Bird hails Yorkshire as medal tally beats Japan’s

Twitter users have been pointing out that competitors from the county have won four golds, two silvers and two bronzes by the end of yesterday.

As countries on the medal table are ranked first by golds won, this would put an independent Yorkshire 10th on the table, just behind Russia but ahead of Japan (two golds), Australia (one gold) and India (no golds).

The county is also well ahead of Usain Bolt’s Jamaica (two golds).

With the Brownlee brothers, from Leeds, widely expected to be in the medals in the triathlon, Yorkshire’s total could soon be higher.

The tally does rely on a reasonably liberal interpretation of a “Yorkshire athlete”.

Star turn, of course, is Jessica Ennis. Born and bred in Sheffield, her Yorkshire-ness is beyond question. Similarly, cyclist Ed Clancy was born in Barnsley and lived for most of his life in the Huddersfield area.

Andrew Triggs-Hodge, the gold medal rower, was brought up in the Grassington area of the Yorkshire Dales.

Most problematic, in terms of definition, is another gold medal-winning rower: Kat Copeland. She rows for the Tees Rowing Club and lives in Ingleby Barwick near Middlesbrough which has not been part of Yorkshire for 40 years and is now part of the Cleveland area.

Copeland’s family does live a short distance away though, in the North Yorkshire town of Stokesley.

Retired Yorkshire cricketer and umpire Bird, 79, who still lives in his native Barnsley, South Yorkshire, said: The Yorkshire competitors have done absolutely brilliantly.

“Yorkshire folk are wonderful, wonderful people known for their hard work and sheer Yorkshire grit which has pulled them through.

He added: “I have no doubt Jessica Ennis would win a gold because of her determination and mental strength.

“When she won she had a tear in her eye, and I did too.

“I feel so proud for her and her parents and family. I just wish she came from Barnsley, not Sheffield.”

Other Yorkshire medallists are Lizzie Armitstead, from Otley, who won Team GB’s first medal: a silver in the women’s cycling road race; Nicola Wilson, from Northallerton, who won silver in the team eventing competition; and rower Tom Ransley part of the British men’s eight crew which won bronze.

Although Ransley is not from Yorkshire, he now lives in York and rows for York City Rowing Club.

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “People are asking what we are putting in the water in Yorkshire to produce these hugely talented athletes.

“But with the outstanding facilities, inspirational coaches and focused individuals I am not surprised that Yorkshire athletes have won one in four of Team GB’s medals.”

He said further hopes include boxer Luke Campbell, from Hull; Sarah Stevenson from Doncaster, who will compete in the Taekwondo; and Nicola Adams, from Leeds, who has started her campaign in the women’s boxing.