonomy_id":"6","taxonomy":"media-tags","description":"","parent":"0","count":"11"}]78
Sure, there have been hundreds of British Olympians throughout the ages, but here are a few you may or may not know. Check out some of the most accomplished and impressive athletes in British history.
Great British Olympians
Sure, there have been hundreds of British Olympians throughout the ages, but here are a few you may or may not know. Check out some of the most accomplished and impressive athletes in British history.