Archery

In the archery competition, the British team dominated the two events (one for men, one for women) popular in their country, winning both championships and second places as well as one third place, losing only a single bronze medal to the United States. British women were the only ones to compete in the women's event. Great Britain had 41 archers present, 25 women and 16 men; they totalled 42 entries over all three events held.

Brother and sister William and Lottie Dod took gold and silver medals, Queenie Newall taking the women's gold to become the oldest female gold medallist in Olympic history (a record she holds through the 2004 Summer Olympics), and the only Irish woman present at the 1908 Games won the women's bronze medal.

The British did not do as well in the Continental style, dominated by the French team, with the only Briton taking 12th place. Robert Backhouse, however, shot a score in a friendly demonstration that would have placed him second had he been in actual competition.

Athletics

The British team was the second most successful team in athletics. With 7 first-place finishes, they gathered less than half the championships that the American team did at 16, but still nearly doubled all other teams combined (4 gold medals).

Boxing

Great Britain dominated the boxing competitions, taking 14 of the 15 medals including all 5 gold medals.

Cycling

Great Britain won 5 of a possible 7 gold medals in the cycling competitions, losing only the men's tandem to France and the men's sprint by exceeding the time limit (though a French cyclist finished first in that event as well).

Diving

Fencing

Great Britain took second in the men's team épée competition, with Montgomerie also making it into a three-way playoff for 2nd, 3rd and 4th places in the individual event despite having been nearly eliminated in both the second round and the semifinals. His bottom placing in that playoff gave France a sweep of the medals. The British were less successful in sabre, with no fencers making it to the final in the individual competition and the team being eliminated in the first round.

Figure skating

Football

England national amateur football team represented Great Britain in the football competition.

Gymnastics

More information Gymnast, Event ...

Gymnast	Event	Score	Rank
S. Walter Tysall	Men's all-around	312
Samuel Hodgetts		266	6
Edward Potts		252.5	9
George Bailey		246	12
Franklin Dick		233.5	16
Arthur Hodges		252.5	16
William Watters		225.5	23
James Graham		225	24
Joseph Cook		213	31
G. Meade		205	37
Edgar Dyson		195.5	42
Sidney Domville		193.75	45
Robert Hanley		193.5	46
John Watters		187.5	48
William Fergus		183.5	51
Edmund Aspinall		177	56
C. H. Smith		171.5	58
Oliver Bauscher		149.5	73
A. V. Ford		141.5	79
Leonard Hanson		121	85

Close

Hockey

Great Britain sent four teams, one from each of the Home Nations. Scotland and England defeated Germany and France, respectively, in the first round before facing each other in the semifinals. Their victories assured them medals, while Ireland and Wales had been guaranteed medals by receiving byes in the first round. England won in the semifinal against Scotland, while Ireland defeated Wales in the other semifinal. The two losing teams received bronze medals, while England took the gold by winning the final against Ireland, who received silver.

More information Event, Place ...

Event	Place	Players	First round	Semifinals	Final	5th/6th
Men's hockey	1st	England Louis Baillon, Harry Freeman, Eric Green, Gerald Logan, Alan Noble, Edgar Page, Reggie Pridmore, Percy Rees, John Yate Robinson, Stanley Shoveller, Harvey Wood	Won vs. France 10-1	Won vs. Scotland 6-1	Won vs. Ireland 8-1	Not relegated
	2nd	Ireland Edward Allman-Smith, Henry Brown, Walter Campbell, William Graham, Richard Gregg, Edward Holmes, Robert Kennedy, Henry Murphy, Jack Peterson, Walter Peterson, Charles Power, Frank Robinson	Bye	Won vs. Wales 3-1	Lost vs. England 8-1	Not relegated
	3rd	Scotland Alexander Burt, John Burt, Alastair Denniston, Charles Foulkes, Hew Fraser, James Harper-Orr, Ivan Laing, Hugh Neilson, Gordon Orchardson, Norman Stevenson, Hugh Walker	Won vs. Germany 4-0	Lost vs. England 6-1	Did not advance	Not relegated
		Wales Frank Connah, Llewellyn Evans, Arthur Law, Richard Lyne, Wilfred Pallott, Frederick Phillips, Edward Richards, Charles Shephard, Bertrand Turnbull, Philip Turnbull, James Williams	Bye	Lost vs. Ireland 3-1

Close

Jeu de paume

In the jeu de paume competition, British players took the silver and bronze medals.

Lacrosse

Great Britain lost the only lacrosse match played in 1908 to Canada, earning the silver medal.

Polo

Great Britain was the only nation to compete in polo in 1908, with two English teams and an Irish team competing.

Rackets

The host nation was the only one to compete in rackets in 1908.

Rowing

Rugby

Great Britain lost the only rugby union match played in 1908 to Australasia, earning the silver medal. The British representative was the Cornwall county team, which had won the 1907 county championships.

Sailing

Great Britain took all four of the sailing gold medals, without contest in the cases of the 7 metre class (where only one boat entered) and the 12 metre class (where both boats were British).

Shooting