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

Rod Gilmour
·Feature writer
·6-min read

Watch: New most decorated Olympian lead medals charge

Jason Kenny became the UK’s most successful Olympian when Team GB took men’s team sprint silver at the Izu Velodrome at the Tokyo 2020, taking his all-time Olympic medal tally to eight.

The Netherlands were clear favourites heading into Tuesday’s race and produced a superb ride to beat their own Olympic record and take the title.

However, all was not lost for Kenny.

By winning his eighth medal, Kenny drew level with fellow British cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins on total numbers of medals won.

In fact, Kenny surpassed his former team-mate as he has one more gold, taking him to the top of the Team GB table.

Kenny also overtakes cyclist Sir Chris Hoy’s total of seven and six golds – which also puts the Scot ahead of Wiggins when it comes to number of golds won.

“It’s nice – limped over the line with a silver,” joked Kenny. “Main thing is that I beat Chris because I know it will annoy him. He’s probably going to make a comeback for Paris now. It’s really nice, really special. It is hard – every time I come to the Games it seems to get harder.”

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

Track Cycling - Olympics: Day 11 Jason Kenny of Great Britain on the podium after his gold medal ride in the Men's Keirin during the track cycling competition at the Rio Olympic Velodrome August 16, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
Jason Kenny on the podium after his gold medal ride in the Men's Keirin during the track cycling competition at the Rio 2016 Olympics. (Corbis via Getty Images)

When he was selected for a fourth Games, it was perhaps only a matter of time before 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.

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

File photo dated 07/08/2012 of Great Britain's Sir Chris Hoy becomes emotional as he celebrates winning Gold in the Men's Keirin Final on day Eleven of the Olympic Games at the Velodrome in London.
Great Britain's Sir Chris Hoy won gold in the Men's Keirin Final at London 2012. (PA).

The Scot 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 gold.

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

Olympics - London 2012 Olympic Games - London - 1/8/12 Cycling - Road - Men's Individual Time Trial - Great Britain's Bradley Wiggins celebrates winning his gold medal after the race. Wiggins is now the most successful British Olympian of all time after winning his seventh medal Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Paul Childs Livepic PLEASE NOTE: FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY
Bradley Wiggins celebrates winning his gold at London 2012. (Action Images)

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 20126 in the team pursuit.

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

Great Britain's Steve Redgrave celebrates with his gold medal, the 5th he has won in his career
Great Britain's Steve Redgrave celebrates with his gold medal at Sydney 2000 - the fifth of his career. (PA)

The rowing great 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) Ben Ainslie (sailing) – 5 medals: 4 gold, 1 silver

Great Britain's Ben Ainslie celebrates winning the Gold Medal after the Men's Finn Medal Race in Weymouth, during day nine of the London 2012 Olympics.
Great Britain's Ben Ainslie celebrates in Weymouth after a thrilling Men's Finn Medal Race at London 2012. (PA)

With four Olympic titles, the battle-hardened 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.

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

Great Britain's Laura Trott has won a gold medal in the women's omnium at the Rio Olympic Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Rio Olympics Games, Brazil.
Great Britain's Laura Trott, now Kenny, celebrates gold in the women's omnium at the Rio Olympic Velodrome in 2016. (PA)

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 Jason Kenny.

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

Great Britain's Mo Farah wins the Men's 5000m Final during Day 15 of the London 2012 Olympics at the Olympic Stadium, London.
A magical moment as Mo Farah wins the Men's 5000m Final at the London 2012 Olympics. (PA)

A multiple world distance champion, 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

Great Britain's Ed Coode (left) and four time Olympic gold medallist Matthew Pinsent react after winning in the Men's Four rowing final during the 2004 Olympic Games at the Schinias Olympic Rowing Centre in Athens.
Four-time Olympic gold medallist Matthew Pinsent reacts after winning in the Men's Four during the 2004 Olympic Games. (PA)

Forming a formidable partnership with Redgrave, the Briton 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, 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: Three gold, 2 silver

TOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 26: Adam Peaty of Great Britain celebrates after competing in the men 100m Breaststroke final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre on July 26, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan (Photo by Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto)/Sipa USA
Adam Peaty celebrates after another blistering men's 100m breaststroke title at Tokyo 2020. (Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto)/Sipa USA)

The undisputed breaststroke star of the pool and 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. 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: Three gold, 2 silver

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