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Medal Stand

Medal Stand: Team Great Britain Rejoicing With Greatest Olympics In More Than A Century

Published August 8, 2012

Each day during the Summer Games, THE DAILY offers our take on the business performances of some of the people, sponsors, broadcasters and other entities around London.

 

GOLD: TEAM GREAT BRITAIN -- After a slow start, British athletes are enjoying their greatest Olympics in more than a century, collecting 22 gold medals and 48 medals overall through yesterday's competition. Not since the 1908 Games in London have the Brits fared so well, and it has caused the social media outlets of Team GB athletes to explode in recent days, gaining more than 1 million followers combined on Facebook and Twitter.

SILVER: PUMA -- The athletic footwear and apparel brand pales in comparison to Nike and adidas in terms of sales and marketing, but it certainly stands tall during the Olympics thanks to its sponsorship of the Jamaican track team. Puma's apparel, and its prevalent logo, have gotten immeasurable attention as the likes of Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and so many other Jamaicans have dominated the shorter distances in London.
 

BRONZE: LIU XIANG -- In one of the more painful stories of the Games, Liu Xiang once again failed to fulfill his promise as the greatest track star China has ever produced. In '08, he injured his Achilles tendon and struggled out of the blocks. In London, he apparently suffered the same injury, causing him to clip his first hurdle of the Games and tumble to the track. The '04 Olympic champion has gone home empty-handed twice now. Sadly, as Bolt has soared, Xiang has collapsed.

TIN: LONDON VELOPARK -- The building itself is very cool, with an exterior made of wood that bends outward and an interior that looks like a salad platter. And it certainly has been electrified with Team GB celebrations this week. But, to quote London 2012 organizers, the venue is made of a "100 percent naturally ventilated system that eliminates the need for air conditioning." Sure, if you like sitting in a bamboo steamer -- which, come to think of it, is how the place looks and feels.

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