Team GB bids to increase gold tally (From The Argus)

Team GB bids to increase gold tally

1:36pm Thursday 9th August 2012 in National News © Press Association 2013

Britain is hoping that its women could put Team GB back on the gold medal trail.

After a rare medal-free day on Wednesday, Nicola Adams was preparing to make history by fighting to become the first female Olympic boxing champion.

And the equestrian arena will be the centre of attention once more as members of Britain's successful dressage team go for individual gold, with Charlotte Dujardin favourite to claim her second gold of the Games.

If she does, she will become only the fourth British woman to win double gold at one Olympics, alongside Dame Kelly Holmes, Rebecca Adlington and Laura Trott.

There also are high hopes for taekwondo fighter Jade Jones, who has cruised into the quarter-finals of the women's under-57kg at ExCeL, with the finals later tonight.

Earlier, Keri-anne Payne was backed by her Team GB swimming team-mates as well as Prime Minister David Cameron as she narrowly missed out on an Olympic medal. Crowds packed the banks of the Serpentine in Hyde Park as the 24-year-old took finished fourth in the marathon open water swim.

In the crowd were her GB swimming team-mates, including fiance and fellow swimmer David Carry, as well as best friend Rebecca Adlington. But despite their staunch support, Payne missed out on a medal, beaten by Hungarian Eva Risztov, who took gold, USA's Haley Anderson in silver, and Italy's Martina Grimaldi, who took bronze.

Adams will realise her 17-year dream as she takes on China's Ren Cancan at the Excel Centre. It will be a key moment for women's boxing, which is part of the Games for the first time this year. Adams, 29, from Leeds, said: "I've been training for this moment since I was 12 years old and to think it is finally here is just incredible."

Meanwhile, Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell are assured of at least a silver medal in the men's 470 class sailing at Weymouth, while Hannah Mills and Sasia Clark will go for gold in the women's event.

A highlight of the day will come as Usain Bolt takes to the track in the 200m men's final at the Olympic Stadium. Bolt sealed his place in Olympic history on Sunday as he became only the second man to defend the 100m title. The Jamaican clocked a new Games best of 9.63 seconds on his way to gold.