Olympic Medal Success

Since Eric Liddell’s double medal success at the 1924 Paris Games, students, staff and athletes with a connection to the University have won a further 27 Olympic and Paralympic medals.

At the 1968 Mexico Games, Bob Braithwaite, who attended the University’s Royal (Dick) Veterinary College when aged just 16) won Gold in Olympic Trap Shooting Trench Discipline. After missing two of the targets in the first stage of the event then went on to break every one of the subsequent 175 targets, ending with an Olympic record-equalling 198 out of 200.

At the 1972 Munich Games, David Jenkins won Bronze as part of the 4x400m Relay and Bronze medal success followed subsequent games, for Alan McClatchey in the 200-freestyle swimming relay at Montreal 1976, for Linsey MacDonald in the 4x400m Relay in 1980 in Moscow and in 1992 in Barcelona for Alison Ramsey as part of the GB Hockey team.

Sir Chris Hoy with Jim Aitken MBE in front of his Hall of Fame board

The 2000 Sydney Games marked the beginning of an era of serial success for Edinburgh Alumni Dame Katherine Grainger and Sir Chris Hoy. In Sydney both secured their first Olympic medals with silver in the Quad Skulls for Katherine and Silver in the Team Sprint for Chris. Medal wins followed for both Katherine and Chris at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012, with Chris securing a further 7 Gold Medals and Katherine 1 Gold and 2 Silvers. At London 2012, Gemma Gibbons and Sam Ingram also won silver medals in Judo.

At the 2016 Rio Game, Katherine Grainger returned to the boat, securing Silver in the Double Skulls. Fellow rower Polly Swann won Silver in the Women’s Eight, Mark Robertson won Silver as part of the GB Rugby 7’s team and Eilidh Doyle picked up an incredible Silver as part of the 4 x 400m Relay team.

Dame Katherine Grainger presenting in the Sports Hall of Fame

At the 2020 Tokyo Games, Sarah Robertson was a central figure in enabling GB women to claim Bronze by scoring in their 4-3 medal-winning match over India. Associated athletes, Stephen Clegg and Scot Quin shone in the pool, with Stephen winning a Silver, in the 12 100m Fly and 2 Bronze medals S12 100m Backstroke and S12 100m Freestyle events, and Scot securing Bronze in the SB14 100m Breaststroke.

As we approach the Paris 2024 games, we look forward to cheering on all the athletes participating but in particular those with a connection to Edinburgh.

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