Who are Team GB’s most successful Olympians of all time?

With the Paris 2024 Olympics now over, Team GB has finished the games with a total of 65 medals – beating their total from Tokyo 2020 by one.

It was the same number of medals won by Great Britain at London 2012 and the second-best ever tally on foreign soil, with only the United States and China claiming more, winning 126 and 91 medals, respectively.

While there is no doubt that Team GB had a successful Olympics, it won eight fewer gold medals than in Tokyo three years ago, and was 13 down on the 27 collected at Rio 2016.

A final return of 14 gold, 22 silver and 29 bronze saw Britain slip to seventh spot in the medal table – its lowest place since finishing 10th at Athens 2004 – and third-best European nation behind hosts France and the Netherlands.

Traditional Olympic sports such as athletics, cycling and swimming returned medals, while the Team GB rowing team improved on their performance in Tokyo, going on to win three golds in a strong regatta.

There were also successes in newer sports such as skateboarding, taekwondo and trampolining, while Team GB won its first-ever medals in sport climbing.

As the games ended on Sunday, the King, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the prime minister and a host of celebrities sent their congratulations to Team GB. The King congratulated competitors and described them as “an inspiration”.

1) Jason Kenny (track cycling) – 8 medals: 7 gold, 2 silver

When he was selected for a fourth Games, it was perhaps only a matter of time before Jason Kenny, who married fellow cyclist Laura Trott, now Kenny, in 2016, eclipsed Hoy to become GB’s most successful Olympian.

A hat-trick of gold medals at Rio 2016 paved the way for his accolade in Tokyo, where he won his ninth medal and seventh gold on the last day of the tournament.

2) Chris Hoy (track cycling) – 7 medals: 6 gold, 1 silver

Scot Chris Hoy won his first Olympic medal at Sydney 2000 before taking gold at Athens 2004. The multiple world champion then bagged a golden hat-trick at Beijing 2008 before the London 2012 flag-bearer shone at his home Games by becoming the then most successful Olympic cyclist in history with six golds.

3) Bradley Wiggins (track & road cycling) – 8 medals: 5 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze

Bradley Wiggins became the first Brit to win the Tour de France, in 2012, before landing time trial gold at the London Games. Wiggins won eight Olympic medals in all, the final hurrah coming at Rio 2016 in the team pursuit.

4) Steve Redgrave (rowing) – 6 medals: 5 gold, 1 bronze

Rowing great Steve Redgrave accrued an incredible five golds at successive Olympics from 1984 to 2000, the first Briton to achieve the feat. He racked up nine world titles along the way and has been GB flag-bearer at two separate Olympics.

5) Laura Kenny (track cycling) – 6 medals: 5 gold, 1 silver

Laura Kenny (born Trott) became the first female athlete to win four Olympic golds for Team GB after winning the Omnium title alongside Joanna Rowsell Shand and Dani Rowe at London 2012. After two further golds at Rio 2016, she married fellow cyclist Jason Kenny.

Laura then went on to win a further silver medal at the delayed Tokyo 2020 tournament. She announced her retirement in March 2024.

6) Ben Ainslie (sailing) – 5 medals: 4 gold, 1 silver

With four Olympic titles, the battle-hardened Ben Ainslie is Britain’s greatest sailor, winning medals in five successive Olympics from 1996 to 2012. At the London Games, he famously came from behind to beat his Danish rival in the single-handed Finn class.

7) Mo Farah (athletics) – 4 medals: 4 gold

A multiple world distance champion, Mo Farah became a British track great following the completion of the double-double when he defended 5,000m and 10,000m gold medals at Rio 2016. He ended his track career in 2017 by winning 10,000m world gold in London before turning to marathon.

8) Matthew Pinsent (rowing) – 4 medals: 4 gold

Forming a formidable partnership with Steve Redgrave, Matthew Pinsent won gold medals at four Olympics between 1992 and 2004. He claimed golds in the coxless pairs, in 1992 and 1996, and then in the coxless fours, with Redgrave by his side in each successful assault.

9) Paulo Radmilovic (water polo & swimming) – 4 medals: 4 gold

The lesser known Olympian on this list, Paul Radmilovic made his debut in swimming in 1906 and ended it in the water polo pool aged 42 at the 1928 Games. Eight years previously, he helped GB to water polo gold when he scored late on against Belgium.

10) Adam Peaty (swimming) – 5 medals: 3 gold, 3 silver

The undisputed breaststroke star of the pool, Adam Peaty was unbeaten for seven years as he landed a successful defence of his 100m crown at Tokyo 2020.

His star status led Team GB to a record haul of four golds, and finishing third in swimming medal table. Peaty went on to win a silver medal men’s 100 metres breaststroke final in Paris.

Rower Jack Beresford also holds the same tally as Peaty after golds at the 1924, 1932 and 1936 Games.

British top 10 most successful Olympians

1. Jason Kenny (track cycling): 8 medals: 6 gold, 2 silver

2. Chris Hoy (track cycling): 7 medals – 6 gold, 1 silver

3. Bradley Wiggins (track & road cycling) – 8 medals: 5 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze

4. Steve Redgrave (rowing) – 6 medals: 5 gold, 1 bronze

5. Ben Ainslie (sailing) – 5 medals: 4 gold, 1 silver

6. Laura Kenny (track cycling) – 5 medals: 4 gold, 1 silver

7. Mo Farah (athletics) – 4 medals: 4 gold

8. Matthew Pinsent (rowing) – 4 medals: 4 gold

9. Paulo Radmilovic (water polo & swimming) – 4 medals: 4 gold

10. Adam Peaty (swimming) – 5 medals: 3 gold, 2 silver