GB Cyclists And Rowers Lead Olympic Gold Rush

There was golden glory for the British team on Friday as Victoria Pendleton became queen of the Velodrome, its cyclists smashed a world record and rower Katherine Grainger finally realised her Olympic dream.

Day 7 Highlights

:: Team GB's Victoria Pendleton and the men's pursuit team win gold medals in track cycling

:: Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkins win gold for Britain in the women's double sculls

:: Britain's Jessica Ennis is in first place after the first day of the heptathlon

:: Andy Murray reaches the tennis final - guaranteeing the Scot at least a silver

:: Northern Ireland's Alan Campbell and Team GB's men's pair win rowing bronze medals

:: Britain's Karina Bryant wins bronze in the judo +78kg

:: Rebecca Adlington fails to retain her Olympic crown but still makes British swimming history

:: Britain's women's football team crashes out of the Games after losing to Canada in the quarter finals

:: US great Michael Phelps closes his individual Olympic career with a gold medal in the 100m butterfly

But, despite battling bravely, Rebecca Adlington could only manage a bronze medal as she tried to defend her 800m freestyle Olympic title.

However, even after losing the gold to 15-year-old Katie Ledecky, Adlington's second bronze of the London Games made her the first British swimmer in history to win four individual Olympic medals.

Pendleton made up for the bitter disappointment of being relegated from the team sprint and produced a storming finish to take the gold medal in the women's keirin.

Pendleton said: "I can barely believe it. The crowd have been fantastic - they really helped me tonight."

And with cycling hero Bradley Wiggins looking on, the men's team pursuit squad added gold with an emphatic performance which shattered the world record leaving rivals Australia trailing in their wake.

The golds pushed Team GB to fourth in the medals table with 22 - eight gold, six silver and eight bronze.

At the same point in the hugely-successful Beijing Games Britain had won just eight medals.

Adlington admitted there had been pressure and expectation on her to win gold in the 800m freestyle, but declared: "I gave it my absolute all."

The atmosphere in the Velodrome was electric as Ed Clancy, Geraint Thomas, Peter Kennaugh and Steven Burke stormed to victory in the pursuit.

Thomas told the BBC: "The crowd is unbelievable. My ears are ringing. It's too loud."

After three consecutive silver medals Grainger had feared she would always be the bridesmaid at the Games, but she put those days behind her as she stormed to victory with her double sculls partner, Anna Watkins.

She raised her arms to the heavens as she crossed the line and bowed to a packed stand.

The scene could not have been further removed from the devastating defeat in Beijing four years ago when Grainger missed out on gold. Then, she was left distraught and contemplating retirement.

She told the BBC: "It was worth the wait. I feel this medal, of all of them, is the people's medal. I feel so many people have been behind me and supported me and wanted this for me as much as I have."

There was more rowing triumph for Team GB when George Nash and William Satch took bronze in the men's pair and Alan Campbell took bronze in the men's single sculls.

Another bronze went to veteran British judo heavyweight Karina Bryant, who finally claimed an Olympic medal in a fight against Iryna Kindzerska of Ukraine.

Another gold medal hope, Jessica Ennis, made a sensational start in the heptathlon, setting a new record in the 100m hurdles.

In the first day of athletics at the Games, only a handful of seats in the 80,000-capacity Olympic stadium were empty as the 26-year-old recorded the fastest time ever for the 100m hurdles, smashing her personal best with an exhilarating run of 12.54 seconds.

Ennis admitted she was stunned by the size of the crowd and her achievement in the hurdles.

"Stepping into the stadium before the hurdles, it just blew me away to be honest," she told the BBC.

"The crowd and how they got behind me was amazing. It was a great start to the day."

And British tennis number one Andy Murray has secured his spot in the Olympics final after beating world number two Novak Djokovic in straight sets.

The Scotsman faces Roger Federer in what will be a repeat of this year's Wimbledon final.

Day 7 of the Games also saw US great Michael Phelps win the seventeenth gold medal of his career, and 21st overall, with victory in the 100m butterfly.

It was the final individual race of the 27-year-old's career with just the 4x100m medley relay to come before the Baltimore swimmer bows out of competition.

He said: "I am just happy that the last one was a win, that is all I wanted coming into tonight."

Britain are now fourth in the medals table with 22  in total.

Friday's haul came after Team GB won three gold and three silvers in rowing, canoeing, judo, cycling and shooting yesterday.