Great Britain has hosted three summer Olympics. In 1908, 1948 and 2012 London hosted the fourth, fourteenth and thirtieth Olympiads overseen by the International Olympic Committee.
Great Britain or Team GB are the United Kingdom (UK) team of athletes sent to every modern Olympic Games since they began in 1896. From 1896 to 2016 inclusive, Great Britain has won 847 medals at the Summer Olympic Games, and another 26 at the Winter Olympic Games. It is the only national team to have won at least one Gold Medal at every Summer Games, and lies third globally in the winning of both Gold Medals and total medals, surpassed only by the United States and the former Soviet Union.
Here is some more information about the Olympiads in London including venues, games and medals:
1908 IV Olympiad
The 1908 Summer Olympic games in London took place at White City. Following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 1906 Rome pulled out as hosts and the games relocated to London. Lasting over 6 months, these games were the longest in modern Olympics history. The budget of the organising committee showed a cost of £15,000, not including the £60,000 cost of constructing the White City Stadium, paid for by the government.
Twelve sports venues were used for the 1908 Summer Olympics. The first winter sports took place at Prince’s Skating Club. The All England Tennis and Lawn Club continues to serve as host for Wimbledon’s tennis events and is the only venue of the 1908 Games to serve as one for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
In 1908, Britain finished in first place on the Olympic table for the first and only time in its history.
1948 XIV Olympiad
Fifty nine nations participated in the 1948 London Olympic games in London that ran for just over two weeks. Germany and Japan were refused permission to participate. The USSR chose not to send any athletes. These were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin. The event came to be known as the Austerity Games, because of the economic climate and post-war rationing. No new venues were built for the games and athletes were housed in army barracks and female athletes in London colleges.
The 1948 Summer Olympic programme featured 136 events in 19 sports. The host nation won 23 medals, including 3 gold. The United States topped the table with 84 medals, including 38 gold medals.
2012 XXX Olympiad
In 2012, 204 nations participated in the London XXX Olympic games in London that ran for seventeen days at the Olympic Park in London and across the UK. The Olympic Park was constructed on a former industrial site at Stratford, East London. The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games used a mixture of new venues including the Olympic Park, existing and historic facilities, and temporary facilities, including Hyde Park and Horse Guards Parade. The football tournament was staged at grounds around the UK. The Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy in Dorset hosted the sailing events.
Around 10,700 athletes from 205 National Olympic Committees took part. 79 countries acquired at least one medal, making it the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the United Kingdom.
The final medal tally was led by the United States, followed by China and host Great Britain. Several world and Olympic records were set at the games.
An Oxford University study found the sports-related costs of London 2012 was 15 billion dollars, making it the most expensive Summer Games ever and over budget by 76 percent in real terms, measured from bid to completion.