Britain and Australia are two of the fiercest rivals in sport.
Australia's Sports Minister Kate Ellis (who would have been British had her great-great-grandfather not been a pickpocket) and her British counterpart Gerry Sutcliffe made a bet over which nation would finish above the other in the medals table. If Australia finished above Britain, Sutcliffe would have to wear Australia's colours of green and gold at a major sporting event. Likewise, if Britain finished above Australia, Ellis would have to wear Britain's colours of red, white and blue at a major sporting event.
Britain finished fourth in the medals table, with 19 golds and a total of 47 medals. Australia finished sixth, with only 14 golds and 46 medals, Britain's best haul since it won a whopping 56 gold, 51 silver and 39 bronze at the 1908 Olympics, and the first time since 1988 that Britain has finished above Australia in an Olympics medals table.
Britain wins Olympics bet with Australia
Sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe is celebrating winning a bet with his Australian counterpart over the rival nations' performance in the Beijing Olympics.
24 Aug 2008
The Telegraph
Britain's Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe has won a bet with Australia's Sports Minister Kate Ellis after Britain finished above Australia in the medals table.
Mr Sutcliffe said he was looking forward to handing over a British shirt for Kate Ellis to wear at a major sporting event after Team GB's success at the games.
Team GB finished fourth, with an impressive total of 19 golds, five more than the Australians, who trailed in sixth place in the final medals table.
The success means Mr Sutcliffe will be spared the embarrassment of donning Australian green and gold in front of British fans.
He told Sky News: "I am looking forward to handing over a GB shirt to Kate Ellis because they were shocked that we thought we could get anywhere near them in the medal table.
"We've beaten them, we have got more gold medals and indeed more medals.
"I will taking great pride in handing a GB shirt to Kate Ellis in the paralympics in Beijing shortly."
telegraph.co.uk
Australia's Sports Minister Kate Ellis (who would have been British had her great-great-grandfather not been a pickpocket) and her British counterpart Gerry Sutcliffe made a bet over which nation would finish above the other in the medals table. If Australia finished above Britain, Sutcliffe would have to wear Australia's colours of green and gold at a major sporting event. Likewise, if Britain finished above Australia, Ellis would have to wear Britain's colours of red, white and blue at a major sporting event.
Britain finished fourth in the medals table, with 19 golds and a total of 47 medals. Australia finished sixth, with only 14 golds and 46 medals, Britain's best haul since it won a whopping 56 gold, 51 silver and 39 bronze at the 1908 Olympics, and the first time since 1988 that Britain has finished above Australia in an Olympics medals table.
Britain wins Olympics bet with Australia
Sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe is celebrating winning a bet with his Australian counterpart over the rival nations' performance in the Beijing Olympics.
24 Aug 2008
The Telegraph
Britain's Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe has won a bet with Australia's Sports Minister Kate Ellis after Britain finished above Australia in the medals table.
Mr Sutcliffe said he was looking forward to handing over a British shirt for Kate Ellis to wear at a major sporting event after Team GB's success at the games.
Team GB finished fourth, with an impressive total of 19 golds, five more than the Australians, who trailed in sixth place in the final medals table.
The success means Mr Sutcliffe will be spared the embarrassment of donning Australian green and gold in front of British fans.
He told Sky News: "I am looking forward to handing over a GB shirt to Kate Ellis because they were shocked that we thought we could get anywhere near them in the medal table.
"We've beaten them, we have got more gold medals and indeed more medals.
"I will taking great pride in handing a GB shirt to Kate Ellis in the paralympics in Beijing shortly."
telegraph.co.uk
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