Mountain biker Pidcock and GB eventing team spark magic Monday medal rush

Britain's athletes overcame all manner of adversity, from life-changing injuries to a puncture and a Covid scare, to claim two golds in Paris yesterday and ensure God Save the King rang out over the Olympics for the first time since 1948.

- Daniel Boffey

There were also individual silver medals on the third day of the Games for Matt Richards, 21, who lost out on the top prize by a fingertip in the men's 200m freestyle final, and 32-year-old Adam Burgess in the men's singles canoe.

Tom Daley and Noah Williams took silver in the 10-metre synchronised dive, prompting Daley, who already has three bronzes and a gold to his name, to thank his husband for taking "the reins with the kids".

"It's just so special," he said. "This time last year, deciding to come back, not knowing whether I would make the synchro team, let alone qualify for a spot at the Olympics, and now to be here in Paris, diving in front of my son, who is just right there and actually asked me to come back."

The day ended with the announcement from Team GB that the swimmer Adam Peaty had tested positive for Covid after just missing out on Sunday on a historic third gold in as many Games in the 100m breaststroke.

Officials said they remained optimistic Peaty, 29, would recover in time for this week's 4x100m medley and 4x100m mixed medley as he seeks to add to his six Olympic medals, but there are inevitable concerns about the health of rest of the camp.

Joy at the magic Monday medal rush, including the first golds under a king since the death of George VI, remained undiminished, with the Prince and Princess of Wales tweeting: "Huge congratulations to the equestrian eventing team and Tom Pidcock in the mountain biking on winning Team GB's first gold medals! Here's to more success ahead!"

In the sizzling heat of the Château de Versailles, Tom McEwen, Ros Canter and Laura Collett, who nearly died when her horse fell on her in 2013 and who today has only partial sight in one eye, were first to top the podium for Team GB and retain their Olympic team eventing title.