Alternative Olympic medal table shows how unlucky Team GB have been so far

How unlucky Team GB has been at the 2024 Paris Olympics has been agonisingly laid out for all to see thanks to an alternative medal table.

At the time of putting this article together, Great Britain lies in a respectable sixth place at the Paris Games.

With six gold medals, seven silver, and seven bronze, only the sporting powerhouses of China, France, Japan, Australia, and the USA are ahead of old Blighty.

Some of the stand out performances so far have been in the men's triathlon and women’s quadruple sculls, with Team GB securing two gold medals within 30 minutes of each other on a day that many are now called 'Wonderful Wednesday'.

There has also been heartwarming moments, such as Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix's bronze medal in the diving alongside partner Lois Toulson in the women’s synchronised diving 10 metres platform event.

With dad and TV star Fred Sirieix watching on from the crowds, he was left overwhelmed with emotion as his daughter secured the podium spot.

But it has also been a case of 'almost' for a bunch of athletes, with Team GB coming agonisingly closer than most.

Over on Reddit, users have shared an alternative table that shows the 'almost medals' across every event so far.

We're talking those who finished in fourth, fifth, and sixth place.

Created by the @FFLose account on X (formerly Twitter), it showcases the depth of competitors that have only just missed out on a podium spot of their own.

The reading is pretty heartbreaking for Great Britain, with the team officially second when it comes to getting close to a medal but not quite securing one.

As of Wednesday evening (31 July), only Italy beats Team GB when it comes to 4th place finishes, with Great Britain finishing one spot behind bronze on eight different occasions.

Among those to finish fourth are Team GB's men in the artistic gymnastics team final. The same position was secured for the women's equivalent team.

Over on Reddit, fans have said it shows just how little there can be showcasing what counts as Olympic 'success'.

One Italian said: "You could say I'm biased and all, but man in some of these we were so unlucky with ruling.

"At least we won two golds in swimming."

Another French supporter took it as an opportunity, writing: "Imagine we end up at the top of the medal table AND almost."

Best and best of the rest would be a pretty good look when it comes to showcasing not just quality but depth across Olympic teams.