Tokyo Olympics: Great Britain claim THREE Olympic golds and a silver
Team GB wins THREE gold medals in five hours! Olympic triumph for divers Tom Daley and Matty Lee, swimmer Adam Peaty and cross country cyclist Tom Pidcock as Britain enjoys stunning day in Tokyo
Team GB had a sensational day in Tokyo today on what is being dubbed ‘Mega Monday’ as they claimed a string of Olympic medals – including three golds in five hours.
Alex Yee began the medal flurry as he began his first ever Olympic medal, claiming silver in the men’s triathlon.
British swimmer Adam Peaty then made Olympic history by winning gold for the second time, before Tom Daley finally won his first Olympic gold alongside Matty Lee in the men’s synchronised 10m platform.
Tom Pidcock then capped off the day by winning gold in men’s mountain bike cross-country cycling.
Team GB’s Adam Peaty made Olympic history in Tokyo by winning the men’s 100 breaststroke
Briton Peaty held his medal aloft and beamed during the medal ceremony after his triumph
Peaty dominated the field again to remain king of the pool and take Team GB’s first gold medal
Yee came agonisingly close to Britain’s first gold medal of these Olympics in the early hours of Monday morning, only to be beaten by Kristian Blummenfelt.
The Norwegian passed with just two kilometres remaining of the brutal test, running away to take the elusive prize.
Yee said: ‘I’m just a normal guy from south-east London. Dreams really do come true.
‘It hasn’t sunk in quite yet, it doesn’t feel quite real that it’s me. I hope I can just serve as an inspiration to many people that this is possible and I’m not anything special.’
Tom Daley (front) and Matty Lee (back) produced a near-perfect display to take a gold medal
The British pairing were reduced to tears after the judges’ scores came through to confirm they had won the syncronised title
Daley (seen right) has waited 13 years to claim a gold medal having landed bronzes at the previous two Olympic Games
The 27-year-old was left lost for words when it was confirmed that his Olympic dream was complete in winning a gold medal
Tom Pidcock then capped off a marvellous Monday by winning gold in men’s mountain bike cross-country cycling
Yee (right) was making his Olympic debut and he showed he will be a big player in the future
Alex Yee (back) bagged a silver medal on his Olympic debut in an impressive men’s triathlon
He added: ‘I think I probably timed it (the run) a little bit wrong, leaving it a little bit late to close the gap to Kristian. Once I got halfway across it I was pretty cooked, I was starting to feel the heat and stuff.’
Jonny Brownlee finished fifth to add to his brilliant collection of one bronze and one silver.
Meanwhile Peaty from Uttoxeter cruised to victory in the 100m breaststroke to defend his crown and confirm his status as Britain’s undisputed king of the pool.
Fresh-faced Peaty, who had shaved off his beard just days before the event, was unable to beat his own world record of 56.88 seconds.
But the sight of him reaching home before anyone else was unmistakable, his left shoulder’s huge lion tattoo – inked after his first Olympic win – glistening in the water.
He remains unbeaten over 100m at breaststroke for the last seven years – which include his gold medal at Rio 2016.
Daley knew opportunities were running out and so what a moment for him to win his first Olympic medal alongside Lee in the men’s synchronised 10m platform.
The 27-year-old took bronze in both 2012 and 2016 and may well have thought that was his ceiling as an Olympian.
But both Daly and Lee refused to bow down to the Chinese favourites as they went toe-to-toe, forcing mistakes and eventually coming out on top.
The British duo were trailing behind China in the first three of the six rounds but finished strongest and were deserved winners.
Daley and Lee, who was making his Olympic debut, were made to face an agonising wait to secure gold as Chinese rivals, Chen Aisen and Cao Yuan, put in a brilliant final dive but they needed 9.6 to win it and failed to do so.
Daley was overcome with emotion at the end as Team GB broke down into tears as the celebrated following the most extreme pressure in the closing dives.
Pidcock secured Team GB’s third gold medal in a matter of hours after victory in the men’s mountain bike cross-country event.
The 21-year-old had been one of the favourites for the race, and his chances got even better when the well-fancied Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel crashed early on.
Halfway through the race, Pidcock and the Swiss duo of Mathias Fluckiger and Nino Schurter began to separate themselves from the rest of the field.
But Schurter gradually fell away, and the last few laps saw Pidcock pull away from those behind and extend his lead at the front with a sensational ride.
Only a crash or a mechanical error could deny him gold late on, and he avoided both to cross the line and secure another gold for Great Britain on a superb day.
