GB already within medals target range but can they find gold flourish in Paris?

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Great Britain have already passed the minimum Olympic medals threshold set by UK Sport but their gold rush has dried up a little this week.

While they are within the 50-70 medals range – currently sitting on 51 with three days of Paris 2024 remaining – they have just 13 golds, which would represent their worst haul in 20 years if they were unable to add to it.

With six more golds needed to match the 19 Team GB reached at Beijing 2008, the PA news agency looks at where the best chances might lie to secure them.

Athletics

Katarina Johnson-Thompson has never won an Olympic medal. Could she make her first one gold? (Martin Rickett/PA) (PA Wire)

Two-time world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson is seeking her first Olympic medal and is well-poised after day one of the heptathlon holding a 48-point lead over arch rival Nafissatou Thiam, who is seeking a hat-trick of successive Olympic triumphs. Daryll Neita missed out on a podium in both the 100m and 200m by hundredths of a second and she and Asher-Smith could channel their frustrations in the women’s sprint relay final on Friday.

Cycling

Neah Evans, right, and Elinor Barker celebrate winning gold in the Women’s Elite Madison at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships (Tim Goode/PA) (PA Archive)

Elinor Barker and Neah Evans are not regarded as the outright favourites in the women’s Madison on Friday but they are reigning world champions after pipping Australia so they should have confidence. A global gold medal has thus far eluded Jack Carlin but he is in the men’s sprint semi-finals on Friday.

Sport climbing

Can Hamish McArthur help Team GB win their first Olympic climbing medal? (Peter Byrne/PA) (PA Wire)

Toby Roberts and Hamish McArthur are in the mix to win Great Britain’s first-ever Olympic sports climbing medals. Competition climbing made its debut at the Games in Tokyo three years ago when Team GB ended empty-handed, but Roberts and McArthur are into the top eight in qualification to contest the gold medal at Le Bourget on Friday.

Artistic swimming

Izzy Thorpe, left, and Kate Shortman have already made history for Team GB (John Walton/PA) (PA Wire)

Izzy Thorpe and Kate Shortman became the first Britons to win a duet medal at a World Championships when they claimed silver earlier this year. They are highly fancied to break new ground again and win Britain a first Olympic medal in the sport that was once named synchronised swimming. The pair start their campaign with the technical on Friday night followed by the free routine 24 hours later.

Taekwondo

Caden Cunningham is going for gold this weekend (Nigel French/PA) (PA Archive)

Following the disappointments of Jade Jones and Bradly Sinden on Thursday, there are high hopes for World Grand Prix winner and European champion, Caden Cunningham, who has been tipped to make his mark in the +80kg category. Also on Saturday, Rebecca McGowan looks to justify her selection after edging out two-time bronze medallist Bianca Cook in the +67kg division.

Modern pentathlon

Joe Choong won gold at Tokyo 2020 (David Davies/PA) (PA Archive)

Joe Choong is the defending men’s champion but a poor fencing round on Thursday has significantly dented his gold medal chances this time around. Kate French and Kerenza Bryson are going better in the women’s event but are more likely to be pushing for a place on the podium rather than top spot.