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Team GB’s major medal hopes for the Paris Olympics span sports and generations, from a 16-year-old skateboarder to a trampolinist aiming to grab gold and complete her full set of medals over three Games.
Here are seven Brits to watch in the French capital.
Sky Brown
She’s only just turned 16 years of age but Brown is already heading to her second Olympics and is intent on improving on her historic skateboarding bronze in Tokyo. Part of a three-strong GB team that also includes fellow teenager Lola Tambling and 50-year-old Andy Macdonald, Brown’s narrow failure to also qualify for surfing may serve her well as he turns her full focus on adding to her already remarkable sporting career.
Beth Shriever
Londoner Shriever followed up her Tokyo gold by winning her first world title weeks later, and early the following year claimed the European crown to become the first BMX racer to hold all three titles at the same time. There have been injury setbacks and anything can happen in the frantic world of BMX, but in a straight battle, Shriever has the calibre to take gold again.
Keely Hodgkinson
Hodgkinson could be forgiven for feeling sick of silver linings. The 800m runner has finished second to either Athing Mu or Mary Moraa at a series of big events including the Tokyo Olympics (to Mu), and last year’s World Championships (to Moraa). It will take a Herculean effort to go one better in Paris, but all eyes will be on what should prove one of the most competitive events of the track and field programme.
Kimberley Woods
Woods heads to Paris as the reigning world champion in the exhilarating and brand new Olympic discipline of kayak-cross, involving heats in which four competitors hurtle down the same whitewater course simultaneously. Despite its inherent unpredictability, the 28-year-old from Rugby also won the overall World Cup title in 2023 and has proved a cut above her closest rivals.
Bradly Sinden
The Doncaster taekwondo star was disappointed with a silver medal in the men’s -68kg category in Tokyo and vowed to learn from his mistakes. He will return to Olympic competition with a second world title in the bag and as a strong favourite to finally make good on his lifelong ambition and turn that agonising silver into gold in the French capital.
Bryony Page
A surprise silver medallist on the women’s trampoline in Rio, Page returned to the podium with a bronze medal in Tokyo. At the age of 33 her confidence continues to rocket, and World Championship gold in Birmingham in 2023 – where she shunted Olympic champion Zhu Xueying into second place – suggests Page has what it takes to complete the set in Paris.
Matt Richards
Part of the men’s 4×200 metres freestyle relay team that swept to glory in Tokyo, Richards is out for individual success after coming out on top of a stacked field at British trials. Both Duncan Scott and Tom Dean trailed in his wake in the 100m and 200m freestyle, while Richards is also set to compete in the 50m discipline and up to four relay events.
