Olympic Games

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Great Britain (United Kingdom) at the Olympics

Great Britain is one of five countries to have been represented at all Summer Olympic Games (the others are Greece, France, Switzerland and Australia). In 1896 Great Britain did not compete under their own flag, as they competed as part of the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland' team.

United Kingdom has hosted the Olympic Games twice, in London in 1908 and 1948, and will again host this event in 2012. Also, London was also awarded the 1944 Games, but due to the ongoing war it was not held.

Trivia

• Great Britain is the only nation to have won at least one gold medal at every Summer Games.

• British Equestrian competitor Lorna Johnstone was 70 years and 5 days old when she rode at the 1972 Games, becoming the oldest woman ever to compete at an Olympic Games.

• A British team is the only nation to win an Olympic cricket contest (in 1900), becoming the only Olympic gold medalists in cricket, and therefore the current Olympic Champions.

• In 1920, Philip Noel-Baker of Great Britain won the silver in the 1500-meter run. He later became the only Olympian ever to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

• At the Sydney Games in 2000, British rower Steven Redgrave became the first athlete to win gold medals in five consecutive Olympics.

• In Beijing 2008, British Synchronized Diver Tom Daley was 14 years and 80 days old when the Games began, beating the record for the youngest British male Olympian by over a year. The previous youngest was diver Fred Hodges, who was 15 years and 94 days when he went to the 1936 Olympics.

Related Pages

• more trivia from each Country at the Olympic Games
• London 1908
• London 1948
• London 2012
• About Sport in the UK