London 2012: Team GB gold medal hopefuls
Read the rest of our Olympic Games betting pack here. Find out who to watch and back at London 2012.
Find out which other young stars to watch out for during the Olympics.
Dai Greene – 400m hurdles
The 26-year-old Welshman is captain of the Team GB squad and last year would have been nailed on for a gold at the Olympic stadium. Despite a knee operation over the winter which looked to have affected his preparations, he set a new personal best in Paris this year, just 0.02 seconds off Kriss Akabusi’s 20-year-old British record in the 400m hurdle. He might not be favourite to land the gold but Greene, has the experience to handle the big occasion and at 3/1 looks a smart bet for any Great Britain fans.
Robbie Grabarz – High jump
A remarkable turnaround for Grabarz, who ended 2011 without lottery funding after failing to make the team for the European Championships, is now fourth favourite with the bookies for the high jump gold. He has bounced back in 2012, winning the Euro Championships this year, and he is now second in the world, losing out by just 1cm. Back the 24-year-old at 6/1 with Paddy Power here.
Jessica Ennis – Heptathlon
Sheffield born Ennis is the pin-up girl of London 2012 and she starts as the odds on favourite to win the heptathlon. She has endured a mixed 12 months; failing to defend her world title in 2011, then struggling in the indoor world championships in March, but a new personal best set in May has reinforced her billing as favourite. Ennis was awarded an MBE in 2011 and looks a banker for another medal for Great Britain this summer.
Rebecca Adlington – 800m freestyle
Adlington is out to defend her 400m and 800m freestyle gold medals from Beijing. The double gold medallist was just 19 at the time and was the solo star in the 2008 swimming squad. This year she is 8/15 favourite (with Ladbrokes) for the 800m but is tipped to struggle to beat Camile Muffat in the 400m, priced at 4/1 to win gold.
Chris Hoy – Keirin
The most successful Olympic male cyclist ever, Hoy has been confirmed as the flag-bearer for Great Britain during the opening ceremony. He is the heavy favourite to claim his fifth Olympic gold in the Keirin this summer, he is odds-on everywhere, 17/25 with Betfair is your best bet. Rule changes means it is unlikely he will be able to defend all three of his 2008 titles but the Keirin is his most bankable race. Famous for wearing trousers two sizes too big, the Scot enters London 2012 with hopes of adding to his five Olympic medal haul.
Tom Daley – 10m Individual Platform and 10m Synchro
Tom Daley will be going for gold from 10 metres again this summer and it is easy to forget that he has only just turned 18. He is 10/3 to win gold this Olympics but faces competition from another young diving prodigy Qiu Bo. Daley burst onto the scene at Beijing in 2008 before winning gold at the 2009 European Championships in Rome and followed up with a gold at the Commonwealth games in 2010.
Savannah Marshall – Boxing (middleweight)
Britain’s first ever women’s world champion aged just 21, Savannah Marshall is part of a competitive women’s boxing squad at London 2012. She is favourite to win gold at middleweight this summer at 5/2 with Bet365, despite only fighting at this weight for 18 months. After winning a silver at 69kg, she made the step up to 75kg, winning a bronze in her first bout. A gold at the 2012 world championships, on her 21st birthday, sees her start as favourite for another title.
Ben Ainslie – Sailing
With gold medals at three successive Olympics, Ben Ainslie is another hot tip for a GB medal winner. He is 8/15 on with the bookmakers with his nearest rival coming in at 10/1 in the betting. Having beaten his British competition for his place in the squad, Ainslie has also removed the world No 1 and 2, seemingly clearing the way to a fourth straight gold. Ainslie was given a £100 dinghy as an eight-year-old, called “Rita” and has gone on to become Britain’s most successful sailor of all time.
Hannah England – 1500m
Despite missing out in 2008, England has bounced back and after winning a silver medal at Daegu in the world championships she will be brimming with confidence. At 33/1 with Betfair she is a longshot, but if she can produce a final 100m like her late surge in Daegu she will give the home fans plenty to cheer about.
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