Team GB’s eight sets of siblings going for Tokyo Olympics flory – with six twins
Team GB will be a family affair at the Tokyo Olympics with EIGHT sets of siblings going for glory.
Jennifer and Jessica Gadirova compete in gymnastics, Charlotte and Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne and rowers Emily and Tom Ford made the team, alongside swimmers Joe and Max Litchfield, and boxers Luke and Pat McCormack.
Both Tiffany Porter and Cindy Sember, and Hannah and Jodie Williams compete in athletics, while Adam and Simon Yates are going for gold in cycling.
It is believed to be a record number of siblings in the team in the modern era. The Gadirovas, McCormacks and Yates’ are all twins.
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And there will be a ninth set of siblings on the plane to Japan, as two-time Olympian Harry Martin – brother of women’s hockey player Hannah Martin – is a reserve for the men’s hockey team.
There were six sets of siblings in Rio, which set a new record then. Twin brothers Adam and Simon, 28, have been selected for the men’s road race, as have Thomas and Tao Geoghegan Hart, 26.
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The Harts will also contest the men’s time trial event. Yorkshire-born Max and Joe Litchfield told the Mirror of their excitement at going to the Games as part of our swim team.
They are only our third ever set of brothers to compete at a Games in the pool.
Joe, 22, said: “Both being in the team is just really, really good for us.”
Max, 24, in his second Games after Rio, added: “It is amazing to be swimming together in the team.”
Dad Peter, 64, was a footballer with Preston North End and Bradford.
Pat and Luke McCormack are the ‘fun-loving’ twins in Team GB’s boxing squad.
The pair love letting off steam away from the ring.
But they’ll only have eyes on the Tokyo prize when they descend on Japan.
Pat, the reigning Commonwealth champion, said: “It’s unbelievable – I went by myself to Rio last time and it’s time for the twins to take over Tokyo.
“Both going to the Olympics will be unbelievable.
"It’s much better having him with us – we’ve been all around the world fighting together.
"We like to have fun, but as soon as we get to these tournaments there’s a little switch that we switch on.”
Sibling stars
Seven pairs of British siblings have taken medals at a Summer Games:
1908, archery William (gold) and Lottie Dod (silver).
1936, athletics Godfrey (men’s 4x400m gold, 400m silver) and Audrey Brown (women’s 4x100m silver).
1984, team show jumping John and Michael Whitaker (silver).
1996, rowing Jonny and Greg Searle (men’s coxed pair gold). 2000, rowing Miriam and Guin Batten (women’s quadruple sculls silver).
2012, rowing Richard and Peter Chambers (men’s lightweight four silver). 2012 and 2016, triathlon Alistair (gold) and Jonny Brownlee (bronze and silver).
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