Great British failures

The failure to win gold by Team GB’s Matthew Hudson Smith was the 3rd such one after Adam Peaty and Josh Kerr.

You would not have guessed it from the soft post-event interview – and now Peaty is blaming the food.

He is pathetic. Footballers are overpaid but they have to put up with much more: insecurity over injury and selection; abuse on social media ; capricious managers and coaches and know all owners

On a different perspective, you could argue that with 12 golds – and lying fifth in the medal table – Great Britain have performed more than competently. One could also argue – and I do – that GB performs beyond its weight in many sports, e.g. golf, football, snooker, cricket, cycling, boxing and horse racing, but what seems to be lacking – and which Australia, Germany and the United States possess in spades – is a ruthless winning mentality.

In addition we do not seem to have had – apart from John Major and his wonderful lottery funding – too many post-War leaders that are interested or concerned by sport, though Prince William is  an honourable exception.