If the FE sector were a country, it would currently have more medals in the 2016 Olympic Games than New Zealand, Canada - and even hosts Brazil.

Here at TES, we’ve been keeping a close eye on how our FE-educated Olympians have been faring in Rio.

Around 50 members of Team GB were educated in a college. Star performers from the sector so far have included former Derby College student and swimming gold medallist Adam Peaty. The men’s cycling pursuit team, including Nelson and Colne College alumnus Steven Burke and Ed Clancy, formerly of Kirklees College, claimed another gold in the velodrome.

Arguably the biggest star of the show for FE thus far has been the unstoppable Valegro, the dressage horse (pictured). The trusty steed has, ably supported by his rider Charlotte Dujardin, claimed a gold and a silver medal. As he trains at Hartpury College (he is known to be a particular fan of the water treadmill), we reckon we’re perfectly entitled to claim him as one of our own.

So, by our reckoning, Team FE now has 14 medals: three gold, eight silver and three bronze. This would place it 16th in the current medal table. Collectively, the athletes have outdone 65 countries, including South Africa, Argentina and Ireland.

And with many other FE Olympians still to compete - almost a third of Team GB athletes who have been to FE colleges are involved in the athletics - there is a good chance that Team GB’s FE contingent will find themselves even higher in the medal table at the end of the games.

Team FE Olympics medal winners (so far):

Adam Peaty (one gold and one silver), 100m breaststroke and 4x100m medley - Derby College

Valegro, ridden by Charlotte Dujardin (one gold and one silver), individual dressage and team dressage - Hartpury College

Steven Burke and Ed Clancy (gold), cycling team pursuit - Nelson and Colne College and Kirklees College, respectively

Richard Hounslow (silver), canoeing (C2 category) - Harrow College

Jazz Carlin (two silvers) women’s 400m freestyle and women’s 800m freestyle - Gower College Swansea

James Davies and Dan Norton (silver), rugby sevens - Gower College Swansea and Hartpury College, respectively

Siobhan-Marie O’Connor (silver), 200m individual medley - Loughborough College

Zoe Lee (silver), women’s eight rowing - Queen Elizabeth Sixth-Form College

Daniel Goodfellow (bronze), synchronised 10m platform diving - Loughborough College (current)

Sophie Hitchon (bronze), hammer - Loughborough College

Joshua Buatsi (bronze), boxing (light-heavyweight division) - St Francis Xavier Sixth-Form College

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