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14:23 GMT, Tuesday, 19 August 2008 15:23 UK

GB Olympians power to new heights

Christine Ohuruogu's stunning 400m victory brought Team GB's gold medal haul to 16 as Britain sealed their best Olympic performance for a century.

Earlier, Scottish cyclist Chris Hoy became the first Briton to win three golds in a Games for 100 years, beating GB's Jason Kenny in the sprint final.

Victoria Pendleton won the women's version of the sprint, while sailor Paul Goodison landed the Laser class.

Ohuruogu's win followed a silver medal for high jumper Germaine Mason.

BRITAIN'S MEDAL TALLY

*As at 1600 BST on 19 August
Tuesday yielded a total of four gold medals and two silvers for Britain, while a boxing bronze was guaranteed, as the team retained third place in the medals table.

With five days of action still remaining, this is already the second best display ever produced by a team of British Olympians.

British Olympic Association chef de mission Simon Clegg said: "It has been another outstanding day and a great gold medal on the track by Christine who ran a fantastic race."

Team GB's 16 golds is their greatest haul since claiming a British all-time record of 56 gold medals at the 1908 Olympics in London.

That tally came amid a collection of 146 medals in total, but will almost certainly never be surpassed, given there were only British entries in some events including polo and rackets.

Ohuruogu sank to her knees in disbelief after becoming the first British woman to win the Olympic 400m title.

The east Londoner produced a stirring finish to overhaul favourite Sanya Richards and add Olympic gold to her world title won in Osaka last year.

Her victory in Beijing comes a year after she completed a 12-month ban for missing three out-of-competition drugs tests.

"You never think it's a reality, it's something you dream about. As I came across the line I thought 'oh my gosh' - I don't know what to say," said the 24-year-old.

A brilliant Tuesday for Team GB began with Goodison clinching Britain's third sailing gold of the Olympics.

"It just feels unbelievable. It's going to take a while to sink in but wow," said 30-year-old Goodison, from Sheffield.

His triumph was followed up at the Laoshan cycling velodrome, where Pendleton claimed Britain's seventh cycling title of the Games before Hoy added an eighth.

"It doesn't feel real yet. I'm so glad I'm part of it," said Pendleton, of Hitchin, Hertfordshire.

Hoy secured his third win in the men's sprint, adding to his victories in the team sprint and the keirin.

He is the first British athlete to seal the treble at one summer Games since swimmer Henry Taylor at the London Games in 1908.

"I was vaguely aware of the history, people tell you about it. But I tried to make it the furthest thought from my mind," said the 32-year-old Hoy.

"And that's why the emotions come out at the end. You bottle it for so long that it just erupts at the end."

The double triumph on the cycling track followed the men's pursuit team of Bradley Wiggins, Paul Manning, Geraint Thomas and Ed Clancy who destroyed Denmark to bring up Team GB's 12th overall gold on Monday.
And in athletics, a surprise silver medal came from Mason in the high jump on Tuesday.

Britain's overall medal tally now stands at 33, including nine silver and eight bronze.

Aside from cycling, the other gold medals have come in rowing (two), sailing (three), swimming (two) and athletics (one).

British super-heavyweight boxer David Price, from Liverpool, is guaranteed to add at least a bronze to the total having made it through to a semi-final bout on Friday following victory on Monday.

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And the same goes for Sunderland's light-heavyweight Tony Jeffries who saw off Hungary's Imre Szello on Tuesday to set up a meeting with Ireland's Kenny Egan.

A victory parade will be held through the streets of London on 16 October for medal winners upon their return from China.

Further success is expected in sailing events, women's BMX cycling, the men's triple jump and men's flatwater canoeing.



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Related to this story:

Ohuruogu grabs gold for Britain (19 Aug 08 |  Athletics )
Video - Sailor Goodison wins GB's 13th gold (19 Aug 08 |  Sailing )
Hoy clinches historic third gold (19 Aug 08 |  Cycling )
Briton Pendleton wins sprint gold (19 Aug 08 |  Cycling )
Brit Goodison claims sailing gold (19 Aug 08 |  Sailing )
Victory parade for medal winners (18 Aug 08 |  London )
How GB cycling went from tragic to magic (14 Aug 08 |  Cycling )
Team GB's roll of honour (19 Aug 08 |  Olympics )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
Beijing 2008
IOC
Tom Fordyce blog on Ohuruogu
Matt Slater blog on Hoy and the cyclists
Claire Stocks blog on Goodison
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