Simon Barnes

The medal machine

Individual talent is indispensable. But it needed a system – and a strategy – behind it

issue 20 August 2016

Never forget Atlanta. Every time a British athlete wins a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Rio, remember the Atlanta Games of 1996. I was there, and I saw some great sport — and absolutely none of it was British. Great Britain finished 36th in the medal table, behind Kazakhstan, Algeria, Belgium and Ireland.

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