Team GB can be ‘incredibly proud’ of Paris 2024 Olympic Games performances

Team GB can ‘hold their heads high’ and be ‘incredibly proud’ of their performances at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Great Britain picked up five medals – one gold and four silvers – during the nine days of competition at the Paris La Defense Arena.

They were denied a sixth in a thrilling Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay race as Oliver Morgan, Adam Peaty, Duncan Scott and Matt Richards touched home just outside the medals in fourth after clocking 3:29.60.

That was 1.22 seconds behind the bronze medallists, France, in a race which saw the United States of America beaten in the Medley Relay for the first time as China took the gold ahead of them.

Morgan swam an impressive open backstroke leg before Peaty showed his class with a 58.16 breaststroke swim which saw the British team in second spot at the halfway stage.

Scott gave his all on the butterfly but the top three had opened up an advantage which Richards couldn’t claw back as they agonisingly missed out on a podium place.

It was the fourth time a British team or individual had finished fourth at the Paris Games.

However, Scott said everyone should be pleased with what they had achieved on the biggest stage in the world in the French capital.

He said: “It’s tough going against the best in the world.

“But, like, you know, it’s just a really nice way to finish the meet for me. I always really enjoy getting together with the boys for the relays.

“I think we can all hold our heads high. We’ve all had great meets in our own right, 

“I think the British team have had quite a few fourths but, as a whole, we can be incredibly proud of how we’ve done.”

Peaty produced an incredible swim as he bounced back from testing positive for Covid the day after he won silver in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke final.

He said: “That’s just my spirit. I said, ‘you know what? I’m gonna forget the body’. 

“I woke up today and I was like I don’t even care what I wake up with today, because I’m fed up with it. But I saw these boys this morning, we all went to the pool together, got a good meal and, you know, I was like this is where it matters to be. 

We’ll keep learning

“You know what, I’ve trained for the last decade to do what I shouldn’t be able to do.

“And I’m really happy. I mean, that’s my only swim this whole games that I’ve been pretty happy with the outcome because of certain circumstances.

“But that’s sport. And unfortunately, our sport, we only really have to find a peak every four years, truly. And if you miss it by one week, which I have due to my illness, you can’t just throw your toys out the pram.

“You’ve just got to find a way and I don’t think I couldn’t have swum it better.”

Morgan added: “I think that was my fastest this this week, so to be stepping up on day nine and producing that, I’m really, really happy with that.

“We like to be in the medals, but, you know, it’s it’s a tough field and sure we will be back 

“Seeing all the support that we get from back home and and here as well, there’s countless GB flags around the arena.

“I was really happy to to be stepping up with these three boys.”

Richards picked up an individual silver in the Men’s 200m Freestyle and a gold in the 4x200m Freestyle relay at his second Olympic Games.

He said: “I’ve got an individual silver, another gold with the boys and some great experience in relays like that tonight with the other lads.

“I’ve loved every minute and that’s the most important thing to me.

“Being here, being in the arena, in this environment, with these guys, it’s what I’ve always always wanted to do since I was a little boy.

“The longer I can keep doing that, the more the results will come in. 

“We’ll keep learning, keep moving forwards and see what we can do in four years’ time.”