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Team GB now targeting finishing second in medal table, says BOA

By Angel Lambo

Thursday 18 August 2016 07:53, UK

Bill Sweeney, CEO, British Olympic Association during a press conference hosted by the British Olympic Association at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Image: Bill Sweeney, the CEO of the British Olympic Association, hopes Team GB can finish second in the Rio 2016 medal table

British Olympic Association chief Bill Sweeney says Team GB's target in Rio is now to finish second in the medal table.

The team has won 50 medals so far - overhauling the target set before the Games by the BOA of 48 - and Sweeney thinks beating the 65 they won in London four years ago will prove beyond them.

But Team GB is in second place in the medal table behind USA, the runaway leaders, and ahead of Olympic superpower China - and Sweeney wants them to remain there.

Great Britain's Max Whitlock celebrates winning gold on the Pommel Horse on the ninth day of the Rio Olympics Games, Brazil
Image: Great Britain's Max Whitlock celebrates winning gold on the Pommel Horse

"It's really tough to hit that number [65]," he told Sky Sports News HQ. "That's a massive number, and to get over 65 we probably needed to convert some of those fourth places earlier on in the Games which didn't happen.

"So to get 65 would be a bit of a stretch. To come away with a second-place finish ahead of China… that would be absolutely amazing.

The Olympic rings are reflected on the helmet visor Jason Kenny of Britain
Image: Jason Kenny won three cycling golds

"It's do-able and it's going to be a tough fight for the next five days."

China may struggle to catch the Brits - the first half of the Olympics is usually their strongest and Sweeney expects more medals for his team.

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Hannah Mills (helm) and Saskia Clark of Team GB are guaranteed gold in the women's 470 class sailing
Image: Hannah Mills (helm) and Saskia Clark of Team GB won gold in the 470 class

"This is not declaring victory time. We've still got five days to go and we've got some of our strongest sports to come in yet," he said.

"We've got the Brownlees in the triathlon, we've got an incredibly strong Taekwondo team, we've got showjumping individual to go, women's hockey are now in the semis tonight against New Zealand and they would love to go through...

Jason Kenny equalled the British record of six Olympic titles on Tuesday after his fiance Laura Trott became the most successful female British Olympian.
Image: Kenny and fiance Laura Trott won five golds between them

"Modern pentathlon hasn't started yet as well, so you go through the whole range of sports there and it's still all to play for."            

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