Britain Bumps Medal Count on Day 11

Britain’s Olympic team added a 16th gold medal today, a total not seen since the 1908 Games, Reuters reports. Christine Ohuruogu took first in the women’s 400 meters—the country’s first track victory in Beijing. Bahrain’s Rashid Ramzi won the men’s 1,500 meters, giving the Persian Gulf nation its first ever Olympic medal.

Germany weightlifter Matthias Steiner won the men’s super-heavyweight competition, claiming the title of world’s strongest man. Jamaican superstar Usain Bolt took first with ease in the 200 meters semifinal; the final is tomorrow. China currently leads in gold medals with 43, with the US (26) and Britain (16) trailing. The American team leads the overall medal tally, with 79 to China’s 76. (More 2008 Beijing Olympics stories.)