• London Olympics 2012

Pendleton doubts repeat of Beijing success

ESPN staff
July 27, 2011
Victoria Pendleton revealed her family have not obtained any tickets for the cycling events © PA Photos
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Olympic gold medallist Victoria Pendleton has moved to dampen expectations over Great Britain's performance at London 2012, one year before the Games get underway.

Team GB have been set a target of finishing fourth in the medals table, a feat they managed four years ago in Beijing with 47 overall, including 19 golds.

One British winner in China was Pendleton - but, having struggled so far this year, finishing third in the sprint event at the World Track Championships, she is reluctant to set the bar too high for 2012.

"What was achieved in Beijing was phenomenal - it would be quite bold to say it could be easily replicated," Pendleton told Sky Sports News. "For any country to get the complete success we had in Beijing as a team would be quite rare, but that doesn't mean everyone won't be trying their very hardest for the performance of a lifetime. The heart and the spirit is there, we hope the rest will follow."

Despite her sketchy form, Pendleton is adamant she will do enough to take her place in Team GB. "No, I hope there's no risk I won't qualify for the Olympics," she said. "There's pressure, there's high expectation to do well and it would be naive to think people wouldn't be looking towards us and hoping for great things."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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