London Olympians


The London Olympians are a British American football team based in south London. They play in the BAFA National Leagues Premiership South. They were formed in 1984 as the Streatham Olympians and were known as the London O's between 1995 and 2005. They are the United Kingdom's most successful American football club having won the BritBowl in 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006, as well as lower Division Bowls in 1992, 1993, 1996 and 1997.
Aside from this they were 1993 and 1994 EuroBowl champions and were victorious in the 1999 EFAF Cup. The Olympians hold the record for the longest winning streak in senior kitted British American Football. They currently play their home games at the Blackheath Rugby Football Club and train in Rotherhithe.

History

The Olympians first home was on Streatham Common and was founded by John Carney who owned the nearby Olympians Gym. Over the years they have played at the Crystal Palace National Sport Centre, Herne Hill velodrome, Southwark Park as well as in Beckenham, Catford, Peckham, West Ham and Eltham Well Hall.

London O's

Between 1995 and 2005 the Olympians were known as the London O's and regularly won the BritBowl Championship. The name change was a result of the previous owner retaining the rights to the Olympian name when he decided to withdraw from American football.

Reformation

In 2009 the team returned to the BAFA league after a year in hiatus, playing in Division 2 East. They were promoted from Division 2 at the end of the 2010 season, defeating the Manchester Titans in the Division 2 Bowl game 35–13. They played and won all 15 of their games in 2010, scoring 553 and conceding just 60 points.
In 2012, the Olympians returned to the Premier division. The same year they left Crystal Palace for Catford and then for Beckenham the following season. In 2015, they played home games on Peckham Rye before moving north of the Thames for the first time in 2016, playing at East London Rugby Club in West Ham.
In 2016 season the Olympians went 0–10 and got relegated down to division for the 2017 season, In 2017 the Olympians went 6–3–1 to win the Division 1 South east conference and went on to beat Solent Thrashers 55–29 in the playoffs. Then beating the Kent Exiles 41–17 in the semi finals and being promoted back to the premiership 1 year removed. But the Olympians came up short in the Finals against Manchester Titans as they lost 46–23.

Honours

Champions: 1993, 1994

EFAF Cup Champions: 1999
British Champions: 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006
BAFACL Division II South Champions: 2010
BAFACL Division II Play-Off Champions: 2010