Great Britain at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Sporting event delegation
Great Britain , represented by the British Olympic Association (BOA), competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta , United States. British athletes have competed in every single Summer Olympic Games . 300 competitors, 184 men and 116 women, took part in 175 events in 22 sports.[ 1] The Atlanta games saw Great Britain's worst performance at a Summer Olympics since 1952 , finishing in 36th position with a single gold medal, and 15 medals overall.[ 2]
The "rock bottom" British performance at the Atlanta Olympics led to a period of soul searching about the state of British sport. Insufficient funding was identified as a major factor in the poor performance, and this led to a wholesale reform of how elite sports were funded, organised and supported in the UK: At the instigation of the then Prime Minister John Major , UK Sport was created the following year; a public body which distributes National Lottery funding for elite sports,[ 2] [ 3] Previously, due to a lack of funding, cyclist Chris Boardman had acclimatised to the humidity of Atlanta by practicing in his home bathroom with the shower turned on,[ 4] and divers Bob Morgan and Tony Ally sold their Olympic kits while in Atlanta in order to raise funds.[ 2] [ 5] Leon Taylor , who would win a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics, suggested the public humiliation for the British Olympic Association from the newspaper stories about Morgan & Ally's actions obligated them to bring in better athlete funding.[ 6] Nevertheless, the single gold medal won by rowers Matthew Pinsent and Steve Redgrave ensured that Great Britain maintained its record of winning at least one gold medal at every Summer Olympics.
Medallists
Gold
Silver
Ben Ainslie – Sailing, Men's Open Laser Class
Steve Backley – Athletics, Men's javelin throw
Roger Black – Athletics, Men's 400 m
Jonathan Edwards – Athletics, Men's triple jump
Paul Palmer – Swimming, Men's 400 m Freestyle
Jamie Baulch , Roger Black , Mark Richardson , Iwan Thomas , Mark Hylton (heats) and Du'aine Ladejo (heats) – Athletics, Men's 4 × 400 m Relay
John Merricks and Ian Walker – Sailing, Men's 470 Class
Neil Broad and Tim Henman – Tennis, Men's Doubles
Bronze
Medals by day
Medals by date
Day
Date
Total
1
20 July
0
0
0
0
2
21 July
0
0
0
0
3
22 July
0
1
0
1
4
23 July
0
0
0
0
5
24 July
0
0
0
0
6
25 July
0
0
1
1
7
26 July
0
0
0
0
8
27 July
1
1
1
3
9
28 July
0
0
2
2
10
29 July
0
1
0
1
11
30 July
0
1
0
1
12
31 July
0
1
1
2
13
1 Aug
0
1
0
1
14
2 Aug
0
0
0
0
15
3 Aug
0
2
1
3
16
4 Aug
0
0
0
0
Total
1
8
6
15
Archery
Athletics
Men's 100 metres
Linford Christie
Heat - 10.26
Quarter-final - 10.03
Semi-final - 10.04
Final - DSQ
Ian Mackie
Heat - 10.27
Quarter-final - 10.25
Semi-final - DNS
Men's 200 metres
John Regis
Heat - 20.78
Quarter-final - 20.56
Semi-final - 20.58 (→ did not advance)
Men's 400 metres
Roger Black
Heat - 45.28
Quarter-final - 44.72
Semi-final - 44.69
Final - 44.41 (→ Silver Medal )
Iwan Thomas
Heat - 45.22
Quarter-final - 45.04
Semi-final - 45.01
Final - 44.70 (→ 5th Place)
Men's 800 metres
Curtis Robb
Heat - 1:45.85
Semi-Final - 1:47.48 (→ did not advance)
Craig Winrow
Heat - 1:47.41
Semi-Final - 1:48.57 (→ did not advance)
Men's 1500 metres
John Mayock
Heat - 3:42.31
Semi-final - 3:34.55
Final - 3:40.18 (→ 11th Place)
Kevin McKay
Heat - 3:38.02
Semi-final - 3:43.61 (→ did not advance)
Men's 5,000 metres
John Nuttall
Qualification – 13:52.16
Semi-final – 14:08.39 (→ did not advance)
Men's 10,000 metres
Jon Brown
Qualification – 28:19.85
Final - 27:59.72 (→ 10th place)
Men's Marathon
Men's 110m Hurdles
Colin Jackson
Heat - 13.36
Quarter-final - 13.33
Semi-final - 13.17
Final - 13.19 (→ 4th Place)
Andy Tulloch
Heat - 13.56
Quarter-final - 13.68 (→ did not advance)
Men's 400m Hurdles
Men's 3,000 metres Steeplechase
Men's 50 km Walk
Men's 4 × 100m Relay
Men's 4 × 400m Relay
Men's High Jump
Steve Smith
Qualification - 2.28
Final - 2.35 (→ Bronze Medal )
Men's Pole Vault
Men's Triple Jump
Men's Shot Put
Men's Discus Throw
Bob Weir
Qualification – 61.64 m (→ did not advance)
Glen Smith
Qualification – 54.88 m (→ did not advance)
Men's Hammer Throw
David Smith
Qualification – 69.32 m (→ did not advance)
Men's Javelin Throw
Steve Backley
Qualification - 84.14
Final – 87.44 (→ Silver Medal )
Mick Hill
Qualification - 80.48
Final – 78.58 (→ 12th Place)
Men's Decathlon
Women's 100 metres
Women's 200 metres
Women's 400 metres
Donna Fraser
Heat - 52.78
Quarter-final - 51.58 (→ did not advance)
Phylis Smith
Heat - 51.29
Quarter-final - 52.16 (→ did not advance)
Women's 800 metres
Kelly Holmes
Heat - 1:58.80
Semi-final - 1:58.49
Final - 1:58.81 (→ 4th Place)
Women's 1500 metres
Kelly Holmes
Heat - 4:07.36
Semi-final - 4:05.88
Final - 4:07.46 (→ 11th Place)
Women's 5,000 metres
Women's Marathon
Women's 110 m Hurdles
Angela Thorp
Heat - 12.93
Quarter-final - 12.99
Semi-final - 12.80 (→ did not advance)
Women's 400 m Hurdles
Sally Gunnell
Qualification – 55.29
Semi-finals – DNF (→ did not advance)
Women's 10km Walk
Women's 4×100 metres Relay
Women's 4×400 metres Relay
Women's Long Jump
Women's Triple Jump
Women's High Jump
Women's Shot Put
Judy Oakes
Qualification – 18.56 m
Final – 18.34 m (→ 11th place)
Women's Discus Throw
Women's Javelin Throw
Women's Heptathlon
Badminton
Beach volleyball
Boxing
Canoeing
Cycling
Road competition
Men's Individual Time Trial
Final – 1:04:36 (→ Bronze Medal )
Women's Individual Road Race
Final – 02:37:06 (→ 11th place)
Final – 02:37:06 (→ 19th place)
Final – 02:53:47 (→ 43rd place)
Women's Individual Time Trial
Final – 39:09 (→ 14th place)
Final – 41:16 (→ 21st place)
Track competition
Men's Team Pursuit
Mountain Bike
Men's Cross Country
Final – 2:29:10 (→ 12th place)
Final – 2:32:30 (→ 15th place)
Women's Cross Country
Final – 2:04.44 (→ 22nd place)
Diving
Men's 3m Springboard
Preliminary heat – 345.33
Semi-final – 203.46 (→ did not advance, 18th place)
Preliminary heat – 318.69 (→ did not advance, 24th place)
Women's 10m Platform
Preliminary heat – 251.73
Semi-final – 158.43
Final – 259.68 (→ 9th place)
Equestrian
Fencing
Two fencers, one man and one woman, represented Great Britain in 1996.
Men's sabre
Women's foil
Gymnastics
Hockey
Men's team competition
Preliminary round (group B)
Women's Team Competition
Great Britain – Netherlands 0–0 (The Netherlands wins after penalty strokes, 3–4) → Fourth place
Judo
Modern pentathlon
Men's Individual Competition:
Rowing
Men
Women
Sailing
Shooting
Swimming
Men's 50 m Freestyle
Heat – 22.73
B-Final – 23.01 (→ 16th place)
Men's 100 m Freestyle
Heat – 51.03 (→ did not advance, 28th place)
Men's 200 m Freestyle
Heat – 1:49.05
Swim-off – 1:48.89
Final – 1:49.39 (→ 8th place)
Heat – 1:51.06
B-Final – 1:50.59 (→ 15th place)
Men's 400 m Freestyle
Heat – 3:51.98
Final – 3:49.00 (→ Silver Medal )
Men's 1500 m Freestyle
Heat – 15.14.81
Final – 15:02.48 (→ Bronze Medal )
Heat – 15:22.65 (→ did not advance, 10th place)
Men's 100 m Backstroke
Heat – 56.27
B-Final – 56.07 (→ 10th place)
Heat – 57.17 (→ did not advance, 28th place)
Men's 200 m Backstroke
Heat – 2:01.35
B-Final – 2:02.40 (→ 13th place)
Heat – 2:07.75 (→ did not advance, 32nd place)
Men's 100 m Breaststroke
Heat – 1:02.78
B-Final – 1:02.51 (→ 11th place)
Men's 200 m Breaststroke
Heat – 2:14.96
Final – 2:14.37 (→ 4th place)
Men's 100 m Butterfly
Heat – 53.73
B-Final – 53.23 (→ 9th place)
Men's 200 m Butterfly
Heat – 1:58.16
Final – 1:58.47 (→ 7th place)
Men's 4 × 100 m Freestyle Relay
Heat – 3:21.34
Final – 3:21.52 (→ 8th place)
Men's 4 × 200 m Freestyle Relay
Heat – 7:21.92
Final – 7:18.74 (→ 5th place)
Men's 4 × 100 m Medley Relay
Heat – DSQ (→ did not advance)
Women's 50 m Freestyle
Heat – 26.39 (→ did not advance, 23rd place)
Women's 100 m Freestyle
Heat – 56.40
B-Final – 56.32 (→ 14th place)
Heat – 56.62
B-Final – 56.58 (→ 16th place)
Women's 200 m Freestyle
Heat – 2:01.46
B-Final – 2:02.58 (→ 13th place)
Women's 400 m Freestyle
Heat – 4:14.50
B-Final – 4:14.13 (→ 9th place)
Women's 800 m Freestyle
Heat – 8:37.54
Final – 8:41.75 (→ 8th place)
Women's 100 m Backstroke
Heat – 1:03.89
B-Final – 1:03.61 (→ 13th place)
Women's 200 m Backstroke
Heat – 2:15.12
B-Final – 2:14.50 (→ 12th place)
Women's 100 m Breaststroke
Heat – 1:10.83 (→ did not advance, 17th place)
Women's 200 m Breaststroke
Heat – 2:31.12
B-Final – 2:31.39 (→ 14th place)
Women's 200 m Individual Medley
Heat – 2:18.81 (→ did not advance, 21st place)
Women's 400 m Individual Medley
Heat – 4:54.64 (→ did not advance, 19th place)
Women's 4 × 100 m Freestyle Relay
Heat – 3:48.26 (→ did not advance, 9th place)
Women's 4 × 200 m Freestyle Relay
Heat – 8:14.92 (→ did not advance, 10th place)
Women's 4 × 100 m Medley Relay
Heat – 4:13.75 (→ did not advance, 13th place)
Table tennis
Tennis
Men
Athlete
Event
Round of 64
Round of 32
Round of 16
Quarterfinals
Semi-finals
Final / BM
Opposition Score
Opposition Score
Opposition Score
Opposition Score
Opposition Score
Opposition Score
Rank
Tim Henman
Singles
Matsuoka (JPN ) W 7–6(7–4) , 6–3
Woodbridge (AUS ) L 6–7(6–8) , 6–7(5–7)
Did not advance
Greg Rusedski
Frana (ARG ) W 4–6, 7–5, 6–3
Gustafsson (SWE ) W 6–7(4–7) , 7–6(7–3) , 6–3
Bruguera (ESP ) L 6–7(7–9) , 3–6
Did not advance
Neil Broad Tim Henman
Doubles
—
Krošlák / Kučera (SVK ) W 6–3, 6–3
Connell / Nestor (CAN ) W 7–6(7–5) , 4–6, 6–4
Novák / Vacek (CZE ) W 7–6(7–4) , 6–4
Goellner / Prinosil (GER ) W 4–6, 6–3, 10–8
Woodbridge / Woodforde (AUS ) L 4–6, 4–6, 2–6
Women
Weightlifting
Men's Light-Heavyweight
Final – 147.5 + 180.0 = 327.5 (→ 12th place)
Wrestling
References
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