Lottery gives our Olympians a golden opportunity to shine

THERE are few things better for putting a spring in our collective step than the sight of British sporting glory on the international stage.

- Patrick O'Flynn

Just a couple of weeks on from England’s thrilling run to the final of the Euros football tournament, we are being treated to a second dose of the sporting feelgood factor.

Team GB is putting in yet another storming performance at the Olympics. On some nights one can almost hear the sound of British medals arriving like an avalanche of pound coins tumbling out of a slot machine when all the symbols have come into alignment.

Yesterday morning we were sixth overall in the medals table, with our six golds and 24 medals making us by far the most successful European country at the Tokyo Games.

It’s not often one feels sorry for Germany, which had just three golds, or Italy – our football conquerors – with just two.

IF WE want to retain this level of success, which naturally most of us do, it is vital that we understand what has brought it about. Natural talent among our athletes and brilliant coaches are part of the mix, it is true.

But above all it is money, most from the National Lottery, that has enabled the astonishing transformation in the fortunes of Team GB since the ignominy of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, in which we won just one gold and only 15 medals overall.