The winning streak from the rest of the Great British team assisted Andy Murray in his efforts to win Olympic gold. This is the suggestion of Andrew Lane, Professor of Sports Psychology at Wolverhampton University, who has told Reuters that Team GB's new spirit of success has given British competitors a boost.

Professor Lane explained tennis star Murray - who collected a gold medal after defeating Switzerland's Wimbledon champion Roger Federer in straight sets - was helped by the achievements of the rowers, cyclists and track and field competitors who went before him.

"At the moment, at a time when it really matters, British athletes are performing beyond expectations - and he wanted to repeat that," Professor Lane observed.

Antoinette Minniti, a Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Nottingham Trent University, noted Murray - who recently lost to Federer in the Wimbledon final - also used the expectation and support of the crowd to help him out on course, rather than allowing it to negatively impact his performance.