AOC Report Reveals Russia to Top 2012 Medal Charts
February 22, 2011
According to a report by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) revealing projections of medal successes at next year’s London Olympics, Australia are set to finish behind Britain, with Russia winning the most medals.
Based on results from World Championships, World Cups and other major international events staged in 2010, Russia is projected to win 97 medals at next year’s Games ahead of 94 for the United States and 93 for China, the AOC said.
However, the US are projected to top the gold medals chart with an estimated 38, pipping China on 37 and Russia on 30.
Britain is fourth, with a projected medal count of 48 medals, made up of 19 gold, 19 silver and 10 bronze, followed by Germany on 47, France on 45 and Japan on 43.
The findings from the AOC predict that Australia, which finished in sixth place at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with 46 medals, will get four fewer at the next edition, including 11 gold, three less than last time, which could drop them to as low as eighth.
AOC President John Coates stated: “A top five position is still very achievable. There are five countries jostling for fourth and fifth spots who are all very close together.”
An extra $23 million in Government funding to elite sports provided late last year may help lift performances between now and the start of the London Games in July 2012, Coates said: “It took a while coming but it’s kicking in now.”