• London Olympics 2012

Hunt rejects medal targets for Team GB

ESPN staff
November 3, 2010
Andy Hunt joined the BOA in November 2008 © Getty Images
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British Olympics chief Andy Hunt claims that there is no point in setting medal targets for Team GB at the London 2012 Games.

Funding body UK Sport have targeted bettering the 47 medals achieved in Beijing in 2008 when they finished fourth in the medals table behind hosts China, USA and Russia. Britain's 19 gold medals was their best medal haul since the London 1908 Games, but the British Olympic Association chief executive believes medal targets are futile.

"We have no plans to set medal targets at this time - we don't see a performance benefit right now in setting a medal target," Hunt said.

The London Games and elite athlete funding escaped the axe in the Government's recent spending review and Hunt is determined to make the Games a success.

"I think the sports are really fortunate that Olympic sport has essentially not been impacted pre-2012 by the cuts and we are really thankful and supportive of that," he said.

"I started two years ago this week and it has taken two years to get all the sports focused and pointing in the same direction and that's a massive step. In the past they have tended to work separately but we have surrounded them with support services and I believe they now trust us to make the Games a success.

"Hosting a home Games provides unique opportunity to build on the Olympics and this chance is unlikely to come around again in our lifetimes, and the requirements of a home nations national Olympic committee go way beyond the normal scenario."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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