Mo Farah’s unprecedented ‘double double’ on the track led the south west London success stories at the Rio Olympics.
There were 54 athletes from our area competing across 14 sports in Rio – and between them they won eight gold medals, three silvers and two bronzes.
That would be enough to put south west London 13th in the medal table, above hosts Brazil.
Farah, who grew up in Teddington, triumphed in both the 10,000m and 5,000m events for the second consecutive Games.
Britain’s most successful track and field athlete won’t be going for the triple double in Tokyo in four years’ time though after saying he will end his track career after the World Championships in London next year to focus on the marathon.
Farah’s two golds were the only medals won by south west Londoners on the track.
Jo Pavey, 42, was in a 10,000m final that saw Ethiopian Almaz Ayana smash the world record, while Charlie Grice was in the final of the 1,500m.
Sprinters James Ellington and James Dasaolu failed to reach the 100m final while Croydon’s Martyn Rooney went out in the heats of the 400m and then saw GB harshly disqualified in the semi-finals of the 400m relay.
Golf’s inclusion in the Games sparked controversy among the world’s leading players but Justin Rose’s stunning victory and fervent celebrations cemented its inclusion in future Olympiads.
The Putney resident beat his Ryder cup team mate, Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, on the final hole to claim victory.
Three of Surbiton’s hockey players were part of the victorious women’s hockey team.
Giselle Ansley, Georgie Twigg and Hollie Webb all played a part in winning a thrilling gold, decided dramatically on penalties in the final against the Netherlands, with Webb sealing the win.
Sutton’s Joanna Rowsell-Shand won gold as a member of the record-breaking women’s team pursuit squad.
She triumphed in the velodrome in a British cycling squad where every member of the team won a medal.
Epsom’s Chris Langridge and his partner Marcus Ellis won a surprise bronze in the men’s doubles badminton competition, defeated by the eventual winners at the semi-final stage.
Four of south west London’s rugby sevens players earned themselves a silver medal in the sport’s first outing at the Olympics, and they were coached by another south west Londoner, Simor Amor.
The sport was well-received with champions Fiji winning their first ever Olympic medal.
Team GB’s traditional strengths lie in boxing, rowing and cycling and our Londoners did not fail to deliver.
Joe Joyce and Josh Buatsi earned silver and bronze respectively in the boxing competition whilst four rowers from our area produced performances worthy of standing atop the podium.
Moe Sbihi and George Nash triumphed in the men’s coxless four and Andrew Triggs-Hodge with coxswain Phelan Hill in the men’s eight.
Jessica Eadie and Karen Bennett were part of the women’s eight team who claimed silver.
Wimbledon champion Andy Murray became the most decorated male tennis player in Olympic history and the first man to successfully defend a singles title.
Murray’s Olympic defence followed his second victory at the All England Club in July.
