Great Britain, the team of the British Olympic Association (BOA), competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, from 13 to 29 August 2004 with the team of selected athletes was officially known as Team GB. The British sent a wide-ranging delegation to the Games, continuing its ubiquitous presence at the Olympics. Great Britain's 264 athletes, 161 men and 103 women, competed in 22 disciplines throughout the two-week event. The team entered the opening ceremony behind the Union Flag carried by judoka Kate Howey. Double gold medal winner Kelly Holmes carried the flag at the closing ceremony.
These games continued the success that Great Britain made at Sydney. Although they won just nine gold medals compared with the eleven won at Sydney, the team did increase their overall medal haul to thirty medals, and for the second summer games in a row finished in tenth place on the medal table.
Chronology The delegation started the Olympics slowly, the silver its divers won on 14 August being the first of only a few opening-week medals. Although a sprinkling of silver and bronze medals – including a pair in men's and women's k1 kayak slalom – enlivened the mid-week, Britain's first gold did not come until Friday the 20th (won by Chris Hoy in the 1 km track cycling time-trial).
Then, on 21 August ("Golden Saturday") Britain's contributions to the medal table became more significant. First Britain's traditional strength in rowing continued as the men's coxless four, stroked by Matthew Pinsent, narrowly won gold, a defining moment since this was Pinsent's fourth gold medal in as many games. Sailor Ben Ainslie wrapped up a successful few days of racing with a gold, as did the women's Yngling sailboats who were finally awarded the gold medal they had sewn up on Thursday. Bradley Wiggins continued Britain's cycling success, winning gold in the 4 km pursuit. Young swimmer David Davies, coming third in the men's 1500 m freestyle, set a European record in the process and won Britain's second swimming medal of the games – a notable improvement over the 2000 Sydney games from which the swimmers had returned empty-handed. Also on Saturday, it was announced that, after an appeal, Leslie Law would be promoted from silver to gold in the three-day equestrian eventing (and his team from bronze to silver). As the games' aquatic-dominated first week shifted into a second week focused more on track and field events, Kelly Sotherton came third in the heptathlon.
Sunday 22 August brought another rowing medal. However, marathon favourite Paula Radcliffe failed to cope with the heat of Athens and did not finish. The timing of the race with a late afternoon start, supposedly to appease US broadcasters, produced some controversy since summer marathons normally start early in the morning to avoid the heat.
23 August saw Britain's first gold medal of the track and field events, Kelly Holmes winning the women's 800 metres. This was Britain's first gold medal on the track since Sally Gunnell won the 400-metre hurdles at the 1992 Barcelona games.
By claiming bronze in the Madison cycling on 25 August, to add to his earlier individual gold and a silver from the team pursuit, Bradley Wiggins became the first Briton for 40 years to claim three medals in one games.
The evening of Saturday 28 August saw Britain's medal hunt centred on the Olympic Stadium. Steve Backley, in his final javelin throw competition, failed to win the gold he had been seeking since 1992, finishing fourth. Kelly Holmes achieved the middle-distance double, taking gold in the 1500 metres. The men's 4×100-metre relay team won a surprising victory, winning gold ahead of the American team. Earlier in the day, Ian Wynne had added to the medal haul, with a bronze medal in the K1 kayak class, competing despite an ankle injury picked up the day before.
The final day of the games, 29 August, saw Amir Khan collect Britain's last medal of the event with a silver in boxing's lightweight division.
Overall performance In the final medal table, Great Britain finished in 10th place overall. The BBC stated that this was "the best British performance in the modern era", and quantified this with further considerations: "GB won 37 in 1984, but that was a boycott-hit Games missing the Eastern Bloc countries. Take Los Angeles out of the picture, and this was Britain's best haul since 1924."
Medallists
Great Britain finished in tenth position in the final medal rankings, with 9 gold and 30 total medals.
| width="78%" align="left" valign="top" | Medal Name Sport Event Date Equestrian Individual eventing Cycling Men's track time trial Cycling Men's individual pursuit Rowing Men's four Sailing Finn class Sailing Yngling class Athletics Women's 800 m Athletics Women's 1500 m Athletics Men's 4 × 100 m relay Diving Men's synchronised 10 m platform Equestrian Team eventing Badminton Mixed doubles Canoeing Men's slalom K-1 Rowing Women's pair Rowing Women's quadruple sculls Cycling Men's team pursuit Sailing Men's 470 class Boxing Lightweight Swimming Men's 200 m butterfly Archery Women's individual Canoeing Women's slalom K-1 Equestrian Individual eventing Athletics Women's heptathlon Rowing Women's double sculls Swimming Men's 1500 m freestyle Cycling Men's madison Sailing Men's sailboard Sailing 49er class Modern pentathlon Women's event Canoeing Men's K-1 500 m | style="text-align:left; width:23%; vertical-align:top;"|
Medals by sportSport TotalAthletics3014Sailing2125Cycling2114Rowing1214Equestrian1113Canoeing0123Badminton0101Boxing0101Diving0101Swimming0022Archery0011Modern pentathlon0011Total991230
Medals by dateDayDate Total114 Aug0101215 Aug0000316 Aug0000417 Aug0011518 Aug1135619 Aug0202720 Aug1001821 Aug4138922 Aug01011023 Aug11021124 Aug00001225 Aug00221326 Aug00111427 Aug00111528 Aug21141629 Aug0101Total991230
Multiple medallists The following Team GB competitors won multiple medals at the 2004 Olympic Games. Kelly Holmes became the first British athlete since 1972 and the first British track and field athlete to win two gold medals at the same Summer Olympics. Name Medal Sport Event Kelly Holmes Athletics 800 m1500 m Bradley Wiggins Cycling Men's Individual pursuitTeam pursuitMen's Madison Leslie Law Equestrian Individual eventingTeam eventing Rob Hayles Cycling Team pursuitMen's Madison
Archery
Four British archers (one man and three women) qualified each for the men's and women's individual archery, and a spot for the women's team.
AthleteEventRanking roundRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemi-finalsFinal / ScoreSeedOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankLaurence GodfreyMen's individual65031W 157–155W 163–162W 167–162W 110–108L 108–110L 112–1134Naomi FolkardWomen's individual63817W 139–128W 156–151L 159–171Did not advanceHelen Palmer59461L 130–141Did not advanceAlison Williamson63721W 147–121W 154–150W 165–161W 109–89L 100–110W 105–104Naomi FolkardHelen PalmerAlison WilliamsonWomen's team186912colspan=2 L 228–230Did not advance
Athletics
British athletes have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event at the 'A' Standard, and 1 at the 'B' Standard).
Men Track & road events AthleteEventHeatQuarter-finalSemi-finalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRankDarren Campbell100 m10.354Did not advanceJason Gardener10.152 Q10.152 Q10.125Did not advanceMark Lewis-Francis10.131 Q10.122 Q10.285Did not advanceDarren Campbell200 m20.724 Q20.594 q20.898Did not advanceChris LambertDid not advanceChristian Malcolm20.622 Q20.565 q20.777Did not advanceTimothy Benjamin400 m45.693 qcolspan=2 46.288Did not advanceDaniel Caines46.154colspan=2 Did not advanceMalachi Davis46.285colspan=2 Did not advanceRicky Soos800 m1:45.702 Qcolspan=2 1:46.746Did not advanceMichael East1500 m3:37.371 Qcolspan=2 3:36.466 q3:36.336John Mayock5000 m13:26.8110colspan=4 Did not advanceRobert Newton110 m hurdles13.857Did not advanceAndy Turner13.758Did not advanceMatthew Douglas400 m hurdles49.776colspan=2 Did not advanceChris Rawlinson48.943 Qcolspan=2 50.898Did not advanceJustin Chaston3000 m steeplechase8:28.355colspan=4 Did not advanceDarren CampbellMarlon DevonishJason GardenerMark Lewis-Francis4 × 100 m relay38.532 Qcolspan=4 38.07Sean BaldockTimothy BenjaminMalachi DavisMatthew Elias4 × 400 m relay3:02.401 Qcolspan=4 3:01.075Jon BrownMarathoncolspan=6 2:12.264Matt O'Dowdcolspan=6 2:22.3750Dan Robinsoncolspan=6 2:17.5323
Field events AthleteEventQualificationFinalDistancePositionDistancePositionChris TomlinsonLong jump8.233 Q8.255Nathan DouglasTriple jump16.8413Did not advancePhillips Idowu17.334 Q—Nick BuckfieldPole vault5.6021Did not advanceEmeka UdechukuDiscus throw58.4124Did not advanceSteve BackleyJavelin throw80.6812 q84.134Nick Nieland72.7928Did not advance
Combined events – Decathlon AthleteEvent 100 m 400 m 1500 mFinalRankDean MaceyResult10.897.4715.732.1548.9714.5648.344.4058.464:25.4284144Points885927835944863903846731715775
Women Track & road events AthleteEventHeatQuarter-finalSemi-finalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRankAbi Oyepitan100 m11.232 Q11.283 Q11.185Did not advanceJoice Maduaka200 m23.154 Q23.305Did not advanceAbi Oyepitan22.502 Q22.792 Q22.562 Q22.87=7Donna Fraser400 m51.192 Qcolspan=2 51.947Did not advanceLee McConnell51.192 Qcolspan=2 52.638Did not advanceChristine Ohuruogu50.503 Qcolspan=2 51.004Did not advanceJoanne Fenn800 m2:03.723 Qcolspan=2 2:00.605Did not advanceKelly Holmes2:00.811 Qcolspan=2 1:57.981 Q1:56.38Kelly Holmes1500 m4:05.582 Qcolspan=2 4:04.772 Q3:57.90 NRJo Pavey4:12.5013colspan=2 Did not advanceHayley Tullett4:07.277 qcolspan=2 4:08.9211Did not advanceJo Pavey5000 m14:55.453 Qcolspan=4 14:57.875Kathy Butler10000 mcolspan=6 31:41.1312Paula Radcliffecolspan=6 Sarah Claxton100 m hurdles13.146colspan=2 Did not advanceTracey MorrisMarathoncolspan=6 2:41:0029Paula Radcliffecolspan=6 Liz Yellingcolspan=6 2:40:1325Donna FraserHelen Karagounis*Lee McConnellCatherine MurphyChristine Ohuruogu4 × 400 m relay3:26.994 qcolspan=4 3:25.124 * Competed only in heats
Field events AthleteEventQualificationFinalDistancePositionDistancePositionJade JohnsonLong jump6.716 Q6.806Shelley NewmanDiscus throw56.0433Did not advancePhilippa Roles58.8318Did not advanceGoldie SayersJavelin throw59.1120Did not advanceLorraine ShawHammer throw64.7930Did not advanceShirley Webb61.6041Did not advance
Combined events – Heptathlon AthleteEvent 200 m 800 mFinalRankDenise LewisResult13.401.7315.3325.425.89—Points10658918838498160—Kelly SothertonResult13.441.8513.2923.576.5137.192:12.276424Points1059104174710221010613932
Badminton
Men AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalSemi-finalFinal / OppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankRichard VaughanSinglesW 15–5, 15–5L 9–15, 4–15Did not advanceAnthony ClarkNathan RobertsonDoublesW 15–5, 15–9L 7–15, 12–15Did not advance
Women AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalSemi-finalFinal / OppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankTracey HallamSinglesW 11–7, 6–11, 11–9W 11–2, 5–11, 13–10L 0–11, 9–11Did not advanceKelly MorganW 11–5, 11–3L 6–11, 8–11Did not advanceGail EmmsDonna KelloggDoublesW 15–4, 15–4L 15–13, 7–15, 5–15Did not advanceElla TrippJoanne WrightW 17–15, 17–14L 7–15, 7–15Did not advance
Mixed AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalSemi-finalFinal / OppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankRobert BlairNatalie MuntDoublesW 13–15, 15–7, 15–13L 8–15, 12–15Did not advanceGail EmmsNathan RobertsonW 15–11, 15–4W 15–8, 17–15W 15–6, 15–12L 1–15, 15–12, 12–15
Boxing