The British Olympic Association today insisted Great Britain were still on course for a gold rush at London 2012, despite a mixed start to the Games.

Team GB had won two silver and two bronze medals almost halfway through day four of their home Olympics but a first gold remained elusive.

Some of those tipped to deliver big performances - Mark Cavendish, Hannah Miley and Tom Daley - all failed in their first attempts at making history.

But others have performed beyond expectations, most notably the men's artistic gymnastic team, whose bronze last night was a first in the event for a century.

BOA chef de mission Andy Hunt said: "There's no sense at all amongst the team that we're not delivering."

He added: "The team remains confident and positive.

"We are about where we expected to be at this stage of the competition.

"Notably, Bronze in the men's team artistic gymnastics competition was a fantastic, absolutely fantastic result, and I think we've all seen that celebrated overnight and this morning.

"To achieve that historic outcome of a medal for the first time in 100 years is really, really superb.

"Also really pleased to see [weightlifter] Zoe Smith get a new British record, and I think that underpins our whole point about these sports being able to perform credibly."

Britain won 19 gold medals at the Beijing Olympics four years ago to finish fourth in the medal table, a feat they have been tasked with emulating.

Hunt added: "Key medal opportunities, really, coming up over the next few days and later in the week. Rowing, track cycling, time trial, sailing , triathlon, open-water swimming.

"So, as it always is for Team GB at a Games, it's really as we come in towards the end of the first week that we see start to see our opportunities really ramp up in those traditional sports where we tend to excel.

"Overall, I'm satisfied where we're up to and I'm sure we're going to see some great results later on in the week."

Britain are behind arch-rivals Australia - who have one gold - in the medals table and BOA chairman Lord Moynihan said: "We don't intend for that to last too long."

Moynihan accepted a bet from Australian Olympic chief John Coates back in 2005 with a magnum of champagne at stake for every gold medal - and a bottle per silver or bronze - that Britain finishes above or below Australia.

Moynihan added: "I've told John Coates that he hire a container because we're going to be in good shape by the end of these Games."