Hoy at heart of Team GB medal rush (From Witney Gazette)

Hoy at heart of Team GB medal rush

9:33am Wednesday 8th August 2012 in National News © Press Association 2013

David Cameron has criticised teachers who were unwilling to play their part in coaching young talent as he called for a return to the "competitive ethos" in school sports.

The Prime Minister said more needs to be done if Britain wants to build on the success which saw sporting giant Sir Chris Hoy take his sixth gold medal on Tuesday night.

His victory in the Olympic velodrome helped take Britain's medal tally to 48 - 22 gold, 13 silver and 13 bronze - making it the team's most successful Games since the London Olympics of 1908.

The Prime Minister said the problem was not simply one of money, but of "some teachers not wanting to join in and play their part".

He told LBC 97.3 FM radio: "If we want to have a great sporting legacy for our children - and I do - we have got to have an answer that brings the whole of society together to crack this, more competition, more competitiveness, more getting rid of the idea all must win prizes and you can't have competitive sports days. We need a big cultural change - a cultural change in favour of competitive sports. That's what I think really matters."

The Prime Minister's comments sparked anger from teachers' leaders who said his words were "extremely unfair". The selling off of playing fields, with 21 approved for disposal since the coalition Government came to power, the lack of facilities and the removal of funding all played their part, the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) said.

Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, added: "The real issue is the major cuts that this coalition Government has made to school sports."

Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson promised that maintaining funding for elite sport would be his top priority after the record-breaking performance of Team GB.

The row over the London 2012 legacy comes as Sir Chris, 36, said his second gold medal of the Games was "the perfect end to my Olympic career". His victory in the men's keirin came shortly after the new star of women's cycling, Laura Trott, 20, won her second gold of the Games in the women's omnium.

Elsewhere, Alistair Brownlee was victorious in the triathlon yesterday, ahead of his brother Jonny, who won bronze, while the dressage team also secured gold. British fans will turn to Nick Skelton for more medal success on Wednesday as he competes in the individual jumping equestrian event.